The events of 2020 have given commercial lenders the enormous opportunity of being the catalyst for helping to create greater economic stability. With the release of urgent stimulus programs, lenders must be nimble enough to make financing available to businesses that need it to keep their heads above water while they handle the COVID-19 effect on our economy. But at the same time, it is crucial for lenders to carefully mitigate risks and maintain strong lending practices to protect their organization so that they can continue to lend in a more uncertain world.

For astute lenders, it is possible to take steps to protect their business now and be poised for a bright future. To do this, what should lenders focus on to help them exceed expectations and achieve growth in a difficult time?

Siena Lending Group LLC (“Siena”) announces the completion of a $25 million asset-based revolving line of credit for Vault Pressure Control LLC (“Vault Pressure Control”). The facility was provided in conjunction with Pelican Energy Partners to fund the acquisition as well as for working capital needs to support future growth.

Vault Pressure Control, based in Houston, Texas, was formerly the Surface Pressure Control Flow business unit of the Oilfield Equipment segment of Baker Hughes.  The newly independent company is wholly focused on providing outstanding customer service and world-class products to pressure control customers in the US, Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Trinidad & Tobago markets.

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) today announced that CIT Northbridge Credit, as advised by CIT Asset Management LLC, served as sole lead arranger on a $20 million senior secured credit facility for Laurel Grocery Company LLC.

Headquartered in London, Kentucky, Laurel Grocery is a wholesale distributor of grocery products to more than 160 independent grocers in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. The company, founded in 1922, also provides a range of business services, including accounting, insurance, merchandising, advertising and third-party warehousing and logistics.

Proceeds will be used to repay debt, finance growth initiatives and support ongoing operations.

eCapital Corp. ("eCapital" or "the Company), a leading alternative finance provider in North America, today announced it has acquired UK-based specialty lender and factoring company Advantedge Commercial Finance. The acquisition will allow eCapital to continue building out its full suite of specialty lending solutions and geographically diversify its book of business.

Advantedge is a leading privately-owned invoice financing company providing cash flow solutions to small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. Founded in 2001, the Company currently provides funding to UK businesses seeking alternative financing. Since November 2016, revenues for Advantedge have grown almost threefold and EBITDA has increased by 2.5 times over that period.

As head of acquisitions, Bruce Sim is responsible for sourcing commercial finance platform companies and portfolios across North America, and the UK.

Sim has more than three decades of experience in commercial finance, banking, and capital markets. Prior to joining eCapital, he served as senior director of business development at ExWorks Capital, and senior managing director for Glass Ratner Advisory & Capital Group. His banking experience includes executive roles as Head of Capital Markets and Wealth Management at RBC (Caribbean) Ltd, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada; Head of Wells Fargo Global Banking in Miami; and Southeast Region Manager for asset-based lending at Wells Fargo. Sim earned his Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration from York University in Canada.

An Inventory and Purchase Order Lending Platform Targeting $500K to $10MM Opportunities

Black Olive Capital LLC (“Black Olive”) announced today the launch of its intelligent inventory and purchase order lending platform. Black Olive’s mission is to provide fast and easy inventory and purchase order financing to underserved small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) to help them unlock capital to grow and create jobs. Its financing solutions work for businesses nationwide, and in most industries.

In the beginning of the pandemic, we reported that courts viewed Article 9 sales with a more critical eye.  For example, we previously reported that Justice Masley of the New York Supreme Court, New York County Commercial Division, issued a  decision on June 23, 2020 in D2 Mark LLC v. OREI VI Investments, LLC, holding that a UCC Article 9 sale on thirty-six (36) days’ notice, which required the winning bidder to make a non-refundable deposit of 10% of the purchase price, pay the remaining balance within 24 hours, and precluded the borrower from submitting a bid, was commercially unreasonable because of the dire implications of COVID-19. Article: Lender Stayed From Proceeding With UCC Article 9 Sale

The Merchant Opportunities Fund, a Vancouver-based diversified credit opportunities fund focused on prudently compounding capital over the long-term, today announced that it has closed a revolving debt facility with the Bank of Montreal ("BMO"). The facility consists of a $15 million funding commitment with a two-year term along with a $12.5 million accordion.

The Merchant Opportunities Fund invests in well-selected proprietary specialty finance portfolios, that in many cases consist of loans or advances that are originated, underwritten, and serviced by their primary originator, Merchant Growth. The BMO debt facility specifically provides funding for the Merchant Growth portfolio.

On November 5, Callodine Group, an asset management firm focused on yield-oriented investment strategies, announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the loan portfolio and assume the employees and operating costs of Gordon Brothers Finance Company, LLC (GBFC). In connection with the closing of the transaction, GBFC has changed its name to Callodine Commercial Finance (CCF). Led by CEO Gene Martin, and the current investment team, CCF will be the successor firm to Gordon Brothers Finance Company, LLC. Callodine’s acquisition represents approximately $400 million in assets and is being funded in part by new strategic financing from KKR, East Asset Management and Axar Capital Management. BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation (“BCIC”), the most recent majority owner of the business, will also remain a financial partner to CCF. TSL Express' senior editor spoke with Gene Martin and Mark Forti at Callodine Commercial Finance about opportunities in the asset-based lending space and what lies ahead.

Andy McGhee is vice chairman of White Oak Commercial Finance (White Oak), an affiliate of White Oak Global Advisors, LLC, and leads the firm’s lender finance business. He has over 30 years of experience in the lending business, most recently managing a multi-billion-dollar loan portfolio as the CEO of AloStar Capital Finance. In 2011, McGhee co-founded AloStar Capital Finance by acquiring a failed bank in Birmingham, AL.

At the time of its sale in 2017, AloStar had committed more than $3 billion to middle-market companies. McGhee has also served in various leadership roles covering asset-based lending (ABL) at SunTrust, Citicorp, Bank South and Bank of America. McGhee sits on the board of directors for Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and is an Elder at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. He holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Georgia.

CIBC Innovation Banking today announced it has extended a $15 million credit facility to Yello, a provider of early talent acquisition and recruiting scheduling software. The credit facility will be used to support Yello's continued growth as it further establishes itself with organizations seeking to hire the best and most diverse talent.

Yello is a Chicago-based portfolio company of JMI Equity and First Analysis. Financing was provided by CIBC Bank USA, CIBC's US banking subsidiary.

This column highlights the hard work and dedication of SFNet committee volunteers. Here we speak with William Bence, the chair of SFNet’s Young Professionals (YoPro) Committee and principal, Wingspire Capital, who was profiled in the September 40 Under 40 theme issue of The Secured Lender magazine.

Clear Thinking Group LLC announced today that Gennady Spivak has joined the firm as a Managing Director.  Mr. Spivak is an accomplished professional with a proven record in bankruptcy and insolvency, financial analysis, forensic accounting, fraud investigation, litigation support and wind down management.

Prior to joining Clear Thinking Group, Mr. Spivak was a Senior Manager in the Corporate Recovery & Litigation Services practice of a major accounting firm where he specialized in the fields of bankruptcy and insolvency, creditors’ rights and litigation support.

The rate of default and workouts for loans with IP assets as collateral has reached a crescendo. We examine the near-term implications for workouts and liquidations where IP assets are expected to provide a meaningful source of lender recovery, and the longer- term implications for commercial lending to retail and consumer brand companies.

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) and the Spanish financial group, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE and MAD: BBVA) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for PNC to acquire BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., including its U.S. banking subsidiary, BBVA USA, for a purchase price of $11.6 billion to be funded with cash on hand in a fixed price structure.

BBVA USA Bancshares, with $104 billion in assets and headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides commercial and retail banking services through its banking subsidiary BBVA USA and operates 637 branches in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado and New Mexico. When combined with PNC's existing footprint, the company will have a coast-to-coast franchise with a presence in 29 of the 30 largest markets in the U.S.