Being chief lending officer means I’m responsible for the growth of our loan programs and the development of new areas of lending like solar and clean energy, multifamily housing, and food systems, such as meat and poultry processors and food and farm businesses.
Joining the Center team has given me the fantastic opportunity to combine my vocational skills like lending, business development, and leadership with my avocation and lifetime love of agriculture that has led me to live on a small farm, raise heritage turkeys, manufacture organic poultry feed, grow a garden, and more.
I spent the past several years consulting with Community Development Finance Institutions, credit unions, and banks to assess risk in lending, provide solutions and strategies, and assist with meeting compliance requirements. Also, I have nonprofit leadership experience being a member and adviser to the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society for many years.
While my dad is from rural Nebraska, he moved to Los Angeles, and that is where I was born and raised. But the rural "seed" was planted; even in southern California, I grew chickens in our backyard and was deeply involved in FFA throughout high school. When it came time to select a college, I chose an "aggie" university, the University of California, Davis. Upon graduating, I received my bachelor’s degree in agricultural and managerial economics.
My wife and I started our family in northern California, and then moved to our acreage between West Point and Lyons in 1998. Since moving to Nebraska, we’ve focused our efforts on alternative, sustainable, and regenerative agriculture, healthy foods, and living a family-oriented, entrepreneurial, “catching the rural vision” type of lifestyle.
Q&A
What's your favorite food/restaurant?
Sushi!
If you could instantly be good at something, what would it be?
Spanish/Portuguese/additional foreign languages
What's one piece of advice you wish you could give to your younger self?
Consistent, persistent self-discipline and small change really can move mountains.
