Darin Gehrke joins SomerCor

Darin Gehrke has joined SomerCor as senior vice president and market lead for central and southern Illinois. Based in Springfield, Gehrke will lead strategy planning and business development to expand SomerCor’s SBA 504 lending and other economic development services in Central and Southern Illinois. SomerCor is a nonprofit Certified Development Company (CDC) licensed by the Small Business Administration under the SBA 504 loan program.

Gehrke comes to SomerCor with more than 15 years of SBA 504 and commercial lending experience. Most recently, Gehrke served as community bank president at Town and Country Bank in Jacksonville, where he oversaw a diverse banking portfolio that included agriculture, commercial and SBA loans. Previously, Gehrke spent more than 10 years at SomerCor as a vice president, SBA 504 Loan Officer.

In addition to his commercial lending work, Gehrke served as Mayor of the Village of Woodson from 2006 to 2013, where he focused his efforts on growing economic development for the Village. Presently, Gehrke is the treasurer of the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation, an organization that supports investment and job creation in Morgan and Scott counties in Illinois.

“We are thrilled to welcome Darin back to the SomerCor team,” said Manuel Flores, SomerCor president and CEO.  “He is highly respected for his SBA lending track record and economic development work. SomerCor has served clients throughout Illinois for 30 years and it is important to have team members, like Darin, who have strong local ties to our communities.”

"Joining SomerCor gives me the unique opportunity to combine my expertise in commercial lending and economic development,” said Gehrke. “SomerCor is doing exceptional work with its SBA 504 lending and small business grant services. I look forward to connecting SomerCor with new lending partners and small businesses to grow local economies in central and southern Illinois.”