C-Suite Wednesday — Coleman 2019 Main Street Lenders of the Year

January 8, 2020

By Caity Witucki
Contributing Editor, C-Suite Wednesday

C-Suite Wednesday — Coleman 2019 Main Street Lenders of the Year

Congratulations to Coleman’s 2019 Main Street Lenders of the Year, John Kropf and Tareasa Harrell.

John Kropf, Growth Capital Corporation

John Kropf has been President & Executive Director for Growth Capital Corporation since 2005. Prior to joining Growth Capital, Kropf served as the Vice President and Deputy Director with Bridgeway Capital in Pittsburgh where he lead their Certified Development Company to Number One CDC and SBA Microloan lender.

Kropf’s nearly 30 years of experience in lending, business development, marketing, and organizational leadership has led to Growth Capital being the number one SBA 504 lender in the State of Ohio and the number one SBA Community Advantage lender in the entire Midwest.

“John not only felt we could be successful in the market without taking undue risk but more importantly called us to do more with the underserved market and LMI community,” says Board Member, Steve Lorenz. “Last year, we facilitated $21.5MM in loans to 38 small businesses, 87% of them in LMI areas and 72% in underserved areas. That was nearly 40% of the loans we closed. More than 400 new jobs were created through the financing, andy of them went to LMI residents nearby.”

Tareasa Harrell, Signature Bank of Georgia

Harrell has over 29 years of financial experience and is considered a well-respected professional.

Rebecca Abraham, Signature’s Chief Credit and Risk Management Officer says, “what distinguishes Tareasa from other lenders is her ability to put herself in the client’s shoes. She takes the time to learn what’s important to the borrower and is able to structure a credit facility that serves their needs, fits the Bank’s risk appetite and conforms with the SOP.”

Harrell attended the University of Kentucky and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Oakland City University. She has held various positions throughout her career including everything from support to management. Before joining Signature Bank of Georgia, Harrell was with Touchmark Bank, where she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer.