As President & CEO of Basic Business Concepts, Inc., Marilyn D. Landis runs a multifaceted service firm providing support to keep businesses financially balanced, on track and growing. She has more than thirty years of experience in financial services.

Prior to focusing on her own business, which provides CFO-level services to small businesses, as well as business brokerage services, Marilyn worked for and with commercial lenders, banks and small businesses throughout western Pennsylvania.

During her career, she has served as a financial consultant; headed training, consumer loans and mortgage departments; collected delinquent loans; and coordinated operations for a multi-bank merger. Marilyn has worked for three of the largest SBA lenders in the country – marketing, originating and underwriting SBA loans; and has secured financing for income properties, construction projects, manufacturers, restaurants and hotels – handling loan amounts ranging from micro-loans to $22 million fundings.

Marilyn previously served as vice president of First International Bank. Prior to that, she was associated with Heller Financial and Mellon Bank. In addition to her own company, Marilyn had been part owner of a manufacturing company on Pittsburgh’s Northside. She also has extensive board-level experience with non-profits, ranging from economic development to social services.

In September of 2007, Marilyn was elected chair of SMC Business Councils, a founding member and Pennsylvania affiliate of the National Small Business Association (NSBA) in Washington DC.

In January of 2008, she was elected chair of NSBA, which, since its founding in 1937, has advocated on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs, reaching more than 150,000 small businesses. NSBA is proud to be the first national small-business advocacy organization in the United States. Representing SMC and NSBA member businesses, Landis has testified before US Senate and House committees on issues vital to small business.

In March of 2009, Marilyn was recognized as the SBA National Financial Services Champion of the Year.