OLYMPIA, Wash., March 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: HFWA), the parent company of Heritage Bank, announced a long-time Heritage Bank customer, Northwest Etch, was recently honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") for their use of SBA Export Loans to expand their business and export capabilities.
The following members of the SBA along with the Heritage Bank team were on-site at Northwest Etch to honor their contributions to the SBA program: Maria Contreras-Sweet, current Administrator of the SBA, U.S. Congressman Derek Kilmer, District 6, Calvin W. Goings, SBA Regional Administrator for Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, Mark Costello, Supervisory Lender Relations Specialist for the Seattle SBA District Office, Christine Heckert, Senior Vice President and SBA Loan Manager of Heritage Bank, Nigel English, Senior Vice President and Regional Commercial Lending Manager, and Heath McLellan, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer.
After a screening and evaluation process that included Mr. Costello, Mr. Goings and Mr. Kilmer, Northwest Etch received word that the head of the U.S. SBA, Ms. Maria Contreras-Sweet wanted to tour their facility. Ms. Maria Contreras-Sweet was eager to hear about how the business has grown from a small family-owned etching business into the manufacturing operation that it is today – specializing in photo etching and photo chemical machining, serving a wide variety of industries within the United States. During the visit, Northwest Etch was presented with a certificate in recognition of their contribution as a small business creating jobs in the State of Washington and inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation.
Mr. Bryan McDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer, commented, "We are pleased to see our customer be honored with this national recognition. Heritage Bank has recently been named again as the Washington State Small Business Administration ("SBA") Community Lender of the Year, the number one SBA 504 lender and received various other lender recognition awards for our contributions to small business lending."
About Northwest Etch (NET)
NET is a manufacturing company located in Tacoma, Washington. The Company was originally founded in the latter part of 1978 as a small family owned etching business. Since their inception, NET has evolved into a large manufacturing operation specializing in photo chemical machining for the electronic, medical device, aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and satellite industries. They employ more than 45 employees and supply products to 26 states and 10 foreign countries on five continents.
About Maria Contreras-Sweet
Maria Contreras-Sweet is the 24th and current Administrator of the Small Business Administration. She was formerly the executive chairwoman and founder of ProAmérica Bank, a commercial bank focusing on small to mid-sized businesses with a specialty in the Latino community. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Contreras-Sweet immigrated to Los Angeles, California and has since been involved in both the private sector founding a private equity firm and in public service as the California Secretary of Business, Transportation, and Housing under Governor Gray Davis. On January 15, 2014, she was nominated by President Barack Obama to join his Cabinet as head of the Small Business Administration.
About Heritage Financial
Heritage Financial Corporation is an Olympia-based bank holding company with Heritage Bank, a full-service commercial bank, as its sole wholly-owned banking subsidiary. Heritage Bank has a branching network of 63 banking offices in Washington and Oregon. Heritage Bank also does business under the Central Valley Bank name in the Yakima and Kittitas counties of Washington and under the Whidbey Island Bank name on Whidbey Island. Heritage's stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "HFWA". More information about Heritage Financial Corporation can be found on its website at www.hf-wa.com and more information about Heritage Bank can be found on its website at www.heritagebanknw.com.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150330/195286LOGO
SOURCE Heritage Financial Corporation
Share this article