[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 118 (Friday, August 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     SANTA FE COAT CO. AND THE SBA

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, today is a very special day for 
Jeanette Ferrara, owner of the Santa Fe Coat Co., located on the Isleta 
Pueblo in New Mexico. Today, Jeanette received the first New Mexico 
loan in the Small Business Administration's Women's Pre-Qualification 
Pilot Loan Program.
  As the following release from the SBA will detail, the Santa Fe Coat 
Co. is owned by Jeanette Ferrara, an American Indian woman who is 
serving as a role model for other New Mexico businesswomen interested 
in quick responses to their loan requests.
  I commend the following SBA announcement to my colleagues. It is a 
good example of the solid benefits available from the relatively small 
women's office in the SBA. I urge my colleagues to join me in taking a 
close look at the positive results we are gaining from this SBA 
program.
  As many of my colleagues are aware, the administration reduced 
funding from $2 million in fiscal year 1994 to $500,000 for fiscal year 
1995. The conference report we are sending back to the President 
includes $4 million for next year's efforts to build women-owned 
business in America.
  The announcement follows:

                                Small Business Administration,

                                 Albuquerque, NM, August 19, 1994.


 first loan made through the sba women's pre-qualification pilot loan 
                                program

       Albuquerque, NM.--Tom W. Dowell, District Director of the 
     New Mexico Small Business Administration (SBA), announced 
     today that the first SBA's Women's Pre Qualification Pilot 
     Loan in New Mexico has been made through First Security Bank. 
     Jeanette Ferrara, owner of the Santa Fe Coat Company is the 
     recipient of the ``first loan'' through this new pilot 
     program that began in New Mexico on June 1, 1994.
       The Women's Pre-Qualification Pilot Loan Program is 
     designed to streamline the application process and provide a 
     quick response to a non-profit intermediary for loan requests 
     of $250,000 or less to women owned (51% or more) and managed 
     businesses. It focuses on the character, credit, experience 
     and reliability of the applicants. ``During the first few 
     weeks that the pilot program has been in place our office has 
     had many inquiries,'' Dowell states. ``We hope to approve 
     additional loans through this program and our existing 7(a) 
     guaranteed loan programs in the near future.''
       Under this SBA program, a women works with a participating 
     non-profit intermediary agency. These intermediaries assist 
     the businesswoman complete a loan application after 
     a complete analysis of the business owner's business plan 
     and loan proposal is made to determine if client meets the 
     SBA's loan criteria. The intermediary submits client's 
     loan application to SBA. The loan application is reviewed 
     by SBA and if eligibility criteria and requirements are 
     met, SBA issues the client a ``pre-qualification letter'' 
     stating that SBA is willing to guarantee this loan 
     request. The client can then take her loan packet which 
     includes the SBA pre-qualification letter, business plan 
     and loan proposal to a commercial bank of her choice for 
     submission to SBA. New Mexico non-profit intermediaries 
     participating with SBA on the Women's Pre-Qualification 
     Loan Program include the 17 New Mexico Small Business 
     Development Centers, New Mexico Native American Business 
     Development Center, Enhancement Certified Development 
     Company, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and the 
     Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST Corp).
       Jeanette Ferrara, owner of Santa Fe Coat Company, submitted 
     her loan application to SBA through the New Mexico Native 
     American Business Development Center, one of the non-profit 
     intermediaries participating in this SBA program as a loan 
     packager. In addition to the loan through First Security Bank 
     Jeanette Ferrara received an Indian Business Development 
     Grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to start her 
     business. The Bureau of Indian Affairs makes available to 
     eligible tribal members the development capital needed to 
     finance projects on Indian reservations. In addition Ms. 
     Ferrara has received a technical assistance grant from the 
     American Indian Consultants, Inc., U.S. Department of 
     Commerce, to provide marketing services for Santa Fe Coat 
     Company.
       Santa Fe Coat Company is an American Indian owned apparel 
     design, manufacturing and wholesaling business, located at 
     Isleta Pueblo, a village that lies 23 miles south of 
     Albuquerque, New Mexico. Santa Fe Coat Company specializes in 
     American Indian custom designed women's coats, and its 
     concept is to produce Indian designed clothing from drawing 
     room to the finished product.
       The collection is comprised of natural fibers, such as 
     luxurious wool, cotton and high grades of leathers. Each 
     garment is complimented with Indian silver buttons. This 
     upscale contemporary fall collection has the elements of the 
     American Indian influence and accents. This means that 
     colors, symbols, leather, fringe and Indian buttons are the 
     focal points of the collection and Ferrara has the education 
     and experience in apparel, design, manufacturing and 
     wholesaling.
       Debuting as a ``limited edition'', the dinner coats, shawl 
     coats, car coats and three button vests are manufactured at 
     Isleta Pueblo. Each of these garments are reversible, giving 
     the consumer two beautiful designs. Garment tags are tied to 
     a corn husk bow and are placed on the front of the coat and 
     features a storyline of the Native American Indians of Isleta 
     Pueblo. Santa Fe Coat Company manufacturers in pueblo because 
     the Pueblo has produced creative and high quality designs for 
     generations such as pottery, jewelry and textiles. Santa Fe 
     Coat Company wishes to continue that tradition and heritage 
     developed over the generations by producing a more 
     contemporary, yet timeless line of coats.
       Looking towards the immediate future, Santa Fe Coat Company 
     intends to produce other types of upscale clothing apparel. 
     Ms. Ferrara may be reached by writing to Santa Fe Coat 
     Company, P.O. Box 338, Isleta, New Mexico 87022.
       Additional information on the SBA programs and services can 
     be obtained by contacting the New Mexico SBA Office at 625 
     Silver Avenue, SW, Suite 320, Albuquerque, New Mexcio 
     87102.

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