Sunwest Bank announced Donika McKelvie as its new Managing Director, National Healthcare. She comes to Sunwest with extensive healthcare industry knowledge and transactional experience coupled with creative ideas for financial product innovation in healthcare. In her role, McKelvie will launch Sunwest's national healthcare platform focused on healthcare providers across the continuum of care primarily in the middle market, helping providers expand, improve cash flows and remain focused on quality patient care.

"We are very excited welcome Donika to the Sunwest Bank team and launch a specialty healthcare group," said Carson Lappetito, President of Sunwest Bank. "Her decades of healthcare and finance experience, strong leadership qualities and client management skills will enhance Sunwest's client experience and our presence in the healthcare industry. As part of this group, Sunwest will launch its first Denver office, further expanding our footprint across the Western US."

Prior to joining Sunwest, McKelvie was Managing Director, Head of Healthcare at HTLF Bank where she helped build out a national healthcare banking platform. Her team reviewed $3B+ in loan requests and the portfolio developed to approximately $500MM in outstandings. Additionally, she has held managing positions in healthcare financing at Greystone Funding, MB Financial Bank and Opus Bank.

McKelvie holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. She is a member of The Association for Corporate Growth (Los Angeles chapter), Secured Finance Network, TMA, RMA, HFMA, NIC, CAHF (California Association of Healthcare Facilities), CHCA (Colorado Healthcare Association) and a variety of local networking groups.

"Our healthcare providers across the gamut need a bank that is responsive to their cash flow needs," said McKelvie. "My entire career I have watched providers struggle with sophisticated payers to get paid for providing care in a timely manner and in the full amounts contractually due to them.  Sunwest Bank's mission aligns so well with a provider and it's timely.  We are not an old, clunky bank but rather a nimble, responsive one with actual healthcare expertise on the team."