In a financing career that spans more than two decades, Mabel Jimenez-Santos has built a reputation as a problem solver who focuses on helping her customers access equipment financing that is crucial to their businesses. As assistant vice president and senior loan officer at Eastern Funding, Jimenez-Santos’ customers, mostly neighborhood grocery store owners in the Northeast, will attest to how much she advocates for them in their quest to access financing. Often underserved by local banks, these community businesses depend on Jimenez-Santos and the specialty equipment financing offered by Eastern Funding. Being the go-to person for many small business owners is a point of pride for Jimenez-Santos as is the tremendous growth of her book of business and its contribution to Eastern Funding’s success.

Jimenez-Santos works closely with trade groups, including United Bodegas of America (UBA), that support the neighborhood groceries she serves, and the UBA has recognized Jimenez-Santos’ contributions to the industry and its members. Through groups like these, she spreads the word to bodegas and other grocery and convenience stores that they don’t have to be locked out of financing for the equipment they need.

Jimenez-Santos fielded hundreds of calls during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from these essential business owners and helped them with modifications and refinancing. Coming through for her customers at such a turbulent time is an accomplishment that stands out as a memorable experience for Jimenez-Santos.

Jimenez-Santos knows the importance of building a strong network and the results are evident in the owners, brokers, attorneys, accountants and others who call on her for help in solving challenges they encounter as they navigate transactions and financing.

What makes Jimenez-Santos a unique leader is her loyalty, passion, enthusiasm, work ethic, organizational skills, character and great customer service. Jimenez-Santos genuinely cares about her customers and will continue to help move the equipment finance industry forward. Her ultimate goal is for her customers to be happy with her service; knowing that she made a difference in a person’s life and business makes Jimenez-Santos proud and grateful.

“My advice for younger women in the industry is to be passionate about what you do; care about your customer’s needs; build a trusted team; be professional, respectful, grateful, happy; and, last but not least, have plenty of patience and do it all with a smile,” Jimenez-Santos says.

As one of Eastern Funding’s leaders, she fills the role of mentor to others in the company, including a diverse group of women who are in various stages of their equipment financing careers. She educates colleagues on the nuances of the markets, businesses and communities she serves. Jimenez-Santos also actively encourages team members to explore new roles and opportunities within the company to help them grow.

“Aside from a tireless work ethic and high emotional intelligence, Mabel has developed a credit process that is successful in an industry that presents challenges since a number of clients are new to conventional loans and the collateral is not well understood generally,” Michael Fanger, CEO of Eastern Funding, says. “An example of her superior performance is that clients return through the years again and again to do more business with her and she has a following developed through word of mouth.“