Experience the VITAL Difference

Mike Slater is the president of VITAL Financial Services, a trusted lender service provider (LSP) to community banks. VITAL has deep experience with custom credit solutions that utilize SBA and USDA loans, successfully guiding lenders and borrowers through effective, efficient, and profitable lending strategies. During his more than 30 years in financial services, he has developed expertise financing commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses.

Mike has helped community banks finance more than $400 million in commercial and public projects that inject vitality into local communities. He is a recognized resource for complex and strategic credit solutions, and is a frequent presenter around the Midwest on SBA, USDA, and C&I lending topics. 

Jessica uses her excellent project management skills to coordinate efforts between VITAL, lenders, and borrowers and gather, organize, and analyze loan data. She keeps all parties abreast of progress, eliminating bottlenecks and keeping the process running smoothly. She helps ensure that every loan complies with current SBA and USDA guidelines.

Prior to joining VITAL, Jessica was a small business owner in downtown Cedar Falls, Iowa for 13 years, and a small business consultant for five years. She has a degree in finance and real estate.

A banking veteran with nearly 20 years’ experience – 10 in commercial lending – Amy provides expertise to VITAL clients to properly close and document guaranteed loans. She guides clients from approval to closing, discussing each item in the loan authorization and submitting any amendments requested. She is certified with Coleman as an SBA 7(a) Loan Closer, and her attention to detail and thoroughness help ensure the validity of the loan guarantee is always protected. Amy places a top priority on customer service, organization, and communication and is there to help VITAL clients every step of the way.

Marcia’s attention to detail and responsiveness, coupled with her previous work for community lending institutions, means she knows how to make loan servicing a top-notch experience for VITAL clients. She works with VITAL’s lenders to process and split payments and answer servicing questions. Marcia prepares monthly reports to the SBA, and acts as a liaison between lenders, Colson Services Corporation, and the SBA and USDA for any needed servicing requests or transcript reconciliations. She also maintains servicing files with complete and accurate transaction history for all serviced loans.

Prior to joining VITAL, Marcia was a consumer loan officer with a credit union, and worked in 401k administration for a financial services company. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance from Upper Iowa University.

Always an optimist, John delivers top-notch SBA loan service and technical support with a smile. Using his strong knowledge of SBA standard operating procedures, he works with lenders and borrowers to prepare and submit application packages to the SBA, providing knowledgeable and friendly support until the final loan authorization. John graduated with an MBA from Mount Mercy University, where he also worked in Athletic Administration. You can ask him questions about SBA loans – and don’t be afraid to throw in a baseball question or two. John’s previous work experience includes Assistant Baseball Coach and Baseball Hitting and Throwing Instructor.  

Equipped with excellent communication and project management skills, providing high quality support to VITAL lenders and borrowers is second nature to Kristy. She draws upon her strong knowledge of SBA standard operating procedures to serve a key resource from SBA application to loan closing. VITAL clients look to Kristy for guidance around SBA eligibility, loan structure, credit memos, underwriting, SBA documentation and much more. Kristy received her SBA Fundamentals Diploma from the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) with one of the highest scores ever recorded. Thanks to years of work in the restaurant industry and 20 years of management experience, she is calm under pressure and navigates tricky situations with ease. She loves to support local businesses and makes an extra effort to patronize VITAL small business borrowers whenever possible!