Honorees

Darrin Beer

CIT Commercial Services

Darrin Beer’s outstanding banking career in Southern California has been highlighted by his eight-year leadership of the Western Region for the CIT Commercial Services team.

Now a subsidiary of First Citizens Bank, CIT Commercial Services is a national leader in factoring, asset based lending and other working capital solutions. Beer and his team are known for their deep industry knowledge, strong client relationships and expertise in finding financial solutions that best serve client needs.

Over the last few years, Beer and his banking team have led significant new business signings across a wide range of industry verticals. In addition, the team is expanding its outreach following First Citizens Bank’s acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank in March 2023.

Earlier in his career, Beer worked as a commercial loan administrator and account executive for Heller Financial. He is currently serving as a committee member for National Jewish Health and formerly was a board member for City of Hope.

An accomplished athlete, he also spent time as a pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. Beer is a graduate of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.

Darrin is married to his best friend, Rhonda. Their son, Trevor, graduated from UCSB and recently completed his Master’s Degree in Statistics & Data Science at UCLA while their daughter, Brooke, will graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in June 2025 and is currently applying to Graduate Schools with an emphasis in Nutrition & Dietetics.

Matthew Begley

Republic Business Credit

Matt Begley is a seasoned financial executive with over 25 years of executive experience in asset based lending, factoring, and commercial finance. As COO of Republic Business Credit, he leads daily operations and strategic growth initiatives, helping businesses nationwide scale effectively.

Previously, Matthew was CEO of Continental Business Credit, where he led its growth and successful merger with Republic. He served as President of Siemens First Capital and COO of its Asian subsidiary in Hong Kong, expanding its financial services across the U.S. and Asia. He has held board positions at several companies and was an Advisory Board Member for Banc of California.

In addition to his executive leadership, Matt has taught courses on asset based lending, factoring, and the legal nuances of secured lending. He volunteers his time with the Jewish Free Loan Association. Matt holds a BA from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he played football, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. 

Matthew is married to his college sweetheart, Dawn, a professional at Boston Scientific. Their daughter, Madelyn, graduated from UCSB and works at Valley Beth Shalom synagogue, while their son, Max, will graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in June 2025 and begin a career in accounting.