Liberty Bancshares ranks No. 1 in small-business loans

Springfield-based Liberty Bancshares, holding company for 19 Liberty Bank branches in in southwest Missouri, has been ranked No. 1 in the state and in the top 40 in the country for U.S. Small Business Administration loans for the SBA's fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010.

Liberty Bank drafted 190 SBA loans totaling more than $50 million, according to an SBA document found online at the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders Web site.

Liberty Bank President Gary E. Metzger said 185 were Missouri loans while five were made to contiguous states of Missouri.

No other Missouri lender made it into the top 40.

"Obviously, we're very proud to have that recognition," Metzger said. "Our goal from the day we opened, our focus still continues to be small- and medium-sized businesses.

"We think that's vital to the growth of southwest Missouri."

Janice Bowman, business development specialist with the Springfield SBA office, said this is the 13th straight year Liberty Bank has been first in SBA lending in the southwest Missouri region, which comprises 28 counties.

Liberty Bank has 19 locations in 11 communities and almost $1 billion in assets, according to its Web site.

SBA loans through Liberty Bank can be applied for on its Web site.


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