River City Bank Launches SBA Division

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

River City Bank announces the launch of its new Small Business Administration (SBA) Division, which is led by Reece Sanford, Senior Vice President, Director of Government Guaranteed Lending, and Piper Douglas, Senior Vice President, SBA Senior Credit Officer.

SBA loans offer flexible lending solutions for small businesses, allowing them to be successful. They are ideal for small businesses looking to acquire or expand a business, looking for competitive terms for a partnership buyout or succession planning, buying commercial real estate, or consolidating debt. SBA loans are government-guaranteed, backed by the Small Business Administration, and financed through a local financial institution.

Small businesses are the economic lifeblood of our communities, and River City Bank is committed to supporting those businesses by working with them to customize a plan that will help them be successful and accomplish their business goals.

Reece SanfordAs director of River City Bank’s SBA Division, Reece Sanford stated, “This year is going to be a busy one. I’m very excited about this new adventure. I look forward to working with small business owners, and helping them meet their financial goals.”

Reece’s 16-year career comprises extensive experience in credit analysis and all facets of SBA lending and SBA management. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Georgia and completed his Master of Business Administration at Kennesaw State University. Reece is a lifetime resident of Ellijay, Georgia, and continues to give back to his hometown through his professional and civic activities. He currently serves as the Chairman of the City of Ellijay Downtown Development Authority, is a Trustee for the City of Ellijay, and serves as Secretary for the Gilmer County Library Board.

Piper DouglasPiper Douglas brings 28 years of banking experience to River City and the SBA team. She has held positions in commercial lending, SBA lending and underwriting, credit analysis, credit review, and portfolio management. She has extensive SBA knowledge including credit underwriting, construction lending, loan servicing, and liquidation. During her tenure with SBA lending, Piper found that “access to capital is critical to starting and sustaining a successful small business. She is “thrilled to hit the ground running with the intent to provide much needed support to small businesses in the communities we serve.” Piper received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Cleary University.

Jamie Tallent, President and CEO of River City Bank shared, “Reece and Piper are highly skilled financial leaders with a broad range of experience in SBA lending and underwriting. Their proven performance and experience with government-guaranteed lending will be instrumental as we develop and grow River City Bank’s SBA program. This is an exciting time for our bank as this will give us the opportunity to serve even more small businesses in our local communities.”