Meet the Team
Bank Advisors’ principals and employees have a diverse, high-level of experience that covers most facets banking, including lending, credit, audit, and operations. Bank Advisors comes highly recommended by our clients and is well-regarded by State and Federal regulatory agencies.
John Cresto, President
jcresto@bankadvisorsltd.com
(708) 302-4181
John founded Bank Advisors Ltd. in 2005. He manages the firm’s bank M&A services and also takes an active role in the day-to-day advisory services provided to Bank Advisors’ clients. Although he no longer practices law, John’s expertise as a bank consultant draws on his diverse experience in banking, corporate, real estate, and criminal law. John also has extensive experience as a direct real estate investor.
John began his career as an investigator with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. He attended law school at night, and became an Assistant Sate’s Attorney for DuPage County upon graduation. John entered private law founding a law firm in Naperville, Illinois that concentrated in representing community banks and real estate developers and investors. John later became a partner in a major Chicago based law firm and concentrated in representing regional financial institutions. John completed his legal career as a partner in a multi-national Chicago based law firm and concentrated in representing national and regional financial institutions. During his twenty plus year legal career, he regularly counseled financial institutions in the structuring and documentation of complex financing transactions and commercial work out and litigation. John also represented residential and commercial real estate developers in the acquisition, development, and disposition of real estate.
Jeff Sondgeroth, Managing Director
jeff@bankadvisorsltd.com
(630) 926-2299
Jeff joined Bank Advisors in 2010. Jeff manages the firm’s credit-related services and the firm’s day-to-day operations. He utilizes over 25 years of commercial lending and direct real estate development experience in achieving the goals of his clients. Jeff dedicated over 6 years as a commercial real estate lender, financing over $300 million in commercial properties. As the head of project finance for Single Site Solutions, a R/E development firm, Jeff was directly responsible for financing and general management of over 75 new projects and stabilized properties with an aggregate value of over $400 million. With his experience as both a lender, consultant, and investor, Jeff has the unique ability to understand the challenges that his clients experience in a constantly changing economic and regulatory environment.
Meghan McGuire, Senior Vice President
mmcguire@bankadvisorsltd.com
Meghan McGuire joined Bank Advisors in 2016. She brings a wealth of Field Exam and commercial credit underwriting experience. Her underwriting career began at a multi-billion dollar national bank, where she received formal BAI credit training. For the past ten years, her primary focus has been assisting growth-focused community banks meet their lending goals by providing thorough, data-driven risk analysis. Meghan began performing asset-based lending Field Exams on behalf of client banks in 2009, and has in-depth experience in an extensive range of borrowers including: general contractors, wholesalers, HIPPAA-compliant healthcare providers, staffing agencies, and manufacturers. She understands that a continual, open dialogue with borrowers and client banks is paramount to achieving the optimal outcome for all parties. Meghan is a native of the north suburbs of Chicago, where she and her husband, Mike, are raising their three children.
Julie Bromann, Senior Vice President
jbromann@bankadvisorsltd.com
Julie originally joined Bank Advisors in 2008, and taking a 1-year hiatus, recently re-joined our team. Julie manages all underwriting and appraisal review services for Bank Advisors, and assists with loan review services. Julie’s has extensive experience underwriting real estate and C&I loans from $250,000 up to $30 million. She completed a formal 2-year (underwriting) training with a national bank in the Chicagoland area. Julie is a Licensed appraiser in the State of Illinois and currently a Candidate for Designation with the Appraisal Institute for general appraisal review. She is also a CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), and managed high-risk audits for a national bank.
Mike Earle, Vice President
mearle@bankadvisorsltd.com
Michael Earle joined Bank Advisors in 2020. Mike has been involved in many facets of community banking, starting as a bank teller, and working his way though loan operations, credit analysis, and commercial lending. Mike is involved in a variety of services with Bank Advisors, including underwriting and loan review. Mike is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. Mike is dedicated to providing excellent service, and always keeping the best interest of the client in mind. Mike has been a resident of the Chicagoland area since 2005, where he and his wife, Emily, are raising their three children.
Nik Mijatovic, Vice President
Nik Mijatovic joined Bank Advisors in early 2022. He brings 14 years of experience in community banking, which includes both retail and commercial. Nik worked his way from a teller to a branch manager, before eventually transitioning to commercial underwriting in 2018. In the new role, Nik gained experience with CRE, C&I, ABL, and Leveraged Middle Market underwriting where he learned how to structure commercial loans and perform credit risk analysis.
Nik is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and is currently working on his MBA at University of Illinois. Nik has been a resident of the Chicagoland area since 2002 where he lives with his fiancé.
Dave Felkins, Vice President
Dave Felkins joined Bank Advisors in 2022. Dave has been involved in a variety of aspects of community banking, including credit analysis and loan operations. He has over 4 years of experience underwriting commercial real estate, C&I, and agricultural loans ranging from $500,000 to $30 million. Dave is a graduate of St. Francis University in Joliet, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is a native of the south suburbs of Chicago.
Rob Eifel, Senior Consultant
Rob has worked with Bank Advisors since 2021 and has extensive loan review, loan underwriting, asset validation and appraisal review expertise. Rob has 25 years in the banking industry working in commercial, real estate, agricultural lending, commercial credit analysis and loan review. He has held the positions of Commercial Lender, V.P. Senior Credit Analyst and V.P. Chief Credit Officer. He spent 20 years combined working for The National Bank & Trust Company (now Old National Bank) and Resource Bank. Rob’s responsibilities as Chief Credit Officer included implementation and oversight of all credit policies, loan operations, loan servicing departments, and managing a team of credit analysts and internal appraisers. Rob earned a B.S. in Finance from Northern Illinois University. He has completed numerous coursework through the Appraisal Institute and Risk Management Association.
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