Dade County Native Named President of Rural-Focused Lending Company

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

This January, Dade County native Anna West became the president of X-Caliber Rural Capital, a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) guaranteed lender that provides financing solutions for public bodies, non-profits, and rural businesses to support economic development in rural communities. Having grown up in Wildwood and Trenton, West has a personal appreciation and understanding of rural communities’ needs.

West grew up in Wildwood with her parents, Saronnah (Rose) West and Herschel West, before moving to Trenton in middle school, and she attended Dade County Schools all the way through graduation. Her first job working for Jerry Kernea’s screen printing business gave her a taste of the entrepreneurial world and what it’s like to be a small business in a rural area.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Thinking back to choosing her post-high school path, West said, “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. All I knew was that I was good at math, and I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how all of that would fit together.”

Studying accounting and experiences in several jobs over the years worked together to lead her to her current position. Reflecting on her own journey, West’s advice to teenagers is, “You don’t have to have the next 20 years planned out. No one expects someone at 18 to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Follow what you enjoy, and don’t be so fixated on what everyone else thinks you should be doing. As you gain skills from different experiences, it takes you on an adventure. Just take the first step and opportunities will come.”

West began her career as a loan specialist with USDA. From 2010-2018, she focused on facilitating loans and grants for rural infrastructure, community facilities, housing, home repairs, workforce training, and small businesses. Working for USDA gave her a taste of public/private partnerships. However, “I felt like there was room to do more,” she said. She felt that by moving beyond working for the government, she could further equip businesses and communities across the country.

In 2018, Live Oak Bank offered her the position of senior loan officer in the bank’s Energy and Infrastructure Lending Group. The offer was somewhat surprising to West, who said, “I thought, why not take that step?”

Then, in 2021, West and a coworker from the bank formed X-Caliber Rural Capital (an affiliate of X-Caliber Capital Holdings) and started a non-bank lending group focused on facilitating funding in rural America through a variety of products. West was the executive managing director before becoming president.

The company describes itself as “dedicated to creating attractive solutions for its borrowers that meet the needs of rural communities throughout the country.” West added, “We leverage all types of capital for nonprofits, for-profit businesses, public bodies, and tribal entities.”

West explained that the company helps both government bodies and private entities navigate the loan process. The team also helps their clients think through feasibility and planning, something that West sees as significant for rural communities.

West explained, “We are not strategic planners, but we do evaluate local governments, rural businesses, and impacts from all angles. As part of facilitating the financing, we conduct market research to ensure each business is a success. There may be instances where we are not the best fit for a group’s financing needs, but we will evaluate programs that may be a solution, and put them in contact with other groups that will best support the success of the business.”

As to how growing up in a small town impacts her current work, West reflected, “Not a lot of people in the financial world have the perspective that I have because they haven’t lived in rural America. I can think about my own family, and if they were having to pay for something, would I be okay with it.”

When speaking with West, it is clear that she believes in the value her company offers rural America, and it’s clear that she enjoys her career. She brings a human element to a field that can otherwise seem cold, professional, and complicated.

West believes in the importance of strategic planning. As a successful example of planning, she said, “In Ray County, Tenn., they leveraged tourism as the primary asset to leverage. Because they’re on the river, they took the initiative to host bass fishing events, bringing thousands of tourists into their community each year. The city manager had a vision, leveraged multiple funding sources to accommodate the infrastructure needed, and created an opportunity for small businesses to flourish by bringing in a market they didn’t intend to serve when opening. The public private partnerships in this case helped the entire community succeed.”

Of large businesses moving into small communities, West said, “Creating jobs is amazing, but where are you going to house those employees? What schools are they going to send their kids to, what stores are they going to shop at? Some people don’t think about that before the business moves in. It is important to ensure there is alliance with the local community and the business to ensure success by benefiting each other.”

However, she added that citizens, elected officials, and businesses can significantly shape their communities. “You do have a say, you do have a voice, and you can build a successful business in your hometown. People are always coming up with ideas, but it’s scary to take a leap with that idea unless everyone is aligned.”

West’s parents and many of her friends and their families still live in and around Dade County. “It’s home,” she said. “It’s near and dear to my heart. I want future generations to benefit from the community I grew up in. There, you always see a friendly face anywhere you go. That’s what I think sets rural America apart.”