Eric Kern	Annie Hudspeth	Cynthia Nevels

Whether business owners are trying to get a loan to start a small home-based business or buy equipment to expand a manufacturing plant, the amount of risk can scare off potential lenders.

A June 4 University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center workshop will inform area business leaders about a loan program that takes away some of the risk.

SBA guaranteed loans are made by a private lender and guaranteed up to 80 percent by the SBA, which helps reduce the lender’s risk and provides financing that’s otherwise unavailable at reasonable terms. If the borrower fails to repay the loan, the lender can recover the guaranteed portion of the loan from the SBA.

The SBA Guaranteed Loan Workshop for Small Business will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the SBDC office, 3402 N. Ben Wilson St. The workshop is free and open to the public.

Joe Humphreys

“This approach to borrowing offers several benefits, but it’s important to get all the facts about the loan program,” UHV SBDC Director Joe Humphreys said. “The information and tools gained from this workshop can help business owners make informed decisions, which in turn can lead to a better chance of getting a guaranteed loan approved.”

During the workshop, a trio of guest speakers will cover various topics about the loan program.

Eric Kern, vice president and SBA loan officer for First Community Bank in Corpus Christi, will be the featured speaker. He has 26 years of experience in sales, commercial banking and sales force management. First Community is the highest volume SBA lender in Corpus Christi.

“Mr. Kern brings a wealth of expertise and experience to this discussion and will provide insight from the lender’s perspective,” Humphreys said.

Annie Hudspeth, a lender relations specialist with the San Antonio SBA District Office, will discuss the loan program from the SBA’s viewpoint. Cynthia Nevels, a senior partner from Integrality, a Dallas global management consulting firm, also will be on hand to talk about crowdfunding.

To register for the workshop, contact the UHV SBDC at 361-485-4485, 877-895-7232 or sbdc@uhv.edu.

The UHV SBDC is part of a nationwide small business assistance program that serves the small business community in partnership with federal, state and local governments. The center offers business advising, training and technical assistance to existing and start-up businesses in an 11-county area.