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Small business lending hits record in Ohio, nation

CLEVELAND (AP) - The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration says the agency hit record highs in small business lending nationally and in Ohio in 2011.

Director Karen Mills says more than 3,200 businesses in Ohio are benefiting from nearly $760 million in loans. Nationwide, she says the SBA approved lending more than $30 billion for 60,000 small businesses.

The Plain Dealer newspaper (http://bit.ly/zADlNF ) reports Mills was in northeastern Ohio on Friday to speak at the City Club of Cleveland and visit a local grocer that she touted as an SBA success story.

The owner of Constantino's Market used SBA loans to open and expand his downtown site. Now he's using a $2 million loan to help start a contemporary market scheduled to open in the spring and employ dozens of people.

Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com

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