National City Bank of Pennsylvania again has nabbed the top Small Business Administration leading lender spot from the federal agency.

This is the 10th consecutive year the bank has captured first place with 223 loans totaling $19.7 million in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. The bank also ranked No. 1 in the entire state in the number of SBA approved loans.

While touring the area recently with National City officials, Al Jones, district director for the SBA's western Pennsylvania office, commended the bank.

"The partnership between National City and the SBA has fostered unique programs, such as the Small Business Tours in western Pennsylvania,'' Jones said. "These initiatives brought together the resources of many local organizations to help small business owners.''

In Mercer County the bank had four SBA loans totaling $539,500 and in Lawrence County had three loans for $146,800.

"This has always been a high volume SBA market,'' said Linda Stevenson, SBA program manager for National City. "This is good, but I think we can do better.''

She noted that SBA loans have been particularly helpful in getting retail, service and women-owned businesses off the ground. She credits, among other things, the bank's internal training programs and ties with community organizations for capturing the top spot.

Under a typical SBA loan the agency guarantees up to 80 percent for loans up to $150,000. For loans over that amount the loan guarantee is 75 percent.

But a recently launched Community Express loan under SBA guarantees up to 90 percent of a loan for a maximum of $150,000 if the business offers a product or service which boosts the economy of an area and is targeted for minorities, women or low to moderate income areas.

Disaster relief loans are also available through SBA for businesses who were directly affected as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The loans carry a 4 percent interest rate for a maximum of $1.4 million.

Businesses in western Pennsylvania that may qualify for the loans are those who sell products or services to the Pentagon or travel agencies hard hit as a result of people not wanting to travel, Jones said.