AloStar Business Credit has announced the launch of its Lender Finance Division, and named Wells Fargo and GE Commercial Finance veteran Luke Graham managing director. 

Graham will spearhead a team of AloStar professionals – John David Gettmann, David Fischer, Norb Schmidt and Brent Layton – who will provide asset-based financing to specialty finance companies such as asset-based lenders and factors, equipment finance and leasing companies, business development companies and merchant cash advance companies.  The Lender Finance Division will operate from AloStar’s Atlanta office.

Graham was most recently managing director of the Lender Finance Division at Wells Fargo Capital Finance.  In that capacity he oversaw the origination and structuring of new business opportunities for numerous types of specialty commercial finance companies.

“Our goal was to find a candidate with a combination of industry expertise and leadership to grow this business,” said Andy McGhee, president of AloStar Business Credit. “With more than 25 years of experience and strong knowledge of asset-based lending and finance, Luke is the one we’ve been looking for.”

Prior to his time at Wells Fargo Capital Finance, Graham held senior positions at GE Commercial Finance and Capital Markets Assurance Corporation (aka MBIA). He also has experience with domestic and foreign commercial banks and finance companies in credit and underwriting, asset-based lending and restructuring, and new business origination.

Over the years he has underwritten bond guarantees for various asset-backed securities transactions for Citicorp, Bear Stearns, Bank of Montreal and more than 100 specialty finance companies.  Other clients have included Sunbeam, Imperial Sugar, and Superior Telecom.

“AloStar has a strong, established reputation and I look forward to continuing its positive momentum by developing this team and growing the Lender Finance Division,” said Graham.

Graham is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He also holds a Masters of Business Administration with a focus in Finance from Rutgers University Graduate School of Management. He is Six Sigma Green Belt certified and resides in Alpharetta, Ga.

AloStar Business Credit provides asset-based lending products nationwide to businesses ranging between $20 million and $300 million in revenue and with financing needs ranging between $5 million and $20 million. AloStar Business Credit is the asset-based lending arm of AloStar Bank of Commerce.