BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Avadian Credit Union has expandedits Business Services Lending Team. The team will be led by Larry J. Uptain, who was promoted to Commercial Lending Manager, and include Blake Watkins, Clint Phillips and Quintin Milton.
In creating the team, Watkins was hired as Senior Business Loan Officer and Phillips as Business Loan Officer while Milton was promoted to Business Loan Officer.
“The additions to this team reflect Avadian’s focus on growing its service to the business sector, and, specifically, business lending,” said Billy Chancellor, Avadian’s Chief Lending Officer. “Blake will serve the Birmingham market, and Clint will serve the Huntsville and North Alabama markets. Quintin’s focus will be on small business lending and the South Alabama markets.”
At Avadian since 2019, Uptain has nearly three decades of experience in the financial services industry, working closely with business owners to pursue their goals.
For Watkins and his 15 years of business services experience, this is a return to Avadian, where he was a Business Loan Officer from 2014 to 2019. Most recently, he was the Vice President of Commercial Banking for CommerceOne Bank in Birmingham.
Phillips has worked in both consumer and commercial lending since beginning his career in the financial services industry in 2019. Most recently, he was the Assistant Vice President of Commercial Lending for Listerhill Credit Union in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Milton has been with Avadian for four years. In his role as a Business Loan Officer, his focus is on helping small businesses secure the funding they need to expand and grow. He does that by assisting those business members with credit cards, lines of credit, vehicle loans, and equipment loans.