Encore Bank Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer Burt Hicks has announced the launch of two new lines of business, Small Business by Encore, which will be led by Julie Fuller Jones, Executive Vice President & Director of SBA Lending, and Specialty Finance by Encore, which will be led by Craig Caldwell, Executive Vice President & Director of Specialty Finance.
“Small Business by Encore and Specialty Finance by Encore are integral to our strategic growth plans,” Hicks said.
“Earlier this year, we took a step back and looked at our product and service offering in an attempt to identify where we might have gaps for our existing and desired clientele. Through that process, we determined that for Encore Bank to reach our full potential adding SBA lending and equipment finance were imperative. These new business lines will only enhance our already robust product offering,” Hicks said.
Julie Fuller Jones is a fourth generation Texan with a 28-year banking career.
She is a graduate of University of Texas, Arlington with a degree in advertising communication and minor in graphic design.
She has more than 25 years in SBA lending and has started and led three SBA divisions for financial institutions. Most recently, she served as a Regional President in SBA Lending for Simmons Bank, a role she held since 2010.
She currently is the chairperson for the Small Lenders Committee, which is comprised of 15 banks across the Central Region of the country, for the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL). Jones is also a past NAGGL Board member.
“Julie has a proven record of building and leading small business lending divisions. Her knowledge and experience is second-to-none and will be invaluable to our clients. Our culture of empowerment and our focus on delivering a differentiated client experience and relationship banking will give Julie a platform to launch Small Business by Encore with great success,” Hicks said.
“Encore has an enormous opportunity to reach a new set of clients in the SBA lending space, while also deepening our relationship with our existing clients. Our commitment to bringing high quality lending solutions delivered with concierge service is certainly a differentiator for our bank,” Jones said.
Caldwell is a 1991 graduate of Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s in business administration, majoring in accounting.
In his more than 20-year banking career, Caldwell has been instrumental in gaining and servicing national accounts across the United States with brands such as Volvo, Eurocopter, IHOP, Denny’s and Jack in the Box.
Prior to joining Encore Bank, Craig spent the past four years as the Managing Director of Specialized Asset and Equipment Finance for Simmons Bank. His past employment experience also includes GE Capital Franchise Finance, SG Equipment Finance and CitiCapital Corporation.
“Craig has spent nearly his entire career in equipment finance. His ability to build and lead a team of highly skilled bankers that are focused on delivering products with exceptional service makes Craig the best choice to head Specialty Finance by Encore,” Hicks said.
“Encore considers itself a private bank with a commercial focus, which positions us well for this new line of business. Across the Encore footprint, we believe there is significant opportunity to deliver specialized financing products to current and future clients,” Caldwell said.
Encore Bank is a private, boutique bank with a commercial focus provides a full suite of financial products and services to businesses, business owners, professionals, their families and contacts.
As of September 30, 2020, the Bank had total assets of $681 million. Additional information about Encore Bank can be found at www.bankencore.com