Leader Bank Continues Expansion with Addition of National SBA Team
ARLINGTON, MA (July 30, 2026) – Leader Bank is pleased to announce the addition of the nationwide Small Business Administration (SBA) lending team, the Lords of Lending, as the Bank continues to expand its SBA 7(a) and 504 lending platform to better reach small business owners across the country.
Led by SVP and Head of SBA Lending Stephanie Castagnier Dunn, the team includes VP and SBA National Sales Manager Shane Pierson and VP SBA Business Development Officer Brian Congelliere. Together, they bring decades of experience along with a track record of building some of the nation’s most successful SBA lending divisions. The Lords of Lending have originated more than $860 million in SBA 7(a) loans through the lending platforms they have built and led, helping thousands of small business owners access capital to acquire, grow, and strengthen their businesses.
"The Lords of Lending have an outstanding reputation in the SBA lending industry thanks to their deep expertise and unwavering commitment to helping business owners succeed,” said Jay Tuli, President of Leader Bank. “Just as importantly, they share Leader Bank’s entrepreneurial mindset and will help us better serve small business owners on a national scale, representing another important step in Leader Bank's continued growth."
The team also created an educational platform including the Lords of Lending podcast, articles, guides, and tools, that has become a trusted source for entrepreneurs and lenders seeking practical guidance on business acquisitions, SBA financing, and growth strategies.
“Everything we've built over the last fifteen years comes down to one thing: getting real capital into the hands of real business owners without the runaround,” said Stephanie Castagnier Dunn, SVP and Head of SBA Lending. “Leader Bank has spent more than two decades proving you can grow fast and still lend with discipline, and that is exactly the house we wanted to build in. We could not be more excited to put Leader's name behind what we do.”
Leader Bank is one of the top SBA lenders in Massachusetts, and in 2025 was the top SBA lender to manufacturing companies in the Commonwealth. The Bank is a preferred lender of the U.S. Small Business Administration and a proud participant in the Massachusetts Treasury Department’s Small Business Banking Partnership successor program, Invest MA, which works to ensure Commonwealth funds are deposited in Massachusetts-based institutions to help local small business lending and spur job creation.
ABOUT LEADER BANK, N.A.
Founded in 2002, Leader Bank, N.A. is a Massachusetts-based entrepreneurial financial institution that approaches banking differently. The core tenets of Leader Bank include world-class client service, exemplary products, and innovation to meet the needs of its clients. At its founding, Leader Bank had $6.5 million in assets – in the two decades since, the Bank has grown to the 13th largest bank in the Commonwealth with more than $5 billion in assets. Leader Bank’s team members have been at the forefront of supporting the Bank’s rapid growth and client-oriented solutions over the last two decades as the Bank has expanded its commercial and retail products and solutions. Leader Bank is a committed corporate citizen and prides itself on partnering with and supporting philanthropic organizations. More information on Leader Bank can be found at www.LeaderBank.com.
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