Paycheck Protection Loan Forgiveness, What you Need to Know

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (aka the CARES Act) was signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020. Title I, of the CARES Act, Keeping American Workers Paid and Employed Act, contained the Paycheck Protection Program (or PPP). The PPP’s goal was to keep people in their jobs, reduced the unemployment nationwide, and thereby keeping the economy moving forward. The PPP was structured as forgivable loan, a grant, to the extent the moneys received were primarily spent on payroll and other permissible purposes.

In today’s session, we will explore changes to the PPP and loan forgiveness enacted by the PPP Flexibility Act signed into law by the President on June 5, 2020. We will also work through the multiple guidances issued by the Small Business Administration in the form of Interim Final Rules, FAQs, etc., on its expectations with respect to the loan forgiveness process. Our panel of experts will explore the issues, pitfalls, and strategies surround the loan forgiveness process.

We welcome you to join us and learn from the experts about this very critical program. Short biographies of our expert panelist are provided below:

Please mark your calendar for an interactive panel discussion:

Date: August 19, 2020
Time: 9:00 am

Zoom webinar link:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ggWA_fRuQTO8ZdtBjA5zmw

MODERATOR

Frank Gonzalez
Managing Principal, MBAF

Frank Gonzalez, CPA/CFF, is the managing principal of the Miami office at MBAF, and leads the firm’s Financial Institutions and SEC practices. As a leader in the Audit Department, Frank has oversight of the firm’s audit practice across all offices, including the execution of processes and quality control, maintaining the department’ standards, and ensuring the use of best practices among his team.

Frank provides audit, business consulting, litigation support, and SEC compliance services to organizations in a wide range of industries including real estate, financial institutions (community banking, international banking, investment funds), manufacturing, technology and telecommunications.

Frank is part of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF),

Cuban-American Certified Public Accountants – Advisory Board member/Past President, Florida Institute of Certified pUblic Accountants – Miami Downtown Chapter – Past Board Member/Officer, The Alliance of M&A Advisors – board Member, 2017 and South Florida Banking Institute – President, 2011-2013; Board Member, 2007-Present

PANELISTS

Liudmila (Lou) Esquerdo,
US Century Bank

Charles Grau is Chief Information Officer (CIO) of IT at United Data Technologies Inc. (UDT), a technology enabler that helps clients in major industries evaluate, architect, secure and manage technology on premise, in mobile and in the cloud. Prior to joining UDT, he served as VP IT at AeroTurbine for five years.

With more than 15 years of executive experience, Charles leads UDT’s IT strategy and technological innovation initiatives. His client-side experience is critical in ensuring that the company maintains client needs at the core of all products, services, and development initiatives.

Charles holds bachelor and master degrees in information technology from American Intercontinental University, as well as an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management. He has served as president and member of the board of trustees at CIO Council of South Florida for the past five years and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Lou Esquerdo specializes in SBA administration, government guaranteed lending and secondary market sales since 1999. Lou joined US Century Bank as SVP and SBA Director in 2019 and previously served as VP in SBA for Professional Bank and Valley National Bank. Esquerdo currently serves as social chair on the Board of the Florida Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (FLAGGL) and is also a member of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL).

20 years of dedicated SBA Lending Leadership
Started the SBA department Lending Division for Professional Bank in 2016
Started the SBA department Lending Division for USCB in 20
Involved in all aspects of SBA department management, originations, underwriting, servicing, and portfolio quality
Speaker on various panels and participate in various SBA conferences and educational events
Board Member of FLAGGL
Member of NAGGL

Jordan Argiz,
CPA Director in the Audit Department and the Risk & Transportation Advisory practice at MBAF

Providing assurance and consulting services to companies in various industries with a focused experience in automotive dealerships, professional sports teams and stadium facilities, real estate, technology, wholesale/distribution and others.
Responsible for all aspects of attest and non-attest engagements including engagement planning, budgeting, scheduling, supervising, researching technical issues, and reviewing internal controls.
Proficient at leading first-time audit and advisory engagements and customizing audit plans in order to deliver efficient and effective client service.
Jordan is a CPA licensed in Florida and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs
Part of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants – Emerging Leaders Program, 2017
Certified Public Accountant – State of Florida, 2013

Ricardo A. Loor
VP-Lending Officer
International Finance Bank

Ricardo A. Loor has been the Vice President and Lending Officer at International Finance Bank since September 2014. There he manages the bank’s most extensive commercial lending portfolio with the bank’s award-winning products. Mr. Loor is recognized as one of the institutions’ top producers due to his experience in commercial real estate, C&I, construction, residential and consumer lending. He is the head of the SBA program at IFB, successfully enrolling IFB as a participating institution and funding $40MM of PPP loans. Mr. Loor is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), and a 2020 candidate for Certified Management Accountant certification (CMA). He participated in the first “Programa de Alta Direccion” at IESE Business School in Madrid, Spain. He also founded the Young Leaders Workgroup (YLW), the young professional’s committee at IFB. Mr. Loor participates in various charitable non-profit organizations throughout South Florida.

Mr. Loor was born in Guayaquil- Ecuador, where he attended a Jesuit high school named Colegio San Francisco Javier. He graduated with honors from the University of Miami, earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Management, and earned an MBA from the University of Florida.