ABOUT US
Firm Overview
Steel Lending Group LLC (“Steel Lending”) was founded by Kevin Simrin and Kirk Simrin, who together have over 60 years of experience in lending and the automotive industry. They currently have assets under management of more than $150 million in real estate and automobile loans. Kevin and Kirk recognized as the real estate market started experiencing more modest appreciation, that it was time to study, analyze and explore other asset classes for their lending platform. It became clear that the niche market of subprime automobile financing could provide investors returns higher than a typical real estate loan.
Steel Returns Oregon LP (The “Fund”) is a debt fund that acquires automobile loans from originating dealers. Steel Returns GP LLC serves as the General Partner for The Fund. Steel Returns GP has the same principles and management team as Steel Lending Group. In their role as General Partner, Steel Returns GP has delegated Steel Returns Group to perform the functions outlined below on their behalf.
Loans are underwritten according to the Steel Lending Groups proprietary guidelines to maximize returns for the Fund’s investors. Additonaly, all loan funding, servicing, compliance, collections, and loss recovery are performed by Steel Lending Group to ensure consistency and reduce risk.
While the Fund focuses on a single asset class, it is diversified both geographically and demographically, resulting in better returns than traditional investment vehicles. The pool of loans – approaching 5,000 – balances the unique upside potential of this niche market while broadly spreading a potentially higher risk.
The Fund utilizes metrics to monitor performance at both the micro and macro levels to help preserve capital and achieve targeted returns.

Meet the Team

Kevin Simrin, CFM
Founder & Chief Investment Officer

KIRK SIMRIN, CFM
Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Doug Drager,
PRESIDENT

Barb Thomas, CPLA
Chief Strategist

April Burleigh,
Chief Financial Officer
Investment Team

Pam Hoepfl,
Director of Capital

D’arcy Martin,
Investor Concierge
Mission
The goal of Steel Returns Oregon is to expand our lending platform throughout the Western United States, resulting in further diversification while remaining laser-focused on our target asset class. Not the biggest, or all things to all people, we do intend to grow the Fund using our demonstrated strategies and processes.
Our mission is to continue building our teams, systems, and technology to ensure that we can quickly pivot in the market as needed to expand our reach within our highly-focused business niche.