Expanding Access to Capital for Small Businesses Through Values-Based Leadership

GREENVILLE, SC / ACCESS Newswire / September 3, 2025 / Climate First Bank (www.climatefirstbank.com), the world's first FDIC-insured, values based, digital-forward community bank founded to combat the climate crisis, today announced the promotion of Paul Pickhardt to Executive Vice President, Director of Government Guaranteed Lending.

Since joining Climate First Bank in April 2024, Paul has played a pivotal role in the growth and strategic direction of the SBA lending division. The Bank is among the top 5% of SBA lenders nationwide and has achieved over $100,000,000 in SBA loan volume year-to-date, according to data published by the U.S Small Business Administration as of August 29th, 2025

"I'm honored by this promotion to this new role and look forward with our efforts to continue building a lending platform that empowers small businesses to thrive, especially at a time when our SBA team is scaling rapidly and making a real impact in communities across the country," said Paul.

Pickhardt brings more than two decades of SBA lending leadership to the role, having previously served in senior-level positions at banks such as Countybank, CresCom Bank, and United Community Bank, among others. Across these institutions, he built and led SBA departments from the ground up, implemented SBA-specific software and compliance protocols, and consistently exceeded lending targets. His teams have been recognized for their operational excellence and impact on small business growth across the Southeast.

Under Paul's leadership, the team has embraced AI-driven tools to streamline operations and deliver faster, more efficient lending solutions to mission-aligned businesses. His leadership coincided with the Bank's designation as a SBA Preferred Lender, a milestone that significantly enhanced the Bank's ability to serve small businesses with speed and flexibility.

For more information about Climate First Bank's SBA lending programs, visit www.climatefirstbank.com/SBA.

About Climate First Bank

Recognized as the fastest growing new bank in America since 2009, Climate First Bank is the world's first FDIC-insured, values based, digital-forward community bank founded to combat the climate crisis. A Certified B Corp, 1% for the Planet member and operationally net-zero since it opened its doors in June 2021, the Bank offers a complete portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products powered by technology to meet the expectations of today's consumers. In addition to offering standard banking services, the company places a special emphasis on non-profits, B Corps, and businesses committed to sustainability. Eco-conscious customers will find dedicated loan options for solar photovoltaic (PV), energy retrofits and infrastructure to help combat the climate crisis. The Bank reports annually on its impact in line with corporate social responsibility goals. Read the most recent Impact Report here. Member FDIC.

For more information, please visit: www.climatefirstbank.com.

SOURCE: Climate First Bank