John Reosti

Citadel Credit Union is joining the small cadre of credit unions active in the Small Business Administration's biggest loan program as it seeks to expand in its small-business-rich footprint.

The Trump administration wants the Small Business Administration to shrink its workforce by 43%. At the same time, the agency is being asked to start managing the federal government's student loan portfolio.

Changes are needed to shore up the agency's finances and guarantee the integrity of its flagship 7(a) lending program, according to a leading trade group.

A record 22 credit unions announced plans to acquire banks in 2024, though the year ended on a discordant note as regulatory concerns appear to have derailed a planned CU-bank deal in Georgia.

The Seattle-based company's deal with Bank of America comes five weeks after the termination of its planned sale to FirstSun Capital Bancorp in Denver.

Some lenders are once again hiring mortgage lenders, but memories of the painful staffing cuts they were forced to make over the past two years remain top of mind.

The average size of a Small Business Administration 7(a) loan has fallen to just over $400,000, a level last reached in 2017, according to agency statistics.

The Minneapolis-based banking giant is enjoying its biggest year ever for 7(a) lending, with volume up 40%, as borrowers "are still coming to us," its SBA chief said.

The sale of the $318 million-asset portfolio comes five weeks after the Greenville, South Carolina-based company agreed to sell its investment advisory unit.

The agency admitted navigating the different rules and regulations involved in its four existing lines of credit proved time consuming and confusing and kept some lenders from offering them altogether.