Alaska honors top lending banks

11/18/2011

The Small Business Administration's Alaska district office recently named its 2011 lender awards at the Alaska Lenders' Symposium in Anchorage, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reports.

First National Bank Alaska was named the state's 504 Lender of the Year, as it issued nine loans totaling nearly $12 million during the last fiscal year ending September 30. According to the SBA's website, 504 loans provide long-term, fixed-rate financing to acquire major fixed assets for expansion or modernization.

Other award recipients included Wells Fargo Bank N.A., which won Alaska SBA Lender of the Year, issuing 27 loans approvals totaling nearly $8.4 million, while Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO received Community Lender of the Year honors, providing financial assistance to 24 small businesses totaling more than $17.8 million.

The News Tribune reports that First National recently ran into trouble when it was revealed in a surprise audit that one of its bank tellers in Kodiak stole $21,000 to pay for various expenditures such as rent and a trip to Samoa.