REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE, WE’RE HERE FOR YOU

DANNY PRESTON

PRESIDENT & CEO

Danny Preston is the current President & Chief Executive Officer of Acclivity Financial, a subsidiary of Citizens Bank. He leads a talented team of banking professionals with extensive knowledge and background in commercial real estate financing, franchise financing, USDA loans, SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans.  Prior to Acclivity Financial, Danny served as SVP at Fidelity Bank, where he was responsible for the SBA division. He initiated and developed SBA groups for several banks including Fidelity, Main Street Bank and Synovus.

RUSSELL BRYAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Russell Bryan is the current Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of Acclivity Financial. He began working in the banking industry 21 years ago. Over his career, he’s held a variety of leadership positions in the banking industry focused specifically on the SBA and USDA B&I lending programs. Presently, the Acclivity lending team, comprised of 12 lenders with over 265 collective years of SBA experience, reports directly to Mr.Bryan. Russell earned his bachelor’s degree from Carson-Newman University and Master of Business Administration from Mercer University.

ANIL JAMES

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Anil James joined the Acclivity team in July 2015. He has over 18 years of experience in the Small Business Administration lending arena. Anil has both sales and credit expertise under the SBA 7-a, 504 and USDA Programs. Over the years, he has financed over $100,000,000 in SBA projects throughout the country with a specialization in the hospitality and gas station/convenience store industries. He has held lending and leadership positions at Fidelity Bank and Community South Bank. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Fayetteville State University.

DALE BOWLING

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Dale Bowling joined the Acclivity team in July 2015. He has 37 years of experience in the SBA and USDA programs with a focus on business acquisitions, convenience stores, and the hospitality industry. Dale has recently served as a board member as well as on the loan committee of the Community CDC of Louisiana. He received a Bachelor of Business Management with a concentration in finance and accounting from Memphis State University. He is also a graduate of Southern Methodist University’s School of Banking.

DAVID MOORE

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

David Moore joined the Acclivity team in July of 2015. He has 21 years of experience in banking and SBA lending. David has helped finance over $300,000,000 for small businesses throughout the United States, specializing in the medical, professional, and hospitality industries with a focus on business acquisitions and the purchase of commercial real estate. He received his Bachelor of Science in Education from James Madison University.

EMILY PATCH

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Emily Patch joined Acclivity Financial in July 2015. She has 19 years of banking experience, the last 12 of which have been in government guaranteed lending. Her breadth of experience includes loan processing, portfolio management, liquidation, and sales in both the SBA and USDA B&I programs. Emily specializes in lending solutions for franchises nationwide. She earned a Bachelor in Business Administration in finance from the University of Georgia and she currently serves on the board for the Georgia Lenders Quality Circle.

JANA ROUBLE

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Jana Rouble joined Acclivity Financial in September 2017. A longtime Dallas resident, she has produced over $300,000,000 in SBA and USDA loans during her career. Jana received a BSBA in Financial Management from The University of Arkansas. She was previously a board member of the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Association of Business Brokers (TABB) and President of the Dallas Chapter of the Arkansas Alumni Association. She currently serves as Chairman of the North Texas Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NTAGGL). In her free time, Jana loves boating, golfing, biking, running, and charity poker tournaments. She also spends time cheering on her kid’s college teams, Texas A&M and University of Arkansas.

CAROLYN ROBINSON

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Carolyn Robinson joined Acclivity Financial in September 2017. She began her financial career 35 years ago by diving into commercial real estate. She has lived and worked in the greater Atlanta area since 1982. She has since risen through sales, development and management roles to find her place among the highest-ranking SBA lenders in Georgia. Carolyn graduated with honors and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Akron prior to receiving her MBA from Case Western Reserve University. She has maintained her Georgia Real Estate Broker license since 1986 and remains well connected in her market as a member of Georgia Quality Lenders Circle, Georgia Association of Business Brokers, Southeast Franchise Forum, Risk Management Association, Georgia CCIM, and NAGGL.

BRIAN CLEGG

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Brian Clegg joined Acclivity Financial in June 2017. A Utah native, Brian spent the previous ten years in increasing roles at Bank of the West. Most recently, he held the title of Regional Sales Manager of SBA Lending. In addition to his business development roles, he has experience as an SBA underwriter, SBA servicer, Relationship Manager, and as a Licensed Title Officer in the State of Utah. Clegg received his BBA from the University of Utah.

KEVIN CLINGMAN

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Kevin Clingman joined Acclivity Financial in July 2018 and has over 20 years of SBA, USDA and commercial real estate lending experience. He brings a well-rounded understanding of small business lending having worked for both urban and rural based banks in Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Nebraska. Over the past several years he has closed $22 million in loans to car washes and $16 million to franchise businesses including restaurants. He is a member of the International Carwash Association as well serving on the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Food & Beverage Industry Advisory Committee and an active supporter of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce. Previously, he served on the Board of Directors for Georgia Certified Development Corporation and the National Business Incubation Association along with being a member of Invest Atlanta’s Loan Committee. Kevin received a BBA in economics from Morehouse College.

FRED SCHMID

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Fred Schmid joined Acclivity Financial in February 2019. He has over 40 years of commercial banking experience with 18 specific to the SBA program. Fred specializes in financing preschools and business acquisitions. The southern states are his primary market area. In addition to an MBA, Fred is a Florida State Certified Commercial Real Estate Appraiser and a member of the Florida Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (FLAGGL) board. He has a vast understanding of SBA regulations and is most creative in the structuring of his loan proposals.

RYAN FOLEY

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Ryan Foley joined Acclivity Financial in February 2019. He has 6 years of commercial lending and SBA experience in both analysis and business development. He specializes in franchising and business acquisition loans. He’s a Chicago native but looking to get back to the warm southwest in Arizona where he graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in business and economics. In his free time he enjoys photography and is a football and fantasy sports fanatic.

JOHN JONES

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

John Jones joined Acclivity Financial in November 2021. An accomplished Business Development Officer with four decades of SBA lending experience, he will increase Acclivity’s presence in the Southeast the the Carolinas. Jones received a BSBA in Financial Management from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as an MBA in Business Management from Hardin Simons University in Abilene, TX. He served in the Air National Guard as an F-4 crew member for 15 years in addition to his active duty with the Air Force as a B-52 crew member. He received a military retirement as a Lt Colonel in the USAF.

KIRBY MORRIS

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Kirby Morris joined Acclivity Financial in February 2023. He has over 15 years of SBA experience with an emphasis on startups, commercial real estate, and franchises. Kirby resides in St. Louis, MO, expanding the bank’s presence in the Midwest. For fun, he enjoys smoking BBQ in his back yard with friends and family. Kirby graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Finance. He is a member of the American Banking Association, Crestwood/Sunset Hills Chamber of Commerce, IACPA, and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership.

ALLEN KIEFER

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Allen Kiefer brings over 13 years of banking industry experience to Acclivity Financial, where he started in July 2015. Beginning his career at BB&T, Allen has grown and accelerated through various roles including Teller, Relationship Banker, BDA, AVP, VP, and now SVP of Business Development. With a Bachelor’s Degree from St. Andrews University, he specializes in SBA 7(a) lending to Fitness facilities, RV Parks, Franchises, and Bed and Breakfasts, demonstrating a depth of expertise in diverse lending sectors.