Randy McGhie, of McGhie's sporting goods stores, is seen Friday at the location of his newest store. Photo by Ronda Churchill.

The Small Business Administration guaranteed a record 1,112 loans in Nevada in the last fiscal year, but the key numbers for Randy McGhie were the $4 million he borrowed with SBA assistance and the 13,000-square-foot store he is building with the proceeds.

McGhie said the loan allows him to build equity and to afford a larger skiing and bicycle store at 4035 S. Fort Apache Road. He figures he will pay 40 percent to 45 percent less than he would to lease the same amount of space.

"It's a great location," McGhie said.

His current shop is at 4503 Sahara Ave.

Before becoming a small business owner, McGhie worked as a conductor on the railroad, but he said he loves his career in retailing.

"A lot of people want to retire to do things they want to do, and I'm already doing it," said McGhie, 60.

McGhie got his first loan from the Small Business Administration and Bank of America predecessor Valley Bank, in 1978. Three years later, he bought the Ski Chalet, which was the first ski equipment store in Las Vegas.

McGhie also received one of the 168 SBA loans that Bank of America originated in Nevada, making the bank the biggest SBA lender in the state this year.

Richard Mason, vice president and government lending product specialist, attributes the top rank to brand name recognition and good customer service.

"We recognize the importance of small business," Mason said.

Bank of America makes small business loans from $5,000 to a few million dollars. "There's really no business too small to have been accommodated through the SBA," Mason said.

John Scott, Nevada district director for the SBA, also is proud of the SBA results for the year ended Sept. 30. The total number of SBA loans increased to 1,112 from 883 in the previous year. While the SBA focuses mostly on the number of SBA loans, the total amount of SBA guaranteed loans increased to $271.5 million from $256.3 million in the prior year.

"We continue to capitalize on the growth and expansion of the Southern Nevada area, but that's not to ignore the continued expansion of the Reno-Sparks-Carson City area," Scott said.

"The women- and minority-owned businesses have increasingly taken advantage of our programs," Scott said.

Women-owed companies received 248 loans, a 29 percent increase over the prior year, for a total $49 million. Minority-owned companies received 416 loans or 3 percent more than the prior year. The number of loans to blacks, Asian, Hispanic, Indians and Puerto Ricans totaled $107 million.

Nationally, the SBA said it backed 100,197 loans for $19.1 billion, up from $18.1 billion a year ago.

U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., issued a statement claiming that small businesses received $500 million less in SBA loans during the last fiscal year than the year before, but Mike Stamler, a spokesman for SBA, said that information was incorrect.

She also said the SBA loan size decreased and criticized the decision to increase fees on the main 7(a) SBA loan program.

"The bottom line here is that small businesses are paying more to access less capital," Velazquez said in a statement.

But Stamler responded.

"How is it our fault that small businesses are borrowing less," he said. "Small businesses ask for how much they need to borrow."

Stamler said the fees were temporarily reduced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but fees have now returned to preattack levels. Yet, fees on loans of less than $150,000 have not increased since 1985, Stamler said.

MAJOR LENDERS IN SBA PROGRAM

*Certified Development Companies make loans under the 504 Program. These loans provide long-term, fixed rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings.