Middle-market non-bank lender CrowdOut Capital opened a new Dallas office and hired Stu Bell to lead the market. Bell has more than 20 years of experience in commercial banking and private equity.

“From an investor and a borrower perspective, Dallas makes the most sense for our second office, and there is no one more qualified than Stu Bell to lead it,” said Alexander Schoenbaum, CEO of CrowdOut Capital. “His background in private equity and commercial lending provides an invaluable perspective to our team. Stu’s integrity and work ethic are perfectly aligned with our already growing company.”

CrowdOut experienced significant growth in loan originations in 2018 and expanded its investor network by 150%. The new Dallas office will accommodate that growth, with a team that has doubled in size year-over-year.

Bell will serve as managing director of the Dallas office, leading business development, managing customer retention and identifying lending opportunities.

Bell spent the bulk of his career in multiple senior roles at Comerica Bank. Most recently, he held leadership and consulting positions at Cypress Growth Capital and Teakwood Capital.

Founded in 2015, CrowdOut is the first and only company in the market to use a web-based platform to offer individuals the opportunity to invest as little as $1,000 directly into corporate loans that range from $4 million to $50 million in size.