David Lavender is a veteran of the U.S. government-guaranteed lending space, with more than 16 years of experience sourcing, underwriting, packaging, and servicing commercial loans administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). He was promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Credit Officer in 2023 and is based in Hahira, Georgia. David is responsible for business development and ongoing support of all loan origination activities for North Avenue Capital’s East division. He studied Economics at the University of Georgia.
Prior to joining North Avenue Capital, David entered the government-guaranteed loan industry as a Credit Analyst and, most recently, served as Executive Vice President at an Atlanta-based financial institution. During his tenure, he personally participated in processing and closing 135 SBA, FSA, and USDA guaranteed loans valued at more than $284 million. In addition to overseeing all loan origination functions, David assisted in running the operations of the business, including a variety of responsibilities ranging from accounting and tax to human resources and strategic planning. He has worked with nearly a dozen state agencies for intergovernmental reviews and has closed loans in six states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Beginning in 2014, David served a two-year term on the Georgia Lender’s Quality Circle Board of Directors. David, his wife, Rebecca, and their three children are active in their community and stay busy with school, dance, and various sporting and outdoor activities.