Few of us regret seeing 2009 in our rearview mirrors! All of us have been dealing with a significant economic downturn, and 2009 was a difficult year for everyone in the SBA lending industry, as well as for NAGGL. Yet, in the midst of upheaval, you have continued to engage NAGGL for a variety of resources, training, networking, and knowledge. I thank you for your engagement at every turn and particularly during these times. I know it is harder than ever to commit your resources and your time and I, along with the entire staff and board of directors, greatly appreciate your dedication.  
 
Through these challenges and based on your support, your national trade association was able to continue to work diligently to engage and have our unified voice heard at a national level. In many ways, 2009 was a banner year in this realm. During several trips to Washington, DC, NAGGL leadership successfully voiced concerns of 7(a) program participants through testimony at hearings and participating in roundtables, and by working closely with congressional committees, the SBA, and other government departments, like the US Treasury, to address ways of expanding small business access to capital (secondary market changes, Recovery Act provisions and extension, reauthorization legislation, and more); we were also invited and attended special White House events celebrating small businesses and the credit assistance that they received from 7(a) lenders.
 
One very positive result is a heightened public awareness of the SBA loan programs and their value to job-creating small businesses. The public-private partnership that is the hallmark of the 7(a) program provided hope to many struggling small businesses in 2009. Increased public awareness is evidenced by the amount of press we've seen over the past 6-9 months (and that can be easily accessed through our new Daily News service where links to relevant articles are posted daily). Although 2010 is only a few weeks old and we know the economy and small businesses will continue to struggle, there has been positive news of increased 7(a) lending in many areas (New Jersey, Rhode Island, Arizona, New York, to name a few).
 
NAGGL celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2009, and although times are tough, we held two very successful national conferences. Part of our success was directly attributable to our Anniversary Corporate Sponsors, who for as little as $250, helped make the celebration special--even when they couldn't attend the event! We always say our members our great, and that's just one more bit of proof. We did suffer lower attendance numbers and hotel attrition fees, but those who did make it had nothing but praise for the events, rating them as having the "best content yet" with "great speakers". We were honored to have special guests from the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship (Donald Cravins, Jr. and Edward Mills), as well as from the new SBA Administration (Chief of Staff, Ana Ma, in Boston, and Administrator Karen Mills and Jess Knox, associate administrator for field operations, in Phoenix.) You can listen to the Administrator's conference address on another one of our new services: You Tube video reports!
 
NAGGL technical experts and committees were also very busy in 2009 and engaged in many discussions with SBA policymakers. A few changes NAGGL was instrumental in: getting the LIBOR base rate and a new SBA Fixed Base rate established; allowance of alternative size standard; suggesting the agency combine the servicing and 'Herndon' matrixes into one, and then assisting with alterations in the format of the combined Servicing & Liquidation Matrix that made it more "user friendly"; updating language in SOP 50 10 regarding debt refinancing; suggesting language changes to clarify policy--and a great deal more. At the start of 2009, the new policy on financing of goodwill was a very hot topic that staff and the Technical Issues Committee, as well as many members, took on. The initial exception processing announced by SBA was a direct result of discussions with NAGGL. We also provided information, data, and recommendations to SBA that led to the ultimate adjustment of that policy.
 
NAGGL education continues to work to respond to our members' shrunken training budgets by offering an increased number of our 90-minute WEBExpress sessions (32 in 2009 -- up from just 10 in 2007), as well as offering full-blown standard courses that lend themselves to online training, for instance SBA 1502 Reporting (offered 3 times in 2009, and already on the schedule for February 2010) and SBA Express Lending (offered twice in 2009, and on tap for February 3-4, 2010). We continue to offer regional training at select locations, as well as during our conference week.

The staff continues to answer hundreds, if not thousands, of your technical questions annually, as well as providing statistics on SBA loan volume data, top lenders, NAICS and franchise data, and a great deal more. Our dedicated staff is always interested in finding ways to server our members, and we hope you'll contact us with any suggestions (or complaints) that you have. Call the office anytime at 405.377.4022.
 
In closing, I simply want to thank you once again for your continued support. I wish you the very best--both professionally and personally--in 2010!
 
Regards,

 

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