Context Business Lending, a family office-backed asset-based lender, expanded into the California market and hired three additional team members to support its continued growth.
While Context Business Lending maintains its headquarters outside of Philadelphia, the majority of its team permanently works remotely across 13 states. According to Meredith L. Carter, CEO of Context Business Lending, the company adopted this strategy even prior to COVID-19 to attract the best possible talent, regardless of location.
“If you hire professionals you trust, it shouldn’t matter where they are sitting,” Carter said. “We remain committed [to] pioneering the modern workplace.”
As part of its expansion into California, Context Business Lending recruited Lucy Czismas, a well-known figure in the California specialty finance market, to be its first West-Coast-based director of business development. Czismas joined Context Business Lending with nearly 15 years of asset-based lending experience, most recently having worked for SLR Business Credit and Marquette Business Credit.
In addition, industry veteran MJ Hilker joined the company as director of portfolio management with more than 30 years of experience in finance and investing and Harmeet Sohal, based in Sacramento, CA, joined as a senior collateral analyst. Hilker’s experience includes time as vice president of special assets for Peoples Bank and as COO of a mezzanine debt firm. Sohal was previously a senior collateral analyst at Bridge Bank.
“Our new additions show our dedication to growth, diversity and customer-focused creativity,” Carter said. “Lucy, Harmeet and MJ each bring unique and impressive experience to CBL. They, like the rest of our team, share in the excitement of our mission to push the boundaries of traditional ABL.”
