Press

Chris Hackney Featured in Tampa Bay Forward Magazine

Chris Hackney, Lendesca’s Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer was featured in Tampa Bay Forward “Chris believes finance is more than just numbers; it’s a tool for community transformation, turning the once-unreachable dream of business ownership into tangible realities. For years, Hackney helped a St. Petersburg-based community bank rank ahead of industry titans on […]

Matt Craig · September 3, 2026

1 min read

St. Louis-based SBA Lender Service Firm Expands with Acquisition

Lendesca Acquires SBA Collective, Names Ray Drew Chief Revenue Officer Lendesca has acquired SBA Collective, bringing the Boca Raton-based firm’s lender relationships and industry reach into the Lendesca platform. As part of the deal, SBA Collective founder Ray Drew joins Lendesca’s executive team as Chief Revenue Officer and takes an equity stake in the company. […]

Matt Craig · September 2, 2026

1 min read

A Coleman Conversation: Chris Hurn & Ray Drew

Bob Coleman sits down with Chris Hurn, Lendesca’s Founder and President, and Ray Drew, the company’s newly named Chief Revenue Officer, for a conversation nearly 15 years in the making. Ray started in SBA lending as Chris’s marketing intern, now today he’s one of the most recognized voices in the industry. Back together at […]

Matt Craig · August 31, 2026

1 min read

Lendesca Acquires SBA Collective, Names Ray Drew Chief Revenue Officer

Acquisition reunites Drew with Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn, bringing together two of the SBA industry’s most well-known voices and innovators Lendesca has acquired SBA Collective, the SBA LSP (Lender Service Provider) founded by industry veteran Ray Drew, who joins the company as Chief Revenue Officer. The move brings SBA Collective’s team and Drew’s decade-plus network […]

Matt Craig · August 25, 2026

1 min read

As SBA Lending Concentrates, Lendesca Gives Every Lender a Way Back In

Lendesca originates SBA loans on behalf of SBA-approved bank partners who make the credit decision and fund the loan. Lendesca introduced itself publicly today, after months of originating real loans alongside lending partners. Instead of a point solution or an outside-in tech play, Lendesca built a complete SBA lending operation for banks of every size […]

Matt Craig · August 18, 2026

1 min read

A Coleman Conversation: Chris Hurn on SBA Lending, AI, and Community Banks

Bob Coleman sat down with Lendesca’s CEO Chris Hurn on this week’s episode of A Coleman Conversation for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of SBA 7(a) lending. The conversation covers Chris’s three decades in the industry, why community banks are stepping back from the 7(a) program, and what it actually takes to run […]

Matt Craig · August 5, 2026

1 min read

No AI Plan, No Loan. Small Business Lenders Force Main Street To Face The Future

In this Forbes feature on the growing role of AI in small business lending, Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn discusses how technology is transforming the way lenders evaluate risk, process loan applications, and serve entrepreneurs. As financial institutions adopt AI-driven tools, Chris highlights how these innovations can significantly accelerate underwriting and improve the overall borrowing […]

Matt Craig · March 16, 2026

1 min read

SBA re-tightens its eligibility rules, hitting noncitizens

In this American Banker article, Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn discusses the SBA’s decision to tighten eligibility requirements for its lending programs, limiting access for certain noncitizen business owners. Chris highlights how the policy change is already impacting deals in the pipeline and creating new uncertainty for lenders and entrepreneurs navigating government-guaranteed loan programs. Lendesca […]

Matt Craig · February 4, 2026

1 min read

Intuit Quickbooks Partners with Lendesca on Critical Tax Credit Program

This article, based on an Intuit QuickBooks press release, highlights how Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn helped bring attention to the Self-Employed Sick Leave and Family Leave (SLFL) tax credit program. The program allows eligible self-employed individuals to claim up to $32,220 in tax credits created under pandemic relief legislation. Lendesca played a key role […]

Matt Craig · March 26, 2025

1 min read