Richard Bradshaw, TD Bank
Head of Small Business Administration (SBA) Programs, TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank
Richard Bradshaw is the Head of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Programs at TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank.
Based in Greenville, S.C., Bradshaw manages TD Bank’s expanding SBA team in delivering competitively-priced, government-backed financing programs that help small businesses grow and succeed. He steers the bank’s efforts to achieve SBA portfolio growth and become a top SBA lender throughout the Maine to Florida footprint. TD Bank is currently the 7th largest SBA lender in the U.S. (as of September 30, 2012).
Bradshaw brings more than 20 years of experience in the lending field to TD Bank. Bradshaw came to the bank following his outstanding leadership at Carolina First, where he was instrumental in developing Carolina First’s successful SBA lending unit starting in Aug. 2009. Prior to his work at Carolina First, Bradshaw served as President at UPS Capital Business Credit in Atlanta, Ga. Under his direction, the company tripled SBA origination volume and moved from 45th to the 9th largest lender during the SBA’s 2008 fiscal year.
Bradshaw is a retired, highly decorated Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve Intelligence Program, and served five years of active duty as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management and a Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He is currently on the Board of Directors for Greenville Literacy Association and NAGGL (National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders).
David Fisher, Nexus Retail.
David Fisher is the Founder and CEO of Nexus Retail. Nexus is a pioneer in the efficient financing and development of retail stores throughout the United States. The company combines technology, financial innovation, and real estate and construction capability to deliver a store development system that enables franchisors and franchisees to open more stores, more cost-effectively and confidently, and enables financial institutions to place more capital, more efficiently, with significantly less risk.
Prior to Nexus, David was the Founder and CEO of Millennium Venture Group, which was the largest developer in the United States of small format, free-standing retail stores. Prominent clients included T-Mobile, Verizon, Movie Gallery, and Lavazza. Accomplishments at Millennium included building a Verizon store from pouring the foundation to opening for business in an unprecedented 9 days at a cost of less than $100,000, and winning the National Design-Build Award for the first Lavazza store to be built in the U.S. David is a past Chairman of the Board for Youthbiz, a Denver-based non-profit serving inner city youth. He is a graduate of Rice University and Harvard Business School (MBA).
Morgan Johns, Conestoga Bank
Morgan has been Senior Vice President at Conestoga Bank since November 2009. Conestoga Bank is a privately owned community bank with 14 branches located in the Philadelphia area.
Morgan is responsible for developing the SBA Lending production primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region of Pennsylvania and its contiguous states but is also providing franchise financing outside of the Bank’s footprint. He brings over 20 years of commercial lending experience along with over 15 years of SBA lending experience utilizing the SBA’s 7a and 504 programs. Prior to joining Conestoga Bank he served as a consultant to the largest CDC in Pennsylvania. Morgan also previously managed SBA Lending for Sovereign Bank’s Mid-Atlantic region where he took SBA lending production from less than 10 loans annually to one of SBA’s top 25 lenders nationwide.
Kevin Boylen, Dunkin’ Brands
Kevin oversees restaurant unit economics, franchisee lending and the internal vendor & franchisee financial review process for both Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins. Prior to this position, Kevin has held several financial rolls at Dunkin Brands with increasing responsibilities including Brand Finance Manager of Dunkin’ Donuts Domestic and Treasury Manger for Dunkin’ Brands.
Kevin earned an MBA at Curry College in Milton Ma and holds a Bachelors degree from Stonehill College.
Barbara Arena, Granite State Development Corp
Barbara has been Vice President at Granite State Development Corporation since December 2010. GSDC is New England’s largest participant in the Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loan program and #4 Nationally.
Barbara is responsible for developing business primarily in Massachusetts but is also authorized to work on projects in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. She brings 25 years of SBA lending experience, including a variety of other credit enhancement loan programs. She has extensive experience in structuring financing, particularly for complex transactions. Prior to joining GSDC she was with CIT Small Business Lending for 16 years and led a team of 12 sales people throughout the Northeast and managed franchise relationships including Dunkin Brands.
Barbara is involved in many organizations including:
- National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL), serving as the Regional Chairperson for the past 3 years
- New England Franchise Association (NEFA), Past Board Member and Treasurer
- New England Business Brokers Association (NEBBA), Board Member and recently nominated Vice President for 2012
- Realtor’s Commercial Alliance of Massachusetts (RCA-MA), Affiliate Board Member
- Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Member
Jeanne Hulit, SBA
SBA’s Associate Administrator/Office of Capital Access
Jeanne A. Hulit was named the SBA’s Associate Administrator/Office of Capital Access at SBA headquarters in Washington, DC in February, 2012 after serving as Acting Associate Administrator since December 2011. She manages and oversees the agency’s programs and operations that are designed to expand access to capital to the nation’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. Responsibilities include the agency’s loan, microloan program and investment programs, credit risk management, secondary market activity and managing financial operations centers. Jeanne is also responsible for advising the SBA Administrator and overseeing, within the Office of Capital Access, the agency’s reforms to make it more responsive to both borrowers and lenders.
Prior to her Washington assignment, Jeanne was appointed to serve as SBA’s New England Regional Administrator on August 10, 2009. As regional administrator, Ms. Hulit was responsible for the delivery of the agency’s financial assistance, technical assistance and government contracting activities throughout the six New England states.
Prior to joining SBA, Ms. Hulit had been a senior vice president for commercial lending at Citizens Bank since 2002. Before joining Citizens, Hulit worked for KeyBank, N.A. where she served as a middle market lender. She also managed Key’s International Banking Division for five years. Previously, she served as deputy director of the International Division at the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
Mary Mansfield, Bay Colony Development Corp
Mary Mansfield, with Bay Colony since 1985, oversees closing and servicing of the 504 loans. She holds a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Assumption College in Worcester. In addition to her responsibilities at Bay Colony, she is active in the National Association of Development Companies (NADCO), chairing the Servicing Committee and serving on the Sacramento Loan Processing Committee, Streamlined Closing Committee, and Technical Issues Committee. She is also one of two NADCO instructors for the 504 Loan Closing Courses, the completion of which is required for all CDC attorneys closing 504 loans. In addition to her professional commitments, Mary also served as the Chairperson of her Town’s Community Center.
David Nayor, BoeFly
David Nayor is Co-President of BoeFly, LLC
Robert Nelson, SBA
Robert Nelson is the Massachusetts District Director for the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Robert H. Nelson was appointed district director of SBA’s Massachusetts District Office on November 26, 2007. The district office is located in Boston with a branch office in Springfield, Massachusetts. Prior to his appointment as district director, Mr. Nelson served as branch manager of the Springfield, Mass. office.
Mr. Nelson began his SBA career in 1998 as a loan specialist for the Connecticut District Office in Hartford, Conn. He joined the Massachusetts District Office in 2000; first in the capacity of lead loan specialist/chief of portfolio management and later as branch manager.
As district director, Mr. Nelson is responsible for the effective delivery of SBA’s financial and business development programs with a mission to counsel, assist and protect the interest of small business statewide in order to maintain and strengthen the economy.
Mr. Nelson , together with a staff of 15 permanent SBA employees, will work to help entrepreneurs to start, grow and build their businesses. On the financial side, Mr. Nelson is responsible for increasing delivery of the popular 7(a) and 504 loan programs which help small businesses obtain access to capital. He is also responsible for SBA oversight of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center’s (MSBDC) statewide network, the seven Massachusetts chapters of SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business and the Massachusetts Women’s Business Center – the Center for Women & Enterprise.
Before joining the SBA, Bob spent a number of years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as section chief of the medium/other assets division in the Franklin, Mass. consolidated field office. He also has a number of years of banking experience having been a commercial lender for several New England area banks. He was a Vice President at Shawmut Bank, R.I.
Mr. Nelson holds a BA degree in Economics from Hobart College in Geneva, New York. He and his wife, Debbi, have three sons, Brad, Mark and Christopher.
Mary Jo Larson, Franchise Times
Publisher/Vice President, Franchise Times
Mary Jo is vice president of Franchise Times Corp. and publisher of two of the company’s publications: Restaurant Finance Monitor and Franchise Times magazine. As publisher of these titles, she has overall responsibility for the advertising sales and editorial content of the publications.
Mary Jo has been with Franchise Times Corp. since 1990. In addition to her publishing duties, she also heads up the sales and planning efforts for the Restaurant Finance & Development Conference and the Franchise Finance & Growth Conference. She is quoted on the franchise community in general interest, news and business publications, and is a speaker at industry events.
Mary Jo has been active in various organizations related to franchising and restaurants, including working on the Executive Programs committee of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and as a member of the franchise advisory committee of Women Venture, a non-profit organization that helps women realize entrepreneurial goals. Mary Jo is also past president of the board of directors for the Minnesota Magazine & Publishing Association. She holds a B.A. in journalism and mass communications from the University of Minnesota.
Since 1988, the Restaurant Finance Monitor has been circulated to senior executives in the restaurant finance, franchising and real estate industries, with an emphasis on topics such as public offerings, finance sources, analyst stock recommendations and taxes.
In 1998, the Restaurant Finance Monitor purchased Franchise Times magazine. The new Franchise Times premiered in January 1999, and targets the multi-unit franchise executive or owner. Franchise Times has grown to be the definitive source business executives and owners will look to for franchise news and business information. The publication takes a look at both the serious, and fun, side of the franchise sector. The magazine also released the Franchise Times Guide to Selecting, Buying and Owning a Franchise, which was published and distributed by the publishing arm of Barnes & Noble Booksellers.
Mike Rozman, BoeFly
Mike Rozman is Co-President and Chief Strategy Officer of BoeFly, LLC.
Mike oversees business development, marketing, and external affairs. He drives best practice information in the credit industry overseeing BoeFly’s educational programs and outreach, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and events focused on small business lending, franchise finance and secondary markets.
Previously, Mike was the President and Co-Founder of Edgeware Analytics, Inc. the parent company to GovGex and Small Business Loan Exchange, the two online marketplaces that served as the founding platforms of BoeFly. Prior to co-founding Edgeware Analytics in 2003, Mike was a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase in their Global Bank.
Mike earned a dual-MBA from Columbia Business School and the London Business School as well as a bachelor’s degree from Boston College
Beth Solomon, NADCO
Beth Solomon, President & CEO, NADCO
Beth Solomon is President & CEO of the National Association of Development Companies (NADCO), representing 270 Certified Development Companies which provided $6 billion in financing for nearly 10,000 small businesses in 2012, helping U.S. small businesses create the jobs America needs. She was previously Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Industry Relations at the International Franchise Association, leading the organization’s efforts on small business lending, veterans and international growth. Ms. Solomon led strategic communications at the National Restaurant Association and the National Association of Manufacturers after working in the entertainment industry at William Morris Endeavor, the Hollywood talent and literary agency. Before joining the staff of U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sam Nunn as a speechwriter, she was a radio journalist in the Voice of America’s East Africa bureau in Nairobi, Kenya, covering Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia. She then joined the ABC News bureau in Berlin where she reported on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the first free elections in East Europe. Ms. Solomon has a B.A. in History from Yale University.
Sharon O’Connor-Clarke, FICO
Principal Consultant, FICO
Sharon O’Connor-Clarke has over 20 years experience in the financial services industry. She is currently a Strategic Partner with FICO where she is responsible for enhancing the strategic relationships with customers by identifying solutions to their business needs based on her strong knowledge of financial services and government, marketing and credit risk, analytics and scoring, small business, and strategy development.
Prior to joining FICO, Sharon was Senior Director-Financial Services for Experian. As a member of the Business Information Solutions Team, she was responsible for client consulting and development of new products based on client needs within the financial services industry. Sharon’s additional banking experience includes VP, Provenir; Managing Director, D&B; VP, GeoTrust; SVP, Strategic Analytics, Direct Marketing and Privacy, KeyCorp; and Manager, Commercial Markets Initiative for Fair, Isaac.
Sharon has a BA in Psychology from San Jose State University and an MA in Behavioral Statistics from Baylor University.
Darrell Johnson, FRANdata
Darrell Johnson has been President and CEO of FRANdata since 2001. FRANdata is the primary source of objective research about franchising, providing information, analysis, benchmarking, due diligence and credit risk rating services to franchisors and companies serving the franchise industry.
Mr. Johnson is a nationally recognized authority and frequent speaker on trends and developments in the franchise industry. He is frequently quoted in the national media and has regular articles in several franchise-focused periodicals.
Mr. Johnson previously was a senior executive with the National Cooperative Bank (NCB), a specialized lending institution that develops creative financing alternatives for cooperative and related organizations. Mr. Johnson was responsible for developing SBA and conventional lending business units, leasing programs and equity investment programs in the franchise, cooperative and healthcare industries.
Before joining NCB in 1992, Johnson was a Partner at London Manhattan Company and Scully Capital where he provided mergers and acquisition advisory services to middle market companies, led the sale of companies and assisted in the restructuring and turnaround of companies in many industries. Mr. Johnson was also the founder of the investment banking subsidiary of a regional commercial bank (now part of Bank of America), specializing in middle market mergers, acquisitions and corporate finance services.
Earlier in his career Mr. Johnson was an economist and director of special examinations for the Farm Credit Administration, a specialized Federal financial regulatory agency.
Mr. Johnson earned an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Economics with Distinction from Montana State University and an BS with Honors from Montana State University. Some of his current and past directorships include The International Franchise Association (IFA), IFA Education Foundation, IFA Supplier Forum, SPP Capital Partners, EOS Financial Group, NOVA Southeastern University International Institute of Franchise Education and Cobrin, Inc.