Edwin Lesley promoted to Chairman of the Board of Directors at Business Development Corporation

Edwin O. Lesley has been promoted to Chairman of the Board of Directors of Business Development Corporation of SC (BDC).

Lesley has served as President and CEO of BDC for the past 17 years and helped cement the non-bank commercial lender’s success working with member financial institutions to help spur economic development and job creation in South Carolina.

Some highlights under Lesley’s leadership include the following:

• developing the SC Capital Access Program (CAP)
• being approved by the state and the SBA to operate in six additional Southeastern states
• creating the nationally recognized State Small Business Credit Initiative Loan Participation Program
• being certified by the US Treasury and the SC Department of Commerce as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)

All of these programs when added to the two mainstay SBA programs, SBA 7(a) and SBA 504, create additional value for the member banks of BDC, create jobs and promote economic development throughout the state, including low to moderate income and disadvantaged areas.

In recognition of his contributions to the State of SC, Lesley was presented with the Order of the Palmetto which was bestowed by Governor McMaster and presented at the 2017 annual meeting.

“It’s been exciting to help small businesses of all kinds commit their energy and finances to their own success and that of their communities. I’m grateful for the opportunities given to me, and for the relationships and friendships developed over the years,” Lesley said.

“I developed a great appreciation for Edwin Lesley’s ability to work with economic developers, government stakeholders, and small-business people during my decades as a community banker before joining BDC in 2013. Working directly with him since then has been a privilege,” Shand said.

About BDC and CDC

Since 1958, Business Development Corporation (BDC) has been financing small businesses in South Carolina, ultimately creating new jobs for the citizens of the Palmetto State. BDC and its associate company, Certified Development Corporation (CDC), which was founded in 1994, have approved more than 2,745 loans on projects in excess of $1.7 billion, making us leaders in economic development lending and job creation in South Carolina. Now that BDC has been approved by the state and SBA to operate in seven (7) Southeastern states, we are able to bring these benefits to a much larger market area. 

To learn more about BDC and CDC, visit www.BDCofSC.org or call 803.798.4064.

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