National Auto Lenders (NAL), headquartered in Miami Lakes, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the company that is located at 14645 N.W. 77 Avenue, Suite 203.
NAL first moved to Miami Lakes 12 years ago with a 14-person staff, 10 of which are still with the company, and has grown to a staff of 100 and the largest tenant of the building they occupy leading to the eponymous naming of the building.
CEO and founder Ozzie Ramos first opened NAL to serve a growing need in the community to offer auto loans apart from banks and credit unions. NAL works with dealerships to provide alternative solutions for quality automobile finance. While there are other companies that do offer auto loans, a majority focus on amounts meant for low-priced vehicles whereas NAL strives to offer loans for customers with imperfect credit who are seeking low mileage or new cars within a range up to $20,000. NAL’s motto reads “We help our customers with less than perfect credit drive nicer vehicles.”
Though they first started exclusively within Dade County, as the business expanded, so did NAL’s network which now works with 700 dealerships all around Florida and in 16 other states. Despite their expanding network, NAL continues to call Miami Lakes home.
“Miami Lakes as a business headquarters works well because it is a combination of location, infrastructure of highways, and the small town feel which is unique to South Florida,” said Ramos. “We have the capabilities of a large city, and the sophistication without the negatives of being in downtown with congested areas. Graham Properties are great landlords and we appreciate how the city is maintained.”
NAL employs workers from as far north as Boca Raton and as far south as Homestead. A number of these employees began working with the company as part-timers right out of high school and have since earned their degrees and moved upward in the company to administrative positions.
“Our company is like an extended family,” said Ramos.
NAL has also partnered with local banks and participates in community events. The company recently raised $9,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.