Commercial Lending — As described in detail below, the Bank conducts commercial lending activities primarily through the following groups/divisions: Corporate Banking, CRE Banking, Commercial Banking, Business Banking, Private Banking, and Retail Banking channels and clients are primarily located within the Bank’s market footprint or in an adjoining market. In general, all commercial lending credit approvals and processing are prepared and underwritten through the Bank’s centralized CCAD.
Credit opportunities are generally driven by the following: companies expanding their businesses; companies acquiring new businesses; and/or companies refinancing existing debt from other institutions. The Bank has a primary focus on C&I, CRE, and multi-family lending.
C&I loans typically include those secured by general business assets, which consist of equipment, accounts receivable, inventory, and other business assets owned by the borrower/guarantor. Credit facilities include annually renewable LOCs and term loans with maturities typically ranging from three to five years and may also involve financial covenant requirements. These requirements are monitored by the Bank’s CCAD. Underwriting for C&I loans is based upon the borrower’s capacity to repay these loans from operating cash flows, typically measured by reviewing earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, with capital strength, collateral, and management experience also important underwriting considerations. The targeted C&I credit size for client relationships is typically between $1 million and $10 million, with higher targets between $10 million and $35 million targeted by the Corporate Banking group.
CRE and multi-family loans are typically secured by improved property such as office buildings, medical facilities, retail centers, warehouses, apartment buildings, condominiums, schools, religious institutions, and other types of CRE use property. The CRE Banking group, which launched in 2022, focuses on large CRE projects, typically in amounts from $5 million to $25 million. Borrowers are generally single-asset entities and the underlying collateral is nonowner-occupied. Primary underwriting considerations are cash flow projections (current and historical), financial capacity of sponsors, and collateral value financed.
Fixed rate financing and reciprocal interest rate swaps are used as well. Given the size of these credits, the Bank generally seeks established, well-known borrowers and projects with low credit risk.
The Commercial Banking group focuses on small and medium-sized C&I and CRE owner-occupied opportunities. Borrowers are generally single-asset entities and loan sizes typically range from $1 million to $5 million. As with Corporate Banking, the primary underwriting considerations are cash flow projections (current and historical), quality of leases, financial capacity of sponsors, and collateral value of property financed. Interest rates offered are based on both fixed and variable interest-rate formulas.
The Business Banking group, reporting under Retail Banking in most markets, focuses on locally based small businesses in the Bank’s market footprint with primarily annual revenues up to $10 million and borrowings between $350,000 and $1 million. The needs of these clients range from expansion or acquisition financing, equipment financing, owner-occupied real estate financing, and smaller operating lines of credit.
The Bank is an SBA Preferred Lending Partner, which allows the Bank to underwrite and approve its own SBA loans in an expedited manner. The Bank makes loans to borrowers generally up to $3 million under both the SBA “7A Program” and the “504 Program” for CRE owner-occupied opportunities. The Bank utilizes these programs to reduce credit risk exposure.
Lease financing receivables, which are generally direct financing leases, are reported at their principal balance outstanding, including any lease residual amount, net of any unearned income, deferred loan fees and costs, and applicable ACLL. Leasing income is recognized on the basis that achieves a constant periodic rate of return on the outstanding lease financing balances over the lease terms. During December 2025, approximately $82 million of loans and leases were transferred from held for investment to HFS, as the Bank entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement to sell its St. Louis-based RBF operations. The sale was completed during the first quarter of 2026, resulting in a $5.8 million pre-tax gain, net of broker commissions.
Construction & Land Development Lending — The Bank originates business loans for the construction of both single-family, RRE properties and CRE properties (apartment complexes, shopping centers and office buildings) to borrowers primarily located within the Bank’s market footprint or in an adjoining market. While not a major focus for the Bank, the Bank may originate loans for the acquisition and development of RRE or CRE land into buildable lots.
Single-family, RRE-construction loans are made in the Bank’s market area to established homebuilders with solid financial records. The majority of these loans are made for “contract” homes that the builder has already pre-sold to a homebuyer.
