Capital Growth Solutions' President conducts workshop and client Southern States Bank receives Award at Alabama SBA Lenders Conference

Capital Growth Solutions, LLC ("CGS") President Gary Griffin conducted a workshop session which he wrote and coordinated with a power point presentation entitled "Protecting the SBA Guaranty" at the 2013 Alabama SBA (Small Business Administration) Lenders Conference held earlier this month in Prattville, AL.  This is the second consecutive year Mr. Griffin has conducted sessions for this state's conference.

"Alabama Lenders Conference is one of my favorite conferences, and I was happy to share what we specialize in at Capital Growth Solution: protecting the guaranty" Mr. Griffin said, "I was also very happy for Southern States Bank, one of our clients, which won the 2013 SBA Community Bank of the Year Award for the state of Alabama."

(Featured from left to right:  Gary Griffin, Capital Growth Solutions, LLC; Patrick Cushman, Southern States Bank, Birmingham President; Greg Smith, Southern States Bank, Chief Credit Officer; L. D. Ralph, Senior Lender Relations Specialist, Small Business Administration, Birmingham, AL.)

"One of Capital Growth Solution's other banks won this same prestigious award last year as well," Mr. Griffin said.



Having coming straight from the National Government Guaranteed Lenders Conference ("NAGGL") in St. Louis, MO, Mr. Griffin was able to share the latest SBA news from a national level with those in Alabama.

During the past few months, Mr. Griffin travelled throughout the State of Tennessee teaching community bankers and others at the bequest of the TN SBA Department. In September 2013, Mr. Griffin will be conducting workshops at the Florida Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders Conference ("FLAGGL") in Orlando, Florida.


Submitted by:

CAPITAL GROWTH SOLUTIONS
6650 East Brainerd Road, Suite 212
Chattanooga, TN 37421
423-475-5700

email: info@capgs.com

http://www.capgs.com/

Mike Howard is Vice President of Operations at CAPITAL GROWTH SOLUTIONS, LLC

In 2008, Mike Howard joined Capital Growth Solutions as its Vice President of Operations.  His responsibilities include conducting and supervising the areas of loan processing and closings.  Mr. Howard is a primary liaison between CGS and the U. S. Small Business Administration with respect to loan applications.  He coordinates with all relevant parties to ensure that closings are done in a timely and orderly fashion.

Mr. Howard began his banking career in the loan operations department at Suntrust Bank in 1987. During his 9 years with Suntrust, he learned the many different functions of the bank's loan department. In 1996, he was hired by First Volunteer Bank to manage its loan operations. Mr. Howard and an assigned staff of eight people were responsible for a loan portfolio in excess of $383 million comprised of over 6,000 loans.  Mr. Howard was actively involved in the growth and development of First Volunteer as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee. He was instrumental in streamlining operations during several mergers and also managed the $20,000,000 SBA portfolio of the bank. He then took a position as HMDA and CRA officer for the bank and worked in bank compliance for the next five years.

From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Howard was Vice President of Operations and Loan Closing Manager for a conduit loan origination operation which generated and closed over $300 million in commercial real estate and small business loans.

In his free time, Mr. Howard enjoys volunteering at the Tennessee Aquarium (for over 13 years).  He has also been active as a Chattanooga Jaycee.

For over 22 years, Mike Howard has been a crucial part of the banking and finance world.  He regularly attends workshops and conferences to keep up to date with the most recent developments and changes in banking policies and procedures.

Capital Growth Solutions is proud to have Mike Howard on its team of leaders!

CAPITAL GROWTH SOLUTIONS

6650 East Brainerd Road, Suite 212

Chattanooga, TN  37421

423-475-5700

email:  info@capgs.com

http://www.capgs.com/

Gary E Griffin - CGS President & CEO

Gary E. Griffin has been advising and assisting people with their businesses his entire life.  His first job out of college was with the U. S. Small Business Administration in his hometown of Jacksonville, FL.  "These were great folks.  I couldn't have had a better learning opportunity."

At the age of 22, Gary worked in Washington, DC under President Jimmy Carter to implement the founding of the Office of Alcohol Fuels in the Department of Energy, one of the largest government guaranteed loan programs of its time.  For the next 30 plus years (to the present date), Gary has been using his vast knowledge of finance and business to advise the average person up to millionaires on how to make the most of their business lending.  Mr. Griffin has earned the unofficial title of an expert in SBA Lending.

Currently, Gary E. Griffin is President and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Growth Solutions, LLC, a SBA licensed loan service provider ("LSP"), which assists lenders in managing their small business loan portfolios.

From 2001 to 2007, Mr. Griffin was President and CEO of a conduit loan origination operation which generated and closed over $300 million in commercial real estate and small business loans.  This operation, through an affiliate, was also licensed as a non-bank lender with the capabilities to fund its own commercial loans.

Prior to 2001, Mr. Griffin served as eastern regional vice president of Bank of the West.  He has also represented First Union Small Business Capital (formerly The Money Store) in Tennessee, Georgia and North and South Carolina.  He also was President of Community Financial Corporation (a lender service provider), a subsidiary of Community Group (now First Volunteer Corporation).  In 1996, Mr. Griffin was named Tennessee's Small Business Financial Advocate of the Year.

In the 1980's, Mr. Griffin managed his own CPA firm in Atlanta concentrating on small business finance and taxation.  He also worked as the lead credit analyst of a venture capital firm and was a staff accountant for Arthur Young & Company.

Mr. Griffin is a Certified Public Accountant is both Tennessee and Georgia (inactive) and received a BSBA in Finance from the University of Denver.  He has also performed post-graduate work at Georgia State University and the University of Virginia in both Banking and Accounting.

With his extensive education and prestigious business background, Mr. Griffin leads Capital Growth Solutions with professional, well-practiced hands.  "This is an exciting time in the government guaranteed lending industry, and I am doing my utmost to keep Capital Growth Solutions in the forefront of the commercial lending activity for small businesses nationwide," says Mr. Griffin.

CAPITAL GROWTH SOLUTIONS

6650 East Brainerd Road, Suite 212

Chattanooga, TN  37421

423-475-5700

email:  info@capgs.com

http://www.capgs.com/

CGS Hosts 1st Training Session on SBA Standard Operating Procedures

Capital Growth Solutions held its first training session on April 4, 2011 in Chattanooga, TN.  A very special THANKS goes out to COMMUNITY NATIONAL BANK for providing the spacious facility located in their Rossville Branch, which housed the full day seminar.  The training session was well attended by over 20 participants representing different regional areas such as Nashville, TN, Birmingham, AL, Atlanta, GA and Chattanooga, TN.  "From the feedback I have received," reported Gary Griffin, CGS President and CEO, "the information was both relevant and timely".  Mr. Griffin spoke for about 3 hours on the basics of SBA Standard Operating Procedures ("SOP") 50 10 and SBA Lender Programs and Eligibility.

Bank Source Advisor President Art Freeman who travelled from Birmingham for the training, stated "Gary's SBA seminar ... was immediately impactful.  The day after the training several members of our team were able to apply his and Liz Eicholtz's guidance to projects we are currently working on." 

After Mr. Griffin's presentation, a breakout session was held combined with a box lunch from a local establishment.

Immediately following lunch, CGS Chief Credit Officer Liz Eicholtz trained on the SOP requirements for Loan Processing.  Per Ms. Eicholtz,  "Our intent for this seminar was to provide lenders with two things:

  - A basic understanding of SBA rules and guidelines in order to accurately represent the products available; and
  - The confidence that Capital Growth Solutions is always by their side to provide the necessary detail specific to each lending scenario."

Ms. Eicholtz further stated "the SOP is continually changing in response to these economic times and sometimes it is tough to stay up on all the changes.  We at Capital Growth Solutions make it our priority to make sure that we are current." 

The final session was directed by Matt Eicholtz, Business Development Officer for Georgia Resource Capital.  Mr. Eicholtz gave a brief overview of the SBA 504 program and the new initiatives in place during the recovery period.  "I really appreciate the invitation from Capital Growth Solutions to be a part of this great training day.  With so many changes occurring recently in both the SOP and 504 Programs, this was a great opportunity for me to be in front of these various lenders reviewing the changes," Mr. Eicholtz said,  "I want to especially thank Gary Griffin for allowing me to be a part of this very important training."

Per Mr. Freeman, "CGS consistently puts us in a position where we can be problem solvers and deal makers!"

Mr. Griffin expressed his thanks to all who participated and said "we look forward to a repeat performance in the Birmingham area shortly."

CAPITAL GROWTH SOLUTIONS

6650 East Brainerd Road, Suite 212

Chattanooga, TN  37421

423-475-5700

email:  info@capgs.com

http://www.capgs.com/