GreatAmerica Financial Services explained

GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation
Type:Private
Foundation:1992
Location City:Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Locations:Marshall, Minnesota
Milton, Georgia
Northbrook, Illinois
Key People:Tony Golobic, Executive Chairman
Industry:Financial services
Num Employees:730+ (2023)
Homepage:www.greatamerica.com

GreatAmerica Financial Services is a national commercial equipment finance company that provides financing and consulting services in the United States, and some of the U.S. Territories.

History

The company was founded in 1990. In 1992, the company relocated from Michigan to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and became GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation. At that time, there were only four employees, which included founder Anton (Tony) Golobic, his wife Magda, and two others.[1] In November 2012, the company adopted the new trade name GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation.[2]

GreatAmerica is the largest independent, family-owned national commercial equipment finance company in the U.S.[3] and is dedicated to helping manufacturers, vendors, and dealers be more successful and keep their customers for a lifetime. A $3 billion company with life-to-date finance originations of $16.9 billion in the office equipment, communications, light industrial, information technology, automotive service and repair, and franchise industries. In addition to financing, GreatAmerica offers non-financial services under its Platform Services division, which includes GreatAmerica Portfolio Services.

In 2004, an investment group including GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation and CEO Tony Golobic purchased the GreatAmerica Building for $16 million.[4] During the Flood of 2008, the company activated their disaster recovery plan and relocated staff and resources to pre-arranged recovery sites. Staff did not return to the GreatAmerica building in downtown Cedar Rapids for 68 days.[5]

In late 2009, GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation surpassed $1 billion in assets.[6]

In 2009 GreatAmerica launched the Master Managed Services Provider subsidiary company, Collabrance LLC,[7] as a value-add service to their Strategic Solutions Group.[8] [9] [10]

In June 2011, the company purchased the GreatAmerica building from River Cedar Properties LLC for $22.5 Million[11]

In November, 2017, GreatAmerica announced that it surpassed the $2 billion mark in assets and concurrently reached its 25th year of uninterrupted organic growth.[12]

In 2022, GreatAmerica expanded its presence in the franchise financing business by acquiring Illinois-based IRH Capital LLC, a 20-year veteran in the franchise financing industry.[13]

In August 2024, GreatAmerica sold Master MSP, Collabrance LLC, to The 20. The20 retained the Collabrance brand and all Collabrance employees. [14]

Notes and References

  1. News: Patterson. Maureen. The Time of Her Life: Polish immigrant Magda Golobic achieves the American Dream. The Woman Today. June–July 2004.
  2. Web site: GreatAmerica Announces New Trade Name. Monitor Daily. Xander Media Group, Inc.. 15 November 2012.
  3. Web site: Home - Monitordaily . 2022-06-23 . en-US.
  4. Web site: Ford. George C.. GreatAmerica buys downtown C.R. building. SourceMedia Group News. October 5, 2011.
  5. Web site: Derraugh. Murray. How Business Resumption Planning Can Help Your Company. ABF Journal. October 21, 2011.
  6. Web site: GreatAmerica Leasing Surpasses $1 Billion Mark in 2009: The Strategy Behind the Growth. Monitor Daily. Xander Media Group, Inc.. October 4, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120424020553/http://www.monitordaily.com/greatamerica-leasing-surpasses-billion-mark-2009/. April 24, 2012. dead.
  7. Web site: Collabrance Master Managed Services Partner Master MSP. www.collabrance.com. en. 2018-09-14.
  8. News: Collabrance's "White Glove" IT Service for MSPs: A Closer Look - ChannelE2E. 2017-05-11. ChannelE2E. 2018-09-14. en-US.
  9. News: GreatAmerica, Collabrance: A New Master MSP?. 2011-10-27. Channel Futures. 2018-09-14.
  10. News: Cedar Rapids' GreatAmerica Financial Services expands IT services unit. The Gazette. 2018-09-14.
  11. Web site: Cedar Rapids City Assessor . . City of Cedar Rapids . March 5, 2023.
  12. Web site: GreatAmerica Financial Services Reaches $2 Billion: Celebrates 25th Anniversary.
  13. Web site: Cedar Rapids-based GreatAmerica buys franchise financial business IRH Capital.
  14. Web site: August 1, 2024 . the20.com/blog/the-20-acquires-collabrance/ . live.