Ann Santiago: A look back at her 10 years at TMC Financing
No
vember 2017 – After 10 years of leading the Las Vegas market for TMC Financing, Ann Santiago, Senior Vice President of Business Development, is retiring. Ann has been an indispensable asset to TMC since the beginning. She built a successful career out of helping Nevada’s small businesses owners gain access to capital through the SBA 504 lending program.
In 2007, after operating out of California for over 20 years, TMC decided to move beyond California’s state lines to set up shop in Las Vegas and Ann joined the team to lead the initiative. The economy was in post-recession and small to medium sized businesses were closing, unemployment rates were high and lending to these businesses was uncommon.
Under Ann’s leadership, TMC found its niche in helping these small businesses obtain funding to purchase commercial real estate and expand their operations. Largely thanks to Ann’s hard work, TMC is now one of the leading Certified Development Companies (CDCs) in 504 financing throughout Southern Nevada. TMC has held the title of the No.1 SBA 504 lender in Clark County and Southern Nevada in volume and number of loans for a number of years.
“Ann has been an asset to TMC from day one. She has created a legacy, providing an example for everyone to look up to and big shoes to fill,” said Barbara Morrison, President and CEO of TMC Financing.
Ann attributes her success to her passion for her clients and the inspiring work they do. “I really care about my small business clients. I’ve been working with small businesses for most of my career and it is very rewarding when you see successful businesses grow and develop,” Ann explains.
“Ann’s passion always stood out to me. She would light up when asked about a client and their 504-success story. She is a terrific advocate for TMC. Ann took great pride in her work, always going the extra mile to assist clients and referral sources. She treated every relationship uniquely,” said Jon Friedman, Business Development Support and Analyst at TMC Financing.
Ann has had a front row seat to her clients’ victories over the years. Streets, neighborhoods, and cities have been revitalized by Ann’s work with local small businesses and the 504 program. According to Ann, small businesses make Las Vegas one of America’s greatest cities. Her role has certainly played a huge part in that.
Between 2007 and 2017, Ann has helped nearly 150 small businesses gain access to over $87.7 million in SBA financing. A real estate purchase is a dream for many small businesses and Ann has done tremendous work helping make these dreams come true. TMC will miss Ann, her attitude, energy, and compassion. Everyone at TMC is grateful for being able to work with Ann for the past 10 years and wish her the best.
Let’s take a look at some of Ann’s great accomplishments.
Advanced Pro Remediation, 2007
One of Ann’s first loans was to Shawn and Racquel Toyozaki, owners of Advanced Pro Remediation. This business is one of the first of its kind. After working in both construction and mold remediation, Shawn Toyozaki realized there were very few competitors in Nevada’s mold remediation business, so the couple created their own.
After completing a project for a large Nevada building company, word of their impeccable work was spread and their business grew tremendously. In 2007, the business was able to expand to a new space, with help from Ann and an SBA 504 loan from TMC Financing. They purchased the ideal space for the company that allowed them to expand into new markets, go after new referral sources, and expand from twenty to forty employees.
“TMC and Ann were terrific. She was very direct, explained everything clearly, and used words that I could understand. When I called her, she would call back within an hour and I never had to wait for a response. If I ever need a commercial loan again, I will definitely use TMC,” said Racquel.
Advanced Pro Remediation has continued to thrive and is rated as one of the top damage restoration companies in Las Vegas, exceeding expectations in customer service and performance.
NAWBO Women of Distinction Award, 2009 & 2015
In 2009, Ann was honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners as a finalist for the prestigious Glass Ceiling Award at the annual “Women of Distinction” awards. Ann was recognized by the organization for her impactful contribution to the local Southern Nevada community and her personal work ethic, which has raised the bar for all women in business.
NAWBO identifies Ann as a role model and champion of female business owners, a cause that is very important to Ann. Ann has made it her life’s work to help fuel the growth and success of female owned businesses everywhere. In 2015, Ann was again honored by NAWBO and the local Las Vegas business community as both a “Woman of Distinction” and a “Woman who means business.”
Ann has been a long proprietor of women in business. She is a member of NAIOP, the National Association for Industrial and Office Parks, and SIOR, the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors–both groups that are predominately male in membership.
When asked what could be done to encourage more women to start their own businesses, Ann replied “Hire a whole bunch more women making the decision to give women credit.”
Many of the businesses Ann worked with are women-owned, such as Hyundai’s Only Specialty Vehicles, MC Law group, Fresh Wata, Lola’s Louisiana Kitchen and Crystal Eller Law Group, just to name a few. In 2015, TMC’s Las Vegas office provided more funding to women-owned businesses than any other TMC office with more than $15 million in 504 loans.
La Bonita Grocery & Meat Market, 2012
The SBA 504 program was created to help small businesses not only purchase commercial real estate, but to create jobs as well. In 2012, Sylvia and
Jaime Martinez, owners of a local chain of Hispanic supermarkets called La Bonita, reached out to Ann to finance their fifth location in Las Vegas, NV.
In Santiago’s 10 years at TMC, she has observed a lot of changes, particularly in the variety of businesses seeking SBA financing. A majority of the SBA 504 loans go to small businesses in the medical services industry, whereas retailers are a less common borrower. Over the past few years, more retail businesses like La Bonita have received SBA financing, creating a more diverse pool of borrowers. From 2012 to 2017, La Bonita has added over 245 employees to their staff and started with 300 employees when they applied for the loan back in 2012.
Viva Las Vegas, 2012
Las Vegas is home to many vibrant and colorful businesses. One of Ann’s “very Las Vegas” clients was Viva Las Vegas Themed Weddings located on South Las Vegas Boulevard. Viva Las Vegas performs 6,000 weddings per year and is one of the busiest wedding chapels in the world.
TMC financed a $6.2 million remodel and expansion project for Viva Las Vegas, which allowed them to add a new 11,375 SF facility to their existing operation. This small business created 10 new jobs and was named “Best Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas” by multiple publications, including the Las Vegas Review Journal and Nevada Magazine.
Red Rock Fertility, 2014
One of Ann’s clients, Red Rock Fertility, was the first business of its kind in Nevada. Before Dr. Eva Littman founded Red Rock in Las Vegas, NV, Las Vegas residents had to travel to California and beyond to seek appropriate care.
Founded in 2008, Red Rock Fertility is a modern, boutique-style fertility practice that has grown to be one of the most successful fertility centers on the entire West Coast. Dr. Littman is passionate about accepting and overcoming challenges in her field. She often takes cases with less than five percent change of pregnancy as she is motivated by the opportunity to make dreams come true.
In 2014, Dr. Littman was connected with TMC by her bank and worked with Ann to purchase a two-story, 12,500 SF building with an SBA 504 loan. Littman said that the new building purchase would allow the practice to accept 20% more patients and, with the added space and clientele, she will be able to hire more staff members.
Dr. Littman and Ann have a lot in common. “Ann will always fight for her deals to see them get approved and funded. She does what it takes to make sure it happens. She is never afraid to take on a challenging deal,” said Chief Operating Officer, Raymond Monahan, TMC Financing.
In 2017, Dr. Littman won the Nevada Small Business Person of the Year Award and travelled to Washington, D.C. to join winners from all 50 states to meet the SBA Administrator.
What others have to say about Ann Santiago: Quotes from Clients, Partners, and Coworkers
“Working with Ann Santiago and the team at TMC has been a terrific experience. TMC gracefully guided us through a process, which frankly, I expected to be overwhelming. They made the entire funding of this investment simple. Thank you TMC for helping to fund and support our growth.”
–Saville Kellner, President and CEO of Lake Industries, Inc.
“I found the process of applying for an SBA 504 loan easier than I expected. TMC was patient with us, since it took several years for us to find the right building. Ann Santiago was so helpful and always available for questions, emails and meeting us in person to guide us through the process.”
–Tricia Costello, President of Fresh Wata.
“TMC was very knowledgeable and helpful, Ann Santiago of TMC treated us like family,”
–Michael Spears, Owner, Collision Authority
“For a small company like ours, being able to buy our own office has been very exciting. It’s something we thought about a lot but were never sure if we could financially make it work. With TMC’s help and the 90% financing provided by the SBA 504 loan, we not only are able to own an office now, we also were able to retain enough working capital to upgrade our high definition video equipment. The SBA 504 loan has really made a difference for our small business, and working with Ann Santiago at TMC has been wonderful.”
–Norman Nusbaum, Director of Production, Goodwyn, Inc.
“TMC Financing was able to provide us with information that was available to us through the SBA and walked with us every step of the way so we could have a successful outcome in the process. They have been extremely helpful in allowing us to accomplish the dream of owning our own building here in Las Vegas.”
–Jack London, President and CEO, London Medical Management
“Working with TMC Financing and Ann Santiago for two of my SBA loans, was a complete pleasure. TMC Financing is extremely efficient and knowledgeable in helping me obtain two concurrent SBA loans. The to use Ann Santiago with TMC Financing for all of my future SBA needs.”
–Brad Burdsall, Owner/Chief Eggineer of Eggworks & The Egg & I Family Restaurants
“Ann Santiago has always helped my clients find affordable financing with professionalism, speed and care. She responds quickly as the situation evolves and has never let me or my clients down. I’ve enjoyed working with Ann for many years, and she will remain my first call for SBA loans in my market!”
–Wes Drown, CCIM, REMAX Commercial
“I am pleased to congratulate TMC on ten years of making dreams come true for Las Vegas business men and women. Our goal at the SBA is to help small businesses grow and succeed and create new jobs, but this doesn’t happen by magic. It takes great partners like TMC, who work hard to help borrowers finance new facilities, which results in increased sales, more jobs, positive cash flow, and economic growth throughout the region. TMC’s Nevada team is excellent!”
–Edward Cadena, SBA Nevada District Director
“It was always our dream to own the real estate that our restaurants stood on. We knew that when we were able to do this, we would be able to create the ultimate pizza dining experience for our many loyal patrons from the moment they stepped out of their car. We naturally turned to the SBA lending program to help facilitate our goals. The favorable interest rates save us significant capital over the life of the loans. In addition, having the backing of the federal government provides conventional lenders with the confidence to make the temporary construction financing possible. Most importantly, having the ability to create more jobs as a result of having this financing available to us is the most rewarding benefit of all. Thank you, SBA, Ann Santiago and TMC!”
–Sam Facchini, Co-founder & Co-owner, Metro Pizza
“Ann’s knowledge of both the SBA and the banking industry, enabled her to walk us through the hurdles with a minimum of effort.”
–Colton Vollmann, VSR Industries, Inc., Fabricated Metal Manufacturing
“We could buy our own place and pay what we’d been paying in rent to ourselves. We interviewed other CDCs, but when our bankers recommended TMC, we trusted their judgment – and it’s worked out great.”
–Diana Russo, CPA at Houldsworth, Russo and Co.
“Ann is a very professional, knowledgeable, and prompt individual! A person who is on top of her deals. A wonderful woman whose seen it all and a joy to chat with.”
–Allen Dimapasoc, Closing Associate, TMC Financing
“I always looked forward to working on her deals particularly because she is so organized. The file is always complete and ready to go.”
–Levon Suga, Closing Associate, TMC Financing