UCB closes on deal with Columbia-based commercial lender

United Community Banks Inc. announced Friday the closing of its acquisition of Business Carolina Inc., a Columbia-based commercial lender.

The Blairsville, Ga. company said the deal includes approximately $25 million of loans, $6 million of other assets and substantially all of Business Carolina’s employees.

“We are pleased to welcome the customers and employees of BCI to United Community Bank,” said Lynn Harton, president and chief operating officer of the bank, who is based in Greenville.

He added that the “addition of BCI’s experienced team and its strong lending platform is a natural expansion of our SBA lending business that ultimately benefits our customers.”

Business Carolina will operate as a division of United Community Bank under its trade name of BCI Lending together with United Community Bank in Columbia and throughout United’s footprint.

“We are fortunate to have found an organization that shares our commitment to building strong relationships with our customers,” said Mike Sandusky, president and CEO of BCI Lending.

BCI Lending offers commercial loans of $50,000 to $5 million to small businesses throughout the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee. The company specializes in Small Business Administration (SBA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans.