OceanPoint Funding Inc., an affiliate of OceanPoint Financial Partners MHC, announced Wednesday it has entered into an agreement to acquire Lending Associates Inc., a marine, RV and aircraft lender headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. Lending Associates is led by Grant Smalling and Jack Crittenden, with a team serving the West Coast, Great Lakes, New England, Texas and Florida. OceanPoint anticipates the deal will close in the second quarter of 2026, at which time both teams will operate under the unified OceanPoint Funding brand, led by Smalling. “The acquisition of Lending Associates represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy,” said Jack Murphy, president of OceanPoint Financial Partners MHC. As a mutual organization, OceanPoint reinvests earnings to serve customers and the communities where it operates.