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Meet the SBA: Diana F. Curry of the Birmingham, AL Disaster Loan Servicing Center

by janied, Community Moderator

  • Created: October 18, 2011, 11:15 am
  • Updated: October 19, 2011, 11:00 am
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When a friend or family member asks what you do to help small businesses, what do you say? 

Consider every aspect of opportunity that’s available within our guidelines/SOP to help struggling small businesses that need funds for working capital.
 

What’s your favorite thing about what the SBA does for small businesses?

SBA can help small businesses with their future business plans when disasters happen in granting funds for repairs and rebuilding their dreams.

Is there a particular small business “success story” that comes to mind when you think about how the SBA helps people?

(In addition to loans for small businesses, the SBA also makes loans to homeowners that are affected by disasters.) The borrower was a 70-year-old lady, a widow and retired.  Her deceased husband always handled her affairs.  She was trying to get a reverse mortgage to pay off her debts and in order to complete the transaction she needed SBA to release a 20x100 strip of rubble on the side of the driveway.  SBA policy states any type of collateral released will require an evaluation on the property and SBA must receive the full DOLLAR value of the property.   But the only problem was, no one could assess the 20x100 strip including the Tax Assessor Office because it was not worth anything.  The borrower had no excess funds to offer SBA.  I fought everyday for this lady and finally a thought came to mind.  What if she could give SBA $500.00 when she received her reverse mortgage?  I spoke with the Team Leader, Supervisor, and Legal and they all agreed.  Today, the borrower calls me every week just to say thank you for not giving up on her.

Do you have any advice for entrepreneurs and small business owners out there?

Check with our SCORE - Counselors to America’s Small Businesses - who are individuals located at SBDCs - Small Business Development Centers - with nearly 900 locations across the country who have expertise in different fields of business and can give advice to struggling businesses, growing companies and create jobs in local communities and to help entrepreneurs start businesses.          

Meet the SBA is a series of features of SBA employees – both in Washington, D.C., and around the U.S. – who work every day to help small businesses grow and create jobs.  Employees were nominated by their colleagues to be recognized during Public Service Recognition Week 2011.

Tags: Official SBA News and Views, Open For Business

Comments

thegatekeeper | Window Shopper | 1/4/2012 - 12:28 pm

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gianez | Window Shopper | 12/6/2011 - 11:26 am

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VerWebber | Window Shopper | 10/26/2011 - 8:05 am

What States in the US do the SBA operate from? Do they make these provisions for Interests from any part of the US. Up until coming the site i never new such an association existed. I mean ones that just done parade a name, really help strat ups Ver. I am an artist, here's my site on abstract paintings i need funds, help!