News
January 23, 2024
Bridge Business Credit adds CFO, announces new company promotions
TROY, Mich., Jan. 16, 2024 – Bridge Business Credit, one of the nation’s fastest-growing alternative commercial finance companies, today announced the appointment of a new chief financial officer as well as the promotion of three portfolio and underwriting managers.
Keith Lidtke was named Chief Financial Officer while Grace Pawlenko was promoted to Senior Managing Director – Portfolio Management; Dana Wheaton to Director – Underwriting; and Allie Corp to Managing Director – Portfolio.
Rhett B. Rowe, CEO of Bridge Business Credit, states, “We are proud to announce the following additions to our leadership team and internal promotions, which will both provide that extra bit of breathing space as we develop new business opportunities and set the next generation of leadership. These moves will bolster our core offering in the markets we serve and further defines our footprint in asset-based lending.”
Lidtke is a seasoned CFO with over three decades of experience in the banking industry, complemented by an earlier nine-year tenure in public accounting. An alumnus of Michigan Tech University with a bachelor’s in accounting, he has contributed significantly to the financial health and strategic growth of institutions like Crestmark Bank, Michigan National Bank and Citizen State Bank.
Before taking on her new role as Senior Managing Director, Portfolio, Pawlenko served the company as portfolio manager, underwriter, and credit analyst. She graduated with distinction from the Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration in Troy, Mich., where she earned a Master of Science in Finance degree. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Walsh College with a concentration in finance.
Wheaton joined Bridge as an intern in 2020 and worked as a Collateral Analyst for three years before her promotion to Director of Underwriting. She earned her Bachelor of Accountancy degree from Walsh College in Troy and is currently pursuing an MBA from Walsh College.
Corp joined Bridge Business Credit in 2019 as a Collateral Analyst. She rapidly ascended to roles of increasing responsibility, including Director of Underwriting and Field Examiner before assuming her current position as Portfolio Manager. Prior to joining Bridge, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Calvin University, and worked in sales and banking. About Bridge Business Credit: Located in Troy, Michigan, Bridge Business Credit (formerly Great Lakes Business Credit) was established in 2002. Its experienced team of dedicated financial professionals serve companies with potential that are unable to obtain conventional financing. By working to understand their client’s business, Bridge structures flexible financing with asset-based lines of credit. Eligible collateral categories include accounts receivable; inventory; machinery and equipment; as well as owner-occupied commercial real estate. Learn more at www.bridgebusinesscredit.com or by calling (248) 733-0300.