Purpose-driven business financing

Our vision

What began as a singular focus to bring accessible working capital to our nation’s small businesses has evolved into a full suite of financial products and the ability to cater to every business need.

fairsquare about

Individualized service for every business, every step of the way

The right financing can transform a business. We’re re-imagining the lending landscape through our commitment to innovative, transparent, and trusted solutions.

icon about tech

Tech-forward

FairSquare was founded with a goal to disrupt the traditional lending industry.

icon about purpose

Purpose-driven

Integrity, transparency, and quality service are at the center of everything we do.

meet the Team

Our leadership

Get to know the experts behind FairSquare’s success.

team dave gilbert

Dave Gilbert

founder & CEO

Having founded National Funding 25 years ago, Dave Gilbert has continuously been at the forefront of SMB lending. Under his leadership, his companies have provided more than $6B in funding to small and medium-sized businesses across all industries.

Taking his wealth of experience and passion for serving this underserved population, Dave founded FairSquare, a new holding company comprised of multiple established brands in the financial services space: National Funding, QuickBridge, SmallBusinessLoans, and Finova Capital. 

As Founder and CEO, Dave Gilbert is dedicated to providing SMB owners with the high-quality solutions and services they need to maintain their day-to-day operations and grow exponentially. 

  

team trent ziegler

Trent Ziegler

Chief Financial officer

Reducing operating expenses by $60 million (30%) to dramatically improve profitability, building an award-winning Investor Relations Program, driving the funding and execution of 9 acquisitions in five years—these are just some of Trent’s numerous accomplishments during his illustrious 12-year tenure at LendingTree. 

Trent now brings his financial expertise to FairSquare, saying: “We can only tend to the financial well-being of American small businesses if our enterprise has the means and structure to support them. My career has focused on building lending organizations that have the essential capital, technology, and cost structures to provide critical funding to SMBs. Being part of FairSquare’s mission is a truly exciting opportunity.” 

  

Chris_Panebianco, Chief Customer Officer

Chris Panebianco

Chief Customer Officer

With decades of experience serving small business owners, Chris Panebianco understands that today’s SMBs face constant operational and cash flow challenges.

“Our goal is to deliver a generational lift in how fintech and business services support SMB success, establishing FairSquare as the premier long-term partner for financial health solutions.” 

Prior to joining FairSquare, Chris spent 12+ years as Chief Marketing Officer at BHG Financial, a leading fintech, where he was a key catalyst in funding $9B+ to business owners and building an institutional network of 1,400+ community banks.

As CCO, Chris’ focus is on the intersection of user experience excellence, diverse brand offerings, integrated communications and customer-centric marketing.

  

Ashish_Gupta, Chief Risk Officer

Ashish Gupta

chief risk officer

Having successfully overseen risk management at leading financial services companies Citi, Prosper, and LendingPoint, Ashish Gupta brings his expertise in building best-in-class data science, credit risk, and analytics teams to FairSquare. 

Fueled by over 19 years of experience in the fintech and global banking industry, Ashish is energized at the opportunity to partner with his executive peers to deliver sustainable and profitable growth as FairSquare’s family of brands are poised to become the preferred lending partner of small businesses nationwide.  

“It’s exciting to be part of a team that empowers SMBs with access to credit at reasonable terms, essential business services, and an exceptional customer experience.” 

Danny_Almanzan, Chief Technology Officer

Daniel Almazan

Chief Technology Officer

“Technology is always changing,” says Danny Almazan, who brings over 25 years of IT experience to FairSquare. “Keeping up to date and taking advantage of technology as it advances is a challenge I embrace.”   

Danny has time and again transformed technology from a perceived hurdle inhibiting growth into a key driver for expansion. 

As SVP of Technology and Architecture at LendingPoint, Danny and his global development team integrated software, network, and telephony platforms and empowered technology that led to $8 billion in consumer loan funding—with offers in under six seconds. 

Always ready for a challenge, Danny is excited at the opportunity to deliver a technology roadmap that aligns the diverse brands of FairSquare. 

  

kurt gering 2

Kurt Gering

Chief Human Resources Officer

Today’s workplace demands the integration of remote, hybrid, and on-site personnel into a cohesive culture that upholds high corporate values and delivers excellence to its customers, teammates, and stakeholders. Kurt Gering thrives on these challenges. 

“I see my primary role as an organization developer, ensuring the right people are in the right roles at the right time,” says Kurt. “When we excel in this, we foster a workplace community that embraces change as a core aspect of innovation. Our teams become eager and comfortable seizing ever-evolving opportunities that drive business improvements, professional growth, and personal satisfaction.” 

Prior to FairSquare, Kurt held HR roles at several start-ups and the San Diego International Airport. 

  

frequently asked questions

FairSquare oversees its four subsidiary brands, all serving America’s small businesses and their financial needs.

Visit our careers page to learn how to join one of our growing teams and see what open positions are available.

We’d love to hear from you. Please fill out the contact form to get in touch with us.

Please contact us so we can get more acquainted and tell you more about the exciting opportunities at FairSquare.

our company timeline

Discover how we came to be

1999

CEO and founder Dave Gilbert was a recent USC graduate when he launched Five Point Capital, an equipment leasing and financing firm for small- and medium-sized businesses.

1999

2007

The financial crisis spurred Five Point Capital to offer its first loan product to address the working capital needs of small- and medium-sized businesses.

2007

2011

QuickBridge launches to provide fast and accessible financing solutions.

2011

2013

National Funding, now rebranded from Five Point Capital, is recognized as one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing private companies.

2013

2018

To better leverage the synergies of two brands in the marketplace and continue portfolio growth, QuickBridge was wholly acquired.

2018

2019

National Funding closed its first asset-backed securitization, allowing for continued scalability of our products.

2019

2021

Adapting to an evolving financial marketplace, National Funding and QuickBridge developed a Future Revenue Sale & Purchase Agreement (FRSPA) to assure SMBs have continued access to capital.

2021

2022

Finova Capital joins the family of brands with a majority investment stake and ensures our customers have access to point-of-sale equipment financing.

2022

2023

We launch SmallBusinessLoans as a one-stop shop for business financing and services.

2023

2024 & beyond

FairSquare launches to revolutionize the lending experience for U.S. SMBs.

2024 & beyond

what we do

Fostering positive change together

Our company was founded with a vision to make a difference, so we strive to enhance our communities outside the office. The FairSquare family of brands has a long tradition of investing in the communities where our employees work and thrive.

icon about communities

Giving

Supporting local communities

We contribute to Feeding San Diego and Feeding Orange County annually.

icon about sponsorships

Sponsorship

Building strong partnerships

We sponsor causes like Big Brothers Big Sisters, San Diego Food Bank, and more through company sponsorships.

icon about innovation

Innovation

Pioneering new solutions

We apply our technologies to address community challenges and create sustainable solutions.

fairsquare opportunities

Invest in the future of financing

Join us in shaping tomorrow’s lending landscape, where innovation meets individualized service. Together, we can create a better future for America’s small businesses.