How it started
We’re four Cornell MBA’s who started Susu Lend with a common passion for improving economic equality.
Our Mission
Combat predatory lending by providing fairly priced financial services to the underbanked or unbanked. Period.
Our Vision
We promise transparent pricing.
..
Our Mission
Honest.
Dependable.
Humanly.
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Meet the Susu Lend Team
Our Leadership
Pedro Escobar
Founder & CEO
With over 20 years as a seasoned sales and IT executive and entrepreneur, Pedro brings both experience and a heartfelt commitment to banking equality. His dedication is deeply rooted in his own history as a first-generation American, forged from watching his immigrant parents navigate through numerous challenges such as language barriers, financial illiteracy, and systemic hurdles.
Having successfully launched an IT consulting company, Pedro has empowered small to midsize businesses with tailored solutions. His fervent dedication goes beyond just business. Pedro envisions a financial system where everyone, regardless of background, has equal opportunities. With an unwavering commitment, he champions the rights of marginalized communities, ensuring they are not overlooked by major banks and establishing a foundation for a more inclusive financial future.
Ben Adams
Co-Founder & COO
Ben has nearly 10 years of experience in civil engineering, real estate finance, and data analysis. His interest in developing a community-based banking solution stems from growing up in a rural farming town where CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) were a lifeline to local farms. Ben believes that addressing banking and lending inequities is the first step in creating economic stability for everyone.
Andrew Sabine
Co-Founder & CFO
With 20 years industry experience, Andrew is a banking executive with a focus on coaching leaders, strategic planning, and change management. He developed a keen interest in using new technologies to democratize banking, while managing Fintech partnerships in payments and lending. As a first generation American, Andrew is passionate about ensuring underserved communities have the same opportunities as his family and friends.
Curtis Farebrother
Chief Strategic Officer
Curtis has spent his career in the energy industry focused on commercializing a nascent fuel business line that was new to North America from ideation through commercial operations, including leading Business Development and Commercial for the Business unit during the initial commercial operations phase. His experience includes working at one of Canada’s largest energy companies, a PE owned carve out and in startup environments.
Curtis’ combines this experience with an MBA from S. C. Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University, and Stephen J.R. Smith School of Business, Queen’s University as well as being a CFA Charterholder and holding the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and Energy Risk Professional (ERP) designations.
Miriam Arias
Customer Success
Miriam is a highly experienced professional with over 20 years of expertise in sales, customer service, and technical training. She holds a bachelor’s in Elementary Education from USC Upstate, an MBA from Clemson University, and is a certified Scrum Master. Miriam excels in leading strategic programs for client success.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Miriam is a passionate advocate for banking equalities in the Latino community. She actively works to promote financial inclusivity and empowerment among individuals from diverse backgrounds. Miriam’s commitment to addressing disparities and championing equitable opportunities demonstrates her dedication to fostering positive change and creating a more inclusive society.
Bryan Wilson
Sales & Marketing
Bryan is the founder and CEO of Tempus LLC, a multi-state real estate investment company. Bryan has extensive expertise in business development in the healthcare industry impacting business growth and maximizing revenue through achievements in direct sales, service and product presentation strategies.
In addition to his diverse background, Bryan has deep ties to the banking industry. His family’s legacy includes the establishment of a community bank in Texas, where they upheld the traditional values of trust and personal relationships. Growing up with this firsthand exposure to the banking sector, Bryan gained a profound understanding of the importance of integrity, personal connections, and community involvement in the financial realm. These values have greatly influenced his approach to business and his commitment to fostering meaningful relationships with clients and partners.
Bryan is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has over 10 years of military experience ranging from Surface Warfare to Naval Special Warfare, earning the rank of Lt. Commander. He holds a BS in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from the Cornell University.
Ben Adams
Co-Founder
Ben has nearly 10 years of experience in civil engineering, real estate finance, and data analysis. His interest in developing a community-based banking solution stems from growing up in a rural farming town where CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) were a lifeline to local farms. Ben believes that addressing banking and lending inequities is the first step in creating economic stability for everyone.
Pedro Escobar
Co-Founder
Senior IT executive, entrepreneur, and a son of immigrants, Pedro Escobar has nearly 20 years of experience in sales and IT, evangelizing customer success. Pedro is serial entrepreneur (get’s it from his momma) and has launched several successful companies, most recently an IT consulting firm. Pedro is a first generation American and has witnessed firsthand the banking racial imbalance. His parents have endured hardships in securing loans due to language barriers, financial illiteracy and redlining. Pedro’s passion for innovation with purpose will tip the balances of the banking inequalities for the marginalized and underbanked.
Andrew Sabine
Co-Founder
With 20 years industry experience, Andrew is a banking executive with a focus on coaching leaders, strategic planning, and change management. He developed a keen interest in using new technologies to democratize banking, while managing Fintech partnerships in payments and lending. As a first generation American, Andrew is passionate about ensuring underserved communities have the same opportunities as his family and friends.
Madison West
Chief ESG Officer
Benjamin Booker
CEO
Miles Lamar
Chief Data Officer
Miriam Escobar
VP. Customer Success
Bryan Wilson
Sr. VP. Sales
Amazing team members
Advisory Board
Lois Zhang
International Strategy
Lois Zhang, a seasoned veteran of the financial services industry and a proven strategist, is the founder of LZ Consulting. Her journey through prestigious institutions like JPMorgan, TDAmeritrade, and Citigroup has allowed her to craft a comprehensive knowledge base that extends across the global investment landscape and into the realm of strategic business growth.
Born in China and raised in California, Zhang adeptly traverses the nuances of both Eastern and Western cultures. Fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, she leverages her linguistic prowess to communicate effectively with a diverse array of clients and financial entities around the world.
Zhang’s journey in the world of finance began at JPMorgan, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of financial markets and investment strategies. Her career trajectory then took her to TDAmeritrade and Citigroup, where she broadened her acumen to include business growth strategies, providing invaluable insights to both domestic and international clients.
Eric Rein
Sales & CX
Eric has over 25 years of executive sales experience across Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike, with prominent leadership roles across the Internet, Commerce, and Cloud spaces. Passionate about sharpening the customer experience, Eric excels in creating scalable processes, enablement that drives utilization, and developing retention, partnership, and NPS programs. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
In addition to his professional accomplishments driving consistent growth, revenue, and retention, Eric is an Entrepreneur and trusted consultant, focusing on disruptive motions across the music & entertainment industry. He actively works as an advisor to accelerate both artist and label development. With all endeavors in his body of work centered around trust, positive experience, and thoughtful growth strategies, Eric is firm in his commitment to champion a more transparent and inclusive lending experience.
Mariana Zubieta
Alternative Investments
With more than 15 years of experience working in the Mexican financial sector, Mariana has been a part of the Pension Fund system for the last ten years, focusing on Alternative Investments. In 2017, Mariana joined the award-winning and largest pension fund in Latin America, Afore XXI Banorte. She is a member of several technical committees with an active investor role, where she maintains close communication with the investment teams across different GPs.
She has committed more than $7 billion to invest in local structures that diversify the portfolio by leveraging different strategies within Private Equity and Real Estate with international and local General Partners.
Prior to joining XXI Banorte, she was part of the Investments Team in Pensionissste, a public pension fund in Mexico, where she focused on investment strategies to foster Mexican infrastructure, energy, and real estate.
Mariana holds a BS in Economics from Universidad Iberoamericana and an MBA from the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.
Vincent Saporito
Cybersecurity Compliance Advisor
Vincent Saporito boasts an impressive tenure of over 20 years in two of the most challenging sectors: cybersecurity and financial services. Beginning his journey in the financial realm, he dedicated ten years to mastering the intricacies of global finance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Recognizing the escalating importance of cybersecurity in a digital age, Vincent transitioned to this domain, accruing ten years of expertise. His profound understanding of financial structures and his cyber acumen make him uniquely positioned to tackle security challenges in the finance sector. Vincent, a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, has been instrumental in integrating cybersecurity best practices with financial protocols.
His comprehensive approach to ensuring financial transactions and data protection has helped multiple Fortune 500 companies secure their digital landscape. Throughout his remarkable career, he has fortified financial infrastructures against cyber threats and mentored the next wave of cybersecurity professionals. Vincent’s vast experience is a testament to his adaptability, foresight, and commitment to safeguarding the digital landscape of the financial world.
Eric Rein
Sales & CX
Eric has over 25 years of executive sales experience across Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike, with prominent leadership roles across the Internet, Commerce, and Cloud spaces. Passionate about sharpening the customer experience, Eric excels in creating scalable processes, enablement that drives utilization, and developing retention, partnership, and NPS programs. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
In addition to his professional accomplishments driving consistent growth, revenue, and retention, Eric is an Entrepreneur and trusted consultant, focusing on disruptive motions across the music & entertainment industry. He actively works as an advisor to accelerate both artist and label development. With all endeavors in his body of work centered around trust, positive experience, and thoughtful growth strategies, Eric is firm in his commitment to champion a more transparent and inclusive lending experience.
Mariana Zubieta
Alternative Investments
With more than 15 years of experience working in the Mexican financial sector, Mariana has been a part of the Pension Fund system for the last ten years, focusing on Alternative Investments. In 2017, Mariana joined the award-winning and largest pension fund in Latin America, Afore XXI Banorte. She is a member of several technical committees with an active investor role, where she maintains close communication with the investment teams across different GPs.
She has committed more than $4.5 billion to invest in local structures that diversify the portfolio by leveraging different strategies within Private Equity and Real Estate with international and local General Partners.
Prior to joining XXI Banorte, she was part of the Investments Team in Pensionissste, a public pension fund in Mexico, where she focused on investment strategies to foster Mexican infrastructure, energy, and real estate.
Mariana holds a BS in Economics from Universidad Iberoamericana and an MBA from the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.
Ben Adams
Co-Founder
Ben has nearly 10 years of experience in civil engineering, real estate finance, and data analysis. His interest in developing a community-based banking solution stems from growing up in a rural farming town where CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) were a lifeline to local farms. Ben believes that addressing banking and lending inequities is the first step in creating economic stability for everyone.
Pedro Escobar
Co-Founder
Senior IT executive, entrepreneur, and a son of immigrants, Pedro Escobar has nearly 20 years of experience in sales and IT, evangelizing customer success. Pedro is serial entrepreneur (get’s it from his momma) and has launched several successful companies, most recently an IT consulting firm. Pedro is a first generation American and has witnessed firsthand the banking racial imbalance. His parents have endured hardships in securing loans due to language barriers, financial illiteracy and redlining. Pedro’s passion for innovation with purpose will tip the balances of the banking inequalities for the marginalized and underbanked.
Andrew Sabine
Co-Founder
With 20 years industry experience, Andrew is a banking executive with a focus on coaching leaders, strategic planning, and change management. He developed a keen interest in using new technologies to democratize banking, while managing Fintech partnerships in payments and lending. As a first generation American, Andrew is passionate about ensuring underserved communities have the same opportunities as his family and friends.
Madison West
Chief ESG Officer
Benjamin Booker
CEO
Miles Lamar
Chief Data Officer
Miriam Escobar
VP. Customer Success
Bryan Wilson
Sr. VP. Sales