American Lending Center Celebrates 16 Years of Growth and Impact
IRVINE, Calif. – American Lending Center (ALC), a leading private lender and federally designated regional center operator, proudly marks its 16th anniversary this June. Since its founding in 2009, ALC has grown from a small startup to a nationwide financial institution recognized for its contributions to job creation and economic development across all 50 states.
Over the past 16 years, ALC and its affiliated entities have provided more than $2.3 billion in loans and capital investments to thousands of companies of all sizes. These initiatives have helped support the creation and retention of over 140,000 jobs across the country. In recent years, ALC has increasingly focused on high-impact developments, including rural hospitals, alternative energy infrastructure, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
In 2025, ALC was once again named to the Financial Times list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies, marking its fourth appearance on the prestigious ranking. The company expanded from 28 employees in 2023 to 60 employees today, with teams based in offices worldwide.
“Sixteen years ago, we set out with a vision to make a meaningful difference through responsible financing,” said John Shen, Founder and CEO of ALC. “Every project approval, job created, and team member who joins us reflects our shared commitment to sustainable growth and opportunity.”
ALC’s recent 29th consecutive I-956F approval under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) further reinforces its proven track record in regional center operations. These EB-5 projects cover 17 states and 11 different sectors, such as clean energy, real estate, medical facilities, and agriculture. Most of the projects are based in underserved or rural areas.
As ALC celebrates 16 years of growth, the company remains committed to building on a foundation of stimulating economic growth and creating meaningful impact to our community.
About American Lending Center:
American Lending Center Holdings (ALCH) manages 14 EB-5 regional centers sponsoring projects across the United States. Since 2009, ALCH has raised EB-5 capital for over 100 projects in 31 states including I-956F approvals from USCIS of 27 projects. ALCH has been featured on the Inc. 5000 list of “Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America” for five consecutive years (2020–2024) and was also ranked among “America’s Fastest Growing Companies” by Financial Times in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025.
American Lending Center LLC (ALC), a mission-driven California-regulated lender, is a licensed SBA 7(a) and SSBCI lender. Together, ALCH and ALC have supported the creation or retention of over 140,000 jobs in the U.S. economy, underwriting impactful projects that foster economic growth.
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