Working in the banking and lending industry since 1989, Teri has been involved in various kinds of roles including customer service, credit card disputes, home mortgage and small business. Having worked for all the big “gorilla” national banks like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Bank One/Chase, Teri has had plenty of experience in all aspects of lending.
Her career in SBA began in 2006 while employed as an SBA underwriter by a local bank in Arizona known as First National Bank of Arizona, a nationwide lender. She eventually went to help a prior manager start up an SBA team at Pinnacle Bank, before being recruited to work for another SBA group based in Chicago. But lucky for Fountainhead, she’s now on our team as an SBA underwriter. Although she’s happy to be in a non-bank company, she has to be grateful for her prior experience, especially at Bank of America, where she met her husband while transferring a call to him.
While SBA lending can be cumbersome at times, Teri feels that it is the most rewarding type of lending that she’s done in her banking/lending career. The impact that is seen when working with small business owners is a deeper, more personal connection. Being able to help small businesses prosper and in turn create a better life for their families and community is what keeps Teri in this career path. With three children and two grandchildren of her own, seeing the impact her work has on families is incredibly gratifying.
