EXIM Honors GBC International Bank as Lender of the Year for Outstanding Support of America’s Small Business Exporters

(Ex-Im Bank) California Lender Has Facilitated More than $1 Billion in Support of 200 U.S. Small Business Exporters Since 1999

WASHINGTON – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) today presented a Lender of the Year award to GBC International Bank (link is external) (GBCIB), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, for its outstanding support for U.S. small business exports at the 2020 EXIM Annual Conference, the largest conference in the agency’s history, which is being held virtually September 9-11. Over the past 21 years, the bank has facilitated more than $1 billion of EXIM-backed export sales on behalf of U.S. small business exporters.

An EXIM Bank Letter of Credit policyholder since 2001, over the past years, GBCIB actively has utilized the Bank Letter of Credit policy to mitigate the foreign concentration risk, primarily with banks based in Indonesia and India. GBCIB is also an assignee lender on several EXIM short-term export credit insurance policies. GBCIB’s Bank Letter of Credit policy was arranged and has been serviced throughout the years by EXIM broker Meridian Finance Group (link is external), a Texel Company, headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices nationwide.

“We are proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of GBC International Bank on behalf of our country’s great small business exporters and the many Americans they employ,” said EXIM President and Chairman Kimberly A. Reed. “Over the last 21 years, GBCIB has been a strong partner with EXIM, facilitating more than $1 billion of EXIM-backed export sales in support of U.S. small business exporters. This support has gone a long way in helping U.S. small businesses compete and win in the global marketplace, and I’m proud that they are being honored for their efforts.”

“Since becoming an EXIM Delegated Authority Lender for the Working Capital Guarantee Program in 1999, GBC International Bank has facilitated over $1 billion in U.S. export sales for over 200 small businesses. Our joint effort with EXIM in promoting and supporting export opportunities has resulted in the addition and retention of jobs locally and helped small businesses participate in the global marketplace. We are honored to receive this award and look forward to our continued partnership with EXIM,” said GBCIB President and CEO Dennis Lam.

GBCIB has been flexible to small businesses and willing to use EXIM’s Working Capital Guarantee for transactions of all sizes including those under $1 million. The bank is also willing to work with exporters in most states and can be transaction-based, working in partnership with customers’ local banks to support export sales.

GBCIB was organized in 1976 as First Women's Bank of California and later renamed Guaranty Bank of California. In 1999, GBCIB was designated as an EXIM Delegated Authority Lender, which enables GBCIB to approve EXIM-guaranteed working capital loan facilities to help create and maintain American jobs by financing the sales of U.S. exports. GBCIB continues to be among the most active EXIM delegated authority lenders in the country. The bank maintains branches throughout California and in Washington State.