A Season For Gratitude
As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, it’s a natural time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for.
2025 has been a year of growth for ORMS—and for me as well.
The year began following our unexpected acceptance of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) inaugural 2024 Industry Solutions Award, presented at the spectacular 40th Anniversary Gala in Las Vegas last November.
This was quickly followed by another surprise: receiving the 2025 Legacy Award from the Environmental Bankers Association (EBA) in February was a tremendous recognition of our firm’s many years of service to the industry and this great organization.
This eventful year continued with our attendance at May’s National Association of Development Companies (NADCO) conference in Washington, D.C., where I participated in a panel of industry experts discussing how to navigate the new SBA environmental procedures. ORMS was also present at the America East Small Business Lenders Conference in Atlantic City, the 49th Annual Risk Management Association (RMA) Chapter Leaders Conference in Scottsdale, and the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) Annual Conference in Colorado Springs. I really enjoy presenting on the topic of SBA environmental due diligence and catching up with so many of you from around the country, and appreciate the opportunities these organizations provide to gather and share industry knowledge.
On behalf of ORMS, I’d like to say how proud and grateful we are for the long-standing relationships we’ve developed with leading industry groups like the Real Estate Finance Association (REFA) and RMA (part of the ProSight Financial Association), where we serve on the Chapter Leadership Committee. We are very fortunate, I know, to not only have the opportunity to sponsor and speak at their events, but to also serve as volunteers and board members, helping to spearhead important modernization initiatives for the environmental and property risk management industry.
I’m also so grateful for the opportunity this year to participate in several live webinars, including Chuck Evans’ 30 at Noon, and to share my video story for IamSBA, sponsored by SBASearch.
On the business front, ORMS reached some important milestones in 2025. We’ve welcomed several major new clients to the ORMS family and achieved outstanding year-over-year business growth of 25%. To support this increased volume, this year we hired Miyuki Vort as Administrative Assistant and Brian Mende as our newest Environmental Risk Manager. Welcome aboard Miyuki and Brian!
We’re also excited to offer new services to meet the evolving needs of our clients. This year, we introduced SBA Certifications for Certified Development Companies (CDCs). Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about how this beneficial program can support your compliance needs.
Our primary mission is to serve you: the country’s small business and commercial real estate lenders. We share the same goal of helping small businesses obtain the necessary financing to expand and grow—safely, securely, and efficiently. Thank you for your continued partnership and for your commitment to providing the small business community with the world-class service it deserves.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t show my deep appreciation for our incredible ORMS team. I’m so fortunate to work with such a dedicated, talented, and experienced group of risk management experts, and they make it an absolute joy to come to work every day.
Risk management is constantly changing, and we are relentlessly focused on providing you with the latest guidance and expertise. On behalf of all of us at ORMS, we are truly grateful for the continued loyalty and trust all our clients and industry partners place in us, each and every day. From our family to yours, we wish you a peaceful and memorable Thanksgiving holiday.
