Lendistry, a nonbank lender for small businesses based in downtown, was awarded the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Corporate Leadership Award.
Previous winners of the award include JPMorgan Chase, Home Depot and Kaiser Permanente.
“I’m so proud to accept this on behalf of the whole Lendistry team… and to stand beside the giants who have won before us,” Everett Sands, chief executive of Lendistry, said. “I’m focused on the proactive steps that are needed within products, processes and policies to make access to capital less elusive. This will be no easy task, but our team at Lendistry is up for the challenge.”
Last year, Lendistry surpassed $10 billion in funding to small businesses, making it the No. 1 nonbank SBA 7(a) lender in L.A. County, according to the company.
“The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce congratulates Lendistry on being selected as this year’s Corporate Leadership Award honoree. Their strategic vision, support for small businesses and commitment to equitable access helps to foster a resilient economic future for the Los Angeles region,” Maria S. Salinas, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, said.
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L.A. Local News Initiative, a nonprofit focused on local journalism that launched last year, has named civic leader Michele Siqueiros as its founding chief executive.
Siqueiros is a native Angeleno who served as president of the Campaign for College Opportunity from 2008 to 2024. She serves on the boards of The California Endowment, Pitzer College and more. She is the recipient of the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award and The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s Excellence in Community Service Award and was named Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2019.
“Los Angeles is home to the most diverse communities in the world, and that’s what makes our city extraordinary. Building bridges across our racial, ethnic and linguistic communities has been my life’s work,” Siqueiros said. “As the daughter of immigrants who built a life here, I’ve experienced firsthand how access to reliable local information can transform lives.
“Strong local journalism serves two vital functions – it celebrates and amplifies community voices while holding power accountable. At this critical moment, when our city faces unprecedented challenges, we need both,” she added.
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Westlake-based health insurer L.A. Care Health Plan has created a $10 million relief fund to support providers and community organizations impacted by last month’s wildfires.
“L.A. Care’s emergency response teams have been collaborating with provider partners and community stakeholders from the beginning of the fire emergency to ensure they could serve our members. The health plan is already supporting providers by allocating resources to address staffing shortages and supply needs in the most impacted areas,” Martha Santana-Chin, the organization’s chief executive said. “This additional funding will help speed up the recovery for those who are facing serious challenges. Ultimately, it means continued access to care and support services for the vulnerable residents that L.A. Care serves.”
