Gerber Finance Inc. announced the firm has established a New England Office to support their growing portfolio of asset-based loan facilities in the region and hired Michael L. Friedman as Vice President – New England. In this role, he is in charge of business development and account management in the six New England states.

Gerber Finance Inc. Chief Executive Officer Gerald Joseph stated, “New England is an incredibly rich market for our products and services. Michael has extensive experience working in the region, helping to grow businesses, and brings that unique point of view to our clients.”

Before joining Gerber Finance, Friedman held many executive positions in industry. Most recently, he was President/CEO of Paramount Restaurant Supply Corp. a national dealer/distributor of Foodservice Equipment and Supplies to national chains. Previous to that, Friedman was President of Monarch Industries, Inc. a manufacturer of Architectural Millwork and Custom Retail Fixtures.

Friedman received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, where he concentrated in Accounting and Entrepreneurial Management. He is currently a Member of the Corporation at Johnson and Wales University and sits on the Board of Directors for GrowSmart Rhode Island.

Gerber Finance Inc. is a non-bank asset-based and trade finance lender located in New York, NY. Founded in 1995 by Gerald Joseph, Gerber is the product of a joint venture between Investec, a member of the London Stock Exchange, and the Gerber Goldschmidt Group, a leading international trading company, both based in South Africa. Gerber Finance provides businesses with credit lines from $500,000 to $10 million and specializes in financing the growth of importers, distributors, service providers, and manufacturers across a wide range of industries.