STAFF BIOS

Executive Offices
Todd Kocourek Todd G. Kocourek serves as President and CEO, reporting to the Board of Directors. Based in the corporate offices in Tallahassee, he has direct management responsibility for operations of the company. Todd first joined Florida First Capital as its General Counsel in 1998 and was named President and CEO in 1999. He is a member of the SBA North Florida Advisory Council, Vice-Chair of the board of the Florida Export Finance Corporation and a member of the Florida Economic Development Council board.
Claire Huse Claire Huse is a Senior Vice President. She has been with Florida First Capital since it privatized from the State of Florida and has served the company in a number of capacities for more than 10 years. Claire has experience in all areas of finance including credit underwriting and working directly with lenders on structuring and processing small business loans throughout the state. Prior to her current position, she served as a Loan Program Administrator under contract to the company through Enterprise Florida, Inc.
Lynn McDaniel Lynn McDaniel serves as a Senior Vice President and Special Projects Manager and is based in the corporate offices in Tallahassee. She has been with the company since 1999 and has more than 30 years of experience in banking, administration and management.  Lynn is responsible for management of large and complex administrative projects, which transcend departmental lines and require a high degree of specialized knowledge regarding internal and external processes; the principles and practices of the SBA; as well as a well-rounded understanding of the corporation as a whole. She works closely with the President and CEO as well as other FFCFC staff to streamline work processes and provide quality seamless customer service. Lynn has a broad range of experience in the operations of FFCFC and has been an integral part of the growth of the company during her tenure.
 

Sales & Marketing
Deborah Petrell Deborah E. Petrell is Senior Vice President & Sales and Marketing Manager and is based in Delray Beach. She has more than 30 years of lending and credit experience. Prior to FFCFC, Deborah was Vice President of Research and Finance for the Broward Alliance packaging industrial revenue bonds and tax incentives for Broward County. She was a real estate developer, homebuilder, and commercial broker in Massachusetts prior to moving to Florida.
Dana Albury Dana Albury serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the Southeast Florida territory and is based in Sunrise.  Previously, she served as a Vice President/Business Development Officer of SBA Lending with Community South Bank and as a Business Banker with HSBC Bank. She also owned and operated a My GYM Children’s Fitness Center specializing in physical and social development. Dana is responsible for six Southeast counties: Broward, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie.
Carlos Calero Carlos Calero serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the South Florida area and is based in Miami. He has more than 20 years of lending and marketing experience. Prior to joining the company, Carlos served as a Vice President, Commercial Lender, for Espirito Santo Bank in Miami. He also holds a Florida mortgage broker’s license, and he is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Carlos is responsible for two South Florida counties: Miami-Dade and Monroe.
John Hanrahan John Hanrahan serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the Central Florida area and is based in Orlando. He has more than 10 years of experience in finance and marketing. Prior to joining the company, he was Vice President and Account Executive for GE Commercial Finance in Orlando. John also served as a Credit Manager for Wells Fargo & Company. He received an MBA from Rollins College. John is responsible for 10 Central Florida counties: Brevard, Citrus, Lake, Levy, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia.
Loretta Mathushek Loretta Mathushek serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the Southwest Florida territory and is based in Bonita Springs. She has more than 40 years of experience in finance management, underwriting and business development. Prior to joining FFCFC, Loretta served as a Commercial Lending Business Development Officer and Team Leader Vice President for HSBC US NA, in Brooklyn, NY. She is responsible for 10 Southwest Florida counties: Charlotte, Collier, De Soto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Ron Mirenda Ron Mirenda serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and is based in Largo. He is a State of Florida certified general appraiser and licensed real estate agent. Prior to joining FFCFC, Ron served as Executive Vice President of The Dohring Group, a commercial appraisal, brokerage and development services group in Tampa. He also brings a wealth of financial experience and is well versed in SBA lending having worked as a commercial lender for Colonial Bank and Banco Popular. Ron is responsible for five counties in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area: Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk.
Kristen Tackett Kristen L. Tackett serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the Northeast Florida territory and is based in Jacksonville. She earned a B.A. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Marketing from the University of North Florida. Kristen has successfully completed various banking courses through the Risk Management Association and the National Association of Development Companies. Prior to joining FFCFC, she worked as a Business Development Officer for the Jacksonville Economic Development Company. Kristen is responsible for 16 Northeast Florida counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union.
Stacy Thorrington Stacy Thorrington serves as a Vice President and Business Development Officer for the Northwest & Florida Panhandle territory and is based in Pensacola. She received a B.S. degree in marketing and an MBA degree from the University of West Florida. Formerly, Stacy served as a business analyst for the Small Business Development Center in Pensacola. She is responsible for 18 Northwest and Florida Panhandle counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
 

Credit Underwriters
Gail Thomas Gail Thomas serves as a Senior Vice President and Credit Manager and is based in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. Her primary responsibilities include credit underwriting and processing of 504 loan packages throughout the state. Gail has more than 16 years of experience in credit underwriting and structuring small business loans. Prior to joining Florida First Capital, she served as a Senior Risk Analyst and a successful sales team leader covering the Florida market and the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions for General Electric Small Business Finance Corporation.
Angie Palmer-Graves Angie Palmer-Graves serves as a Senior Vice President and resides in the Jacksonville office. Her responsibilities include credit underwriting and processing of loan packages throughout the state. Prior to joining the company, Angie was an Underwriter for the Jacksonville Economic Development Company and a Credit Analyst and Assistant Vice President for Bank of America.
Sherry Mojtabaee Sherry Mojtabaee is a Senior Vice President and is based in Miami. She has more than 10 years of experience underwriting 504 loans for commercial real estate and equipment for small businesses. Sherry focuses equally on direct loan generation and credit analysis. She provides hands-on training for both local and statewide lenders and packages and processes joint loan requests with these same lenders. Sherry also serves as the primary contact with borrowers for all issues leading up to loan approval. Prior to joining the company, she worked as a Senior Vice President for another certified development company.
 

Closing
Saara Pekale Saara Pekale serves as Director of Closing and General Counsel and is based in Boca Raton. She has more than 15 years of commercial real estate and finance law experience. Saara is responsible for oversight and management of the closing pipeline. She works closely with the FFCFC sales department, credit department and senior staff to streamline 504 loan closing procedures. In addition, Saara works directly with borrowers, lending partners and designated closing counsel to facilitate the 504 loan closing process.  Prior to joining the company, she was a partner in the real estate and finance law firm of Fogel & Pekale, LLP, in Boca Raton. Saara received a JD degree from Boston University School of Law and a BA degree from Duke University. She is admitted to both the Florida and New York Bars.
 

Loan Administration
Mary Kropp Mary E. Kropp is a Senior Vice President and Director of Loan Administration and is based in the corporate offices in Tallahassee. Mary is responsible for oversight and risk management of the entire loan portfolio as well as staff management. She works closely with senior CDC and SBA staff to streamline company lending procedures. Mary has 30 years of experience in commercial finance. After an 18 year career in commercial banking, she became the CEO of Enchantment Land Certified Development Company in New Mexico, where she was a two time winner of the SBA Financial Services Advocate of the Year award. Mary left the CDC to become the premier consultant to the SBA industry, specializing in CDCs, where she had clients among the best performing in the industry. She currently serves as an at-large board member for NADCO. Mary has been a licensed builder (Michigan) since 1994.
 

Corporate Administration
Barbra Boutin Barbra Boutin serves as Director of Corporate Administration and is based in the corporate offices in Tallahassee. She is responsible for staff management, human resources and accounting. Barbra also works closely with Florida First Capital’s credit, closing and servicing departments to streamline administrative procedures. She has more than 10 years of management and economic development related experience. Previously, Barbra served in various management positions at Walt Disney World, Co., as vice president of business development at the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, Inc. and as CEO of the Florida Economic Development Council, Inc. She graduated from Florida State University with a B.S. degree in business administration.