Union Bank & Trust (ubt.com) was Nebraska’s top Small Business Administration (SBA) lender for a number of loans in 2023 with 36 total, while also ranking second in total volume with just under $13 million.

UBT is an SBA Preferred Lender Partner (PLP), which allows its SBA team to approve loans on behalf of SBA to simplify and expedite the loan approval process. “We’re proud of this ranking, but moreover we’re proud of the businesses we’ve worked alongside as they obtained the necessary funding to realize their full potential in the local marketplace,” said Jason Herlitzke, UBT’s Vice President – SBA Administration. “We’re exhilarated to see which new businesses we can help launch or grow through our program.”

The SBA said that it guaranteed $140.5 million worth of loans in Nebraska during the 2023 fiscal year, which ended in September. UBT led both the 7(a) and 504 lending categories in total number of loans for the fiscal year. Nationally, the SBA guaranteed a total of $27.5 billion in 7(a) loans and $6.4 billion worth of 504 loans.

Union Bank & Trust is a privately owned Nebraska bank that offers complete banking, lending, investment and trust services, in addition to serving as program manager for Nebraska’s NEST College Savings Plan. The bank has 34 full-service and loan production offices in Nebraska and Kansas. It is the third-largest privately owned bank in Nebraska, with bank assets of $8.3 billion and trust assets of $48.0 billion as of December 31, 2023. Learn more at ubt.com.