Mr. Downs is our Chief Lending Officer and a Director. He joined Newtek in 2003 and has been the President of Newtek Small Business Finance and a member of both Credit and Risk committees for the company. He has had primary responsibility for the development of the company’s lending policies and procedures, portfolio and marketing, from its inception. In 2008, Mr. Downs took on the additional responsibility as the Chief Credit Officer of Newtek Business Credit, with the primary responsibility to grow and manage the company’s accounts receivable finance and management business. In addition he has been a member of the credit committee for each of Company’s Capcos. Prior to joining Newtek in 2003, Mr. Downs spent sixteen years in various small business lending roles within the banking industry. From 1990 to 2001, he was employed with European American Bank (“EAB”), where he held various positions including New Business Development Officer for Small Business Lending and Group Manager of Retail Small Business Lending which encompassed the underwriting and servicing of the bank’s small business loan portfolio. With EAB’s acquisition by Citibank, Mr. Downs was asked to run the bank’s SBA lending portfolio in New York, eventually named the National Director of SBA lending, coordinating the bank’s SBA underwriting and sales efforts in all Citibank markets across the country. In addition to his banking experience, he has been involved in several non-profit small business advisory boards, and has been a member of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) Regional Technical Issues Committee.