Ron Reuss

By FRED W. WRIGHT Jr.

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 25, 2001

NEW POSITION: President, GulfCoast CDC, St. Petersburg.

PREVIOUS POSITION: Executive director, Colorado Lending Source, Denver.

The satisfaction of helping small businesses grow has motivated Ron Reuss to spend 22 years doing just that -- and move halfway across the country to become president of GulfCoast CDC, a subsidiary of St. Petersburg Certified Development Corp.

The private, non-profit economic development organization assists small businesses in Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco counties with the Small Business Administration 504 Loan Program. The program provides long-term financing for real estate and equipment for established small businesses, Reuss said.

"If you're starting a business, you're in a lease situation" most of the time, he said. "Once you're established, once you're able to own your own facility, then our program kicks in.

"Or you own your own facility and you've outgrown it and need to expand," he said. "This program assists in financing long-term financial needs."

Reuss (pronounced "royce") began his new job April 30. He relocated from Denver, where he spent seven years as executive director of a similar organization processing an SBA 504 Loan Program.

The program provides for up to 90 percent of a small business' fixed-asset expansion requirements through a fixed-rate, 20-year loan.

Reuss said borrowers include such businesses as fitness centers, automotive repair shops, hotels, restaurants and veterinary clinics. To be eligible, a business must be owner-occupied, with $6-million or less in net worth and $2-million or less in net income, he said.

"It gives me gratification to help businesses in their pursuit of growth and provide them with financing and advice," Reuss said. "If we don't have financing for them, we can provide them with technical assistance and send them to the proper source."

The GulfCoast CDC averages about 30 projects a year, he said, and has assisted more than 180 small businesses since its inception, resulting in more than $120-million in capital expenditures.

Nationwide, there are 280 organizations similar to GulfCoast CDC, Reuss said.

In addition to his experience in accessing SBA loan programs, Reuss has administered several multimillion-dollar revolving loan fund and community development block grant programs.

Reuss earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Pennsylvania State University and a master's degree in economics from Syracuse University.

Reuss, 46, is married and has two children.

He and his family live in Bradenton, and Reuss says he is adjusting to the altitude and climate differences between mile-high Denver and sea-level Bradenton. He often makes weekly 5K runs on Siesta Key, he said.

"I have to get used to it. You'd think coming from a high altitude would work," he said, laughing. "But the heat and humidity left me sucking for air."

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