SBA Rates 5.783% 10yr 6.136% 20yr 6.067% 25yr | SBA Refi Rates 5.819% 10yr 6.057% 20yr 6.096% 25yr | Prime Rate 7.00%
About Us
The Community Development Corporation of Fort Wayne d/b/a Community Development Corporation of Northeast Indiana (“CDC”), established in 1978, is a 501c(6) non-profit certified development company, authorized by the US Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in 1981 to administer the 504 loan program.
The focus of the CDC is economic development achieved by assisting businesses defined as small under SBA size standards, across a variety of for-profit business sectors. We achieve this assistance to small businesses by providing financing through loans that are not available through conventional sources.
Our Mission Statement
The mission of the Community Development Corporation of Fort Wayne is to stimulate economic growth and prosperity throughout the communities we serve by providing alternative financning options to new and existing small business owners.
A business’ inability to secure conventional financing may be a result of various reasons, including but are not limited to:
Start-ups including young businesses with less than two (2) years of operation history, growing and/or emerging industries, those that may lack conventional bank down payment requirements, stagnant business growth, cyclical or seasonal businesses, or a history of personal financial difficulties.
Our main objective is to foster economic growth by creating opportunities to improve the communities in which we and our clients serve. We do this through the creation or retention of permanent full-time jobs, refurbishing blighted areas, encouraging the use of green technologies or renewable energy sources, along with encouraging women, minorities, and veterans to take advantage of the benefits of federal public policy goals.
The CDC staff manages and oversees
five (5) small business loan programs
One of which is the SBA 504 fixed asset purchase program, along with an additional four revolving loan fund (“RLF”) programs, which are funded by various local and federal sources. In regards to the SBA 504 program, in 2004 the SBA expanded the CDC’s geographical boundary to include all 92 counties in Indiana, whereas the CDC had previously been restricted to operations in Allen County. Our CDC also provides the SBA504 Refinance program.
Two of the CDC’s revolving loan fund programs are restricted to businesses located in Allen County. The final revolving loan fund program is designed for small rural businesses located in 15 counties of northeast and north central Indiana including Adams, Allen (business must be located outside of the city limits of Fort Wayne and New Haven), Blackford, Dekalb, Elkhart, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Kosciusko, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley. Therefore, CDC determined such a need existed to establish a d/b/a to effectively market itself outside of Fort Wayne and Allen County.
CDC Staff
Cheryl Blackman
Cheryl Blackman is the Executive Director of the Community Development Corporation of Fort Wayne. With over 35 years’ experience in the finance sector, including more than 20 years guiding CDC and 15 years in consumer and commercial banking. She combines financial expertise with a desire to revitalize communities with low-cost financing and job growth. Major responsibilities include daily operations, grant writing, portfolio management and loan servicing. Involvement in Community Activities: YMCA Child Care Services Advisory Board; Cervivor- Cervical Cancer Advocate; Waynedale Lions Club: Treasurer; Junior Achievement- Classroom Career Instructor; United Way - Community Investment Grant Review Board Volunteer Activities: Fort Wayne Open Streets, Treasure House, Fort Wayne Rescue Mission, Habitat for Humanity and Three Rivers Festival. Hobbies include spending time with family, traveling, reading, San Francisco 49ers football and recently, not killing plants.
Dawn Putney
Dawn Putney has been a team member of the Community Development Corp. of Fort Wayne (CDC) since 2006, starting her journey as an Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper and advancing to her current role as Accountant, Loan Servicer, and Office Manager in 2018. With a steadfast commitment to supporting our borrowers, Dawn works to ensure that the loan servicing process is as seamless and efficient as possible. In addition to loan servicing, she oversees the organization’s accounting functions and fiscal management, which encompasses financial, statistical and portfolio reporting, as well as adhering to funding partners’ reporting requirements. She also manages our annual audit and tax preparation, while assisting with day-to-day office operations and onboarding and engagement of our Board of Directors. A graduate of Ivy Tech Community College, Dawn earned dual degrees in Accounting and Business Administration in 2021, accompanied by certifications in Bookkeeping, Payroll, Accounting and Business Administration. Volunteer activities include Salvation Army, Community Harvest Food Bank and Huntington SPCA. Some of her hobbies are enjoying spontaneous road trips, attending live concerts, attempting to cultivate her own little homestead (green thumb still in progress) and pampering her fur baby, Daisy, who holds the title of “Chief Cuddle Officer.” Our staff is committed to the CDC mission in providing the financial resources to small businesses in order to thrive within our community. She looks forward to helping you in your CDC loan journey.
Darren Renier
Darren Renier joined Community Development Corporation of Fort Wayne (CDC) in 2004 as Finance Specialist and was promoted to Senior Finance Specialist in 2018. He has over 25+ years of experience in commercial banking and is responsible for CDC’s business development activities, credit underwriting, loan presentation to CDC’s Board of Directors as well as U.S. Small Business Administration, and all closing functions. Darren meets with borrowers and lenders to facilitate the origination of new loans and safeguards the credit quality of CDC’s loan portfolio by closely analyzing all loan applications. In addition, he works closely with CDC’s attorney to ensure loan closings are compliant with all requirements. Darren graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 1999 with a double Major in Marketing and International Business and a Minor in Spanish. He also earned a Masters of Business Administration from PFW in 2001. Darren is active in the community and has volunteered on several non-profit Board of Directors during his career. Currently, he serves on the Metro Board of Directors of YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne and volunteers to read books to 3rd graders within Fort Wayne Community Schools as part of Real Men Read. He also coached his two daughters’ youth softball and basketball teams for over 10 years and served as public address announcer for Homestead High School softball for 5 years. Darren and his wife, Kelly, have been married since 2001 and have two daughters, Allison and Peyton.
CDC Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Grant Daily, Board President
Minnick Services Corporation
Eric Todd, Board Vice President
First Federal Savings Bank
Kienan O'Rourke, Board Secretary
Xplor Commercial Real Estate
Cecile Weir, Board Treasurer
1st Source Bank
MEMBERS
Ben Roussel
Department of Planning Services
Barbara Johnson
Sheekriphil Inc.
Kristen Smith
Three Rivers Federal Credit Union
Justin Hayes
Lake City Bank
Dennis Tratnyek
Midwest America Federal Credit Union
Caryn Nave
Apollo Designs (Former)
Christopher Bandemer
Bandemer Law Office
Beth McAvoy
CLEAResult
Isaac Lee
Steuben County Economic Development Corporation
Palermo Galindo
Indiana Tech
Current Career Opportunities
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