Sterling National Bank established a commercial banking team dedicated to providing senior-secured financing to middle market healthcare companies on a national scale.

The new team will be led by new hires Dan Chapa (senior managing director), Steven Goldsmith (managing director) and Carl Schmitt (senior portfolio manager).

The team will target healthcare companies with financing needs to fund working capital, growth initiatives, acquisitions and recapitalizations. Chapa will also apply his expertise in secured lending to lead Sterling’s asset-based lending group.

“We’re thrilled to welcome a team of senior-level banking professionals who are all highly experienced in servicing the financing needs of the healthcare industry,” said Thomas Geisel, Sterling’s president of Specialty Finance. “Sterling already has a strong portfolio of healthcare clients, and the addition of this team expands our expertise and brings our industry presence to a national level. Moreover, Dan’s diverse background in both healthcare finance and asset-based lending makes him the ideal choice to lead both groups.”

Chapa has more than 30 years of financing experience, with a strong focus on middle-market healthcare and asset-based lending. Prior to joining Sterling, he was at Healthcare Finance Group, most recently serving as CEO. The company originated financings in excess of $2 billion under his leadership. Before that, Chapa was an executive of Bank of America Business Credit, rising to the position of president. Earlier in his career, he held positions at NationsBank and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Steven Goldsmith was also previously with Healthcare Finance Group, where he was responsible for originating new business opportunities directly with healthcare companies and through private equity sponsors in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Northeast regions. His career in healthcare finance has included positions with CIT Healthcare and DVI Business Credit.

Carl Schmitt was an executive of Healthcare Finance Group, most recently serving as head of business development and underwriting. Previously, he held credit analyst and underwriting positions with such firms as GE Capital, CIT Group and HSBC Bank.

“I am pleased, as are my colleagues, to be joining the Sterling team, which has a long-standing reputation in the marketplace for structuring and executing creative financing solutions across all industries,” said Chapa. “We look forward to expanding Sterling’s presence in the healthcare and asset-based lending markets.”