News, announcements, and media coverage from Lendesca.
By Andy Medici – Senior Reporter, The Playbook, The Business Journals, Oct 27, 2026 Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn spoke with The Business Journals about the shrinking number of lenders active in the SBA 7(a) program. The article reports that participation has fallen sharply since the pandemic, leaving a small group of large lenders responsible for […]
Sean Murray, deBanked · October 13, 2026 deBanked President and Chief Editor Sean Murray talks with Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn about where SBA 7(a) lending goes after a year of tighter rules. Chris explains why 7(a) loan counts dropped even as average loan sizes grew, and how the SBA’s new SOP reopens a path to […]
Melissa Angell, Inc. · September 24, 2026 Inc. senior staff writer Melissa Angell breaks down a new report from the SBA’s Office of Inspector General on 7(a) lending by small business lending companies (SBLCs). The report finds that poor loan performance was heavily concentrated at two nonbank lenders, that the SBA knew about past problems […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Lendesca combines advanced lending technology with experienced Government-Guaranteed (SBA & USDA) and small business lending professionals to deliver a faster, clearer, and more efficient borrowing experience.
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