ACE Staff

Grace Fricks
President and CEO
 
Joshua Brackett
Chief Financial Officer
  
Linda Davis Jameson
Chief Operating/Credit Officer
 
Sandy Headley
Vice President/Commercial Loan Officer

Kevin McGee
Vice President, Business Development, Atlanta Region
 
Maria Peck
Metro Atlanta Loan Officer
  
Courtney Lynn
Small Business Underwriter
 
Eric Swilling
Commercial Underwriter

Karen Davis
Strategic Initiatives Director

Karen McLain
Accountant

Guy Ramos
Client Counselor
  
Toni Wiley
Loan Operations Assistant
wiley@aceloans.org

Candace Thomas
Executive Assistant to the President
  
Candace McClure
Administrative Assistant
mcclure@aceloans.org

Jeff Moody
Grant Writer
 
Isaiah Brown
Business Development Assistant
 
Randal LeDet
Small Business Specialist
SBRE
 
Siqi Yuan, Atlanta Intern
Emory University

Andrew Thurston 
VISTA Worker

Stella Kilpatrick
VISTA Worker

 
Like us on Facebook
  
Follow us on Twitter
 
 
Many thanks to our partners for your ongoing support of ACE and its mission! 
 
 






























DCA Logo
















PNC Bank Logo













UCB














The Waterfall Foundation 


Wells Logo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  

Not your average Joe Six-Pack:

Gold City Growlers to sell high-end beer
 

Growlers, or large, reusable, specialty containers for "beer to go," have been quenching thirsts all over Atlanta, Athens, and other cities, but the trend had not found a vendor in the mountains until now. Gold City Growlers will hold a grand opening on Labor Day weekend at its headquarters in downtown Dahlonega, on 10 South Chestatee Street.
 

"Growlers are all the rage, and we saw an opportunity to bring them to this market in a way that grows our local economy," says Nicole Wimpy, who co-owns the business with Travis and Staci Johnson. "For our theme, we're sticking with the gold rush heritage of this area." Gold City Growlers will tap from 20 kegs and offer six- and 12-packs from a rotating selection of craft beers, most of them brewed in Georgia, such as the popular Terrapin from Athens and Hop Dang Diggity, made in Alpharetta. Customers can select a glass-and-ceramic growler to hold 32 or 64 ounces, which then will be sealed with plastic, to make the containers easy to transport. GCG will also sell private-label libations from local wineries - "Fool's Gold" white and "Prospector Red" - and snacks such as meats, cheeses, pretzels, nuts, and other "pub grub," along with unusual gift items.
 
This "beer cake" will be one of the unusual gift items for sale at Gold City Growlers.

"We won't be like a bar or restaurant," Wimpy said. "More like a high-end convenience store where you can pick up something for a party or special night on the town." 

The shop is located near Wimpy's other businesses, Jolie Day Spa and Dahlonega Marketplace, a venue for special events such as weddings and concerts. 
Wimpy has used three business loans from ACE to launch her enterprises. "ACE has been the key to our success in all of our ventures," she said."We had just paid off the loan for the day spa, so we thought, why not take out another to keep expanding our operations?"

 

Meet the Faces of ACE


 

ACE welcomes Linda Davis Jameson as 

Chief Operating/Credit Officer 

 

An executive known for her sharp business sense and generous heart, Jameson brings to ACE more than 20 years of banking and leadership experience with a broad background in strategic planning, underwriting, lending and training.

 

"ACE is the perfect blend for me," she said, "combining my desire to give back to the community with the financial skills developed over many years."

 

In a previous position as Chief Credit Officer and Executive Vice President, Jameson established and implemented goals and strategies for a community bank. She also has experience managing global commercial relationships in diversified industries, portfolio management, and marketing.

 

Jameson's involvement in the nonprofit sector includes consulting and advisory services, as well as active membership on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency (ACSS). In her current position at ACE, Jameson plays a key role in the overall management of the organization, with an emphasis on credit and portfolio risk.  She holds a BBA from Roanoke College and an MBA from Emory University. In her leisure time, she enjoys travel, photography, and beach music.

 

Welcome to team ACE, Linda!

ACE on the Move and in the News


 
As an attendee of the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative America, ACE Founder and CEO, Grace Fricks, was asked to write a blog post titled Creative Approaches to Capital Access on Main Street. Read the blog post here.
 


 

 


Karen Davis, ACE's Director of Strategic Initiatives, joined ProWIN Atlanta on Atlanta Business Radio to discuss the Women Investing in Successful Entrepreneurs (WISE) Initiative. To hear the interview, please click here

 


 



You are invited!

Business Continuity and Loss Prevention
for Small Business Workshop

A property loss related to fire, theft or severe weather... an injury to a customer or employee... a poor quality product that causes failure, damage or injury... these could impact your financial health and ability to stay open for business.

Join ACE and Travelers for an opportunity to receive:

* Educational training
* Consulting
* Microlending

August 20, 2014 (Wednesday)
5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. 
The Loudermilk Center
40 Courtland St. NE Atlanta, GA 30303

--Free admission
--Dinner will be served

The education session includes:
* A classroom workshop by Travelers insurance safety professionals on business continuity and loss prevention to help you reduce risks of operating a business

* An opportunity for acceptance to the Small Business Risk Education (SBRE) program, which includes a free, one-hour, one-on-one consultation on your safety risk management plan with a Travelers safety professional

* Eligibility for a ACE microloan, which is made possible through a Travelers grant*

Registration required. To register for the workshop, please contact Randal LeDet at  ledet@aceloans.org.

*The microloan is administered exclusively by ACE. Travelers is not involved in individual loan decisions. 
........................................................................................
The Travelers Indemnity Company and its property casualty affiliates. One Tower Square, Hartford, CT 06183 

This material is for informational purposes only. All statements herein are subject to the provisions, exclusions and conditions of the applicable policy. For an actual description of all coverages, terms and conditions, refer to the insurance policy. Coverages are subject to individual insureds meeting our underwriting qualifications and to state availability.

© 2014 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. Travelers and the Travelers Umbrella logo are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries.

"Back to Basics" 
Effective Strategies for Re-building, Managing and Accelerating Your Business

 

Do you already have a strong business but want new ideas?

 

Do you have an idea but want feedback?

 

Are you simply looking for approaches to increase sustainability and profit? 


If you answered yes, then this is the session for YOU! 

Join us on August 21 from 6:00-8:00 pm at NEX Atlanta located at 318 Cherokee Avenue SE, Suite 104. For registration please visit www.acebasics.eventbrite.comFor FREE Registration use code: ACEBasics

 

Session Host:

Mike Ames- The Biz Garage  

Michael Ames

Chief Architect and Founder

The Biz Garage 

                                    

For more information on ACE's Coaching and Conversations, please contact Isaiah Brown, Business Development Assistant at brown@aceloans.org.

 

ACE Partners with MicroMentor
  
 
  
ACE is proud to offer its clients personalized business advice on the MicroMentor platform. MicroMentor is a completely free, non-profit network that connects entrepreneurs with volunteer business mentors. MicroMentor has assisted more than 5,000 entrepreneurs in strengthening their businesses- with tangible profits and proven sustainability-- through mentorship. 
  
All of our clients now have access to a growing, global community of more than 5,200 business experts ready to lend some friendly, helpful advice. In addition, ACE Staff will provide dedicated support to clients in order to ensure success in finding and working with a volunteer business mentor. 
  
For more information, visit the ACE website here, or contact Isaiah Brown, Business Development Assistant, at brown@aceloans.org

  
Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs
 
ACE's program, Women Investing in Successful Entrepreneurs (WISE), provides business advisory services and access to capital for women to expand or start a business in the Metro Atlanta and North Georgia region. As  members of WISE, women will have the chance to participate in various events focused on finance, access to capital, and scaling up. ACE hopes you will take advantage of this opportunity and join WISE because our goal is your success. Look for these upcoming events: 
  
WISE Speed Coaching
Have you ever heard of Speed Dating? Speed Coaching requires the same set up with a different purpose. Participants will have the chance to consult with various successful women business executives to gain insight on suggested tactics to help improve their businesses. 
Date: November 5, 2014
Time: 5pm-7pm
Location: The Loudermilk Center
                 40 Courtland St. NE Atlanta, GA 30303

For more information regarding WISE and how to get involved, please contact Karen Davis at davis@aceloans.org. 
ACE Loans is an equal opportunity lender, provider and employer.