MEDIA RELEASE

Timothy Ashcraft, assistant vice president and Kaloko Branch manager, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, has earned a Gold Award from the Small Business Administration (SBA) as one of Hawaii’s top lending officers. The Small Business Administration’s Lending Officer of the Year Awards program acknowledges an individual officer for his or her SBA loan-making achievements.

This is the fourth such award for Ashcraft; he has been consistently honored for his ability to assist West Hawaii residents with loans that meet SBA guidelines since 2006.

SBA loans are partially guaranteed by the U. S. government and are made by lenders, such as Hawaii Community FCU, on behalf of the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

SBA loans are designed to help Americans start, build and grow businesses. Lending officers are recognized for the number of loans produced in a year, and the SBA is especially interested, says Ashcraft, in assisting veterans and women business owners.

These loans help to promote small business development in the state, says Ashcraft, whose efforts ranked fourth overall in the state of Hawaii. He was the first lending officer from any credit union in the state to receive this award.

Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union has been serving its members for 74 years. It is a not-for-profit credit union, wholly owned by its 38,000-plus members, with branches in Kealakekua, Kailua-Kona, Kaloko, Kohala and Honokaa.

In addition to checking and savings, Hawaii Community FCU offers personal loans, credit cards, auto loans, residential and commercial mortgages, residential construction loans, small business services, investment services and more. It sponsors Student Credit Unions at Kealakehe, Kohala and Konawaena high schools and supports numerous Island of Hawaii programs and events.

Membership in Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union is open to all island residents.

— Find out more: www.hicommfcu.com