George Kekejian 40 Under 40 Award Winner Profile
The Secured Lender, June 2026 | Vol. 82 | Issue 4 | Page 20
GEORGE KEKEJIAN
Vice President
SLR Business Credit and SLR Digital Finance
George Kekejian is a vice president at SLR Business Credit, where he originates asset-based lending and factoring transactions across both traditional C&I and digital media verticals. In 2018, fresh out of UC Berkeley with a degree in economics, George applied to FastPay, a digital media factoring firm, with little understanding of the industry. He didn’t get the job he applied for, but Danielle Baldaro, now SVP of portfolio management, recognized his talent and ambition and created a role for him within her group. That opportunity became a career. FastPay was acquired by SLR Business Credit in 2021, the same year George earned his MBA from Pepperdine University. He has since held roles in portfolio management, operations, and business development, giving him a comprehensive view of the credit lifecycle. Today, he sources deals across manufacturing, aerospace, staffing, transportation, ad tech, media, and more, working alongside many of the same colleagues he started with eight years ago.
How are you keeping up with rapidly changing technology (e.g., AI) in secured finance today?
What do you think its role will look like in the future of the industry?
On my own time, I have taught myself how to use AI tools to design and build fully functional software applications. I have no coding background, but I have learned how to take a problem, think through the logic, and use AI to turn it into a working product. That process has changed how I evaluate workflows in lending. I look at a manual process and immediately start thinking about what could be automated, where errors are likely to creep in, and how technology could free a team to focus on judgment calls instead of data entry. AI can flag financial reporting inconsistencies in seconds, surface early warning signs in borrowing base data, and help originators find the right deals faster. But the technology works best when it amplifies human judgment, not when it replaces it. A model can tell you a concentration is building or that an aging bucket looks unusual, but an experienced lender still has to understand why. Over the next five to ten years, the firms that integrate AI into their workflows early will have a meaningful advantage in speed, accuracy, and portfolio performance.
What advice would you give to other young professionals looking to build a successful career in secured finance?
Learn every part of the business, not just the part you were hired for. I started as an analyst in digital media factoring, moved into portfolio management, handled operational workflows, and eventually transitioned into origination. Each role gave me context that makes me better at the next one. However, as unconventional as this may sound, the single biggest asset in my career has been humor. Being someone who can make people laugh and feel comfortable has opened more doors than any technical skill. Laughter builds trust. It turns a cold call into a real conversation and a client meeting into a relationship. I have had borrowers share information they might not have volunteered to someone they did not feel at ease with, and referral sources send me deals because they genuinely enjoy working with me. The support I have received from my work family, people I have laughed with through long days and tough deals, has been the most rewarding part of this career. Happiness is an underrated strategy.
What’s a skill you’ve developed that doesn’t show up on your resume, but is applicable to this industry?
My entire career up until a few years ago was built on credit, portfolio management, and legal negotiation. I knew how to structure a deal, monitor a borrowing base, and work through amendments and defaults. Moving into business development was a completely different skill set. I had no formal sales background and no playbook to follow. Randy Mitzman, our managing director, was crucial in opening the opportunity to join his team in business development. Jeff Goldrich, our CEO, Dan Tortoriello, our COO, Betty Hernandez, our chief credit officer, and Danielle Baldaro, our SVP of portfolio management, have all been incredibly supportive in backing that transition and giving me the room to explore a new career path. On top of that pivot, I went from working exclusively in digital media and ad tech to evaluating businesses in manufacturing, aerospace, staffing, and other industries. Every new industry is its own education. You learn how revenue cycles work, where the collateral risk lives, and what keeps a CFO up at night. That learning curve has made me a better originator because I can walk into almost any conversation and find common ground quickly.
Download article – GKekejian_TSL 40U40 issue June2026
To view all of the profiles in this issue – The Secured Lender, June 2026