DreamSpring names Charles McElrath as incoming CEO

For Albuquerque entrepreneurs trying to bridge a cash-flow gap, DreamSpring’s choice of its next CEO matters as much as the headline itself. The nonprofit community lender named Charles McElrath as its incoming chief executive, a leadership change that could influence how much capital reaches small businesses in Bernalillo County, especially those in neighborhoods where traditional bank credit can be hard to secure.

DreamSpring said McElrath brings more than 35 years of experience in commercial lending, economic development and mission-driven finance. The Albuquerque-based organization said he will guide it into a new era of growth, innovation and scalable community impact, a signal that the lender wants continuity at the same time it pushes into a larger, more complex role.

That role is already significant in New Mexico. DreamSpring was founded in Albuquerque in 1994 and says it has provided $580 million in financing to 33,900 small businesses over 30 years. Its 2024 annual report said that lending helped create or sustain nearly 68,000 jobs, while the organization has made more than 50,500 loans and served 3,480 communities.

For local borrowers, the succession comes at a sensitive moment. DreamSpring serves as a Community Development Financial Institution and an SBA lender, offering microloans, term loans, commercial real estate financing, lines of credit and tailored financing for creatives, care providers, startups, light manufacturers and high-growth industries. In practice, that mix can matter for shop owners on Central Avenue, family businesses in the South Valley and founders trying to expand in neighborhoods that have not always had easy access to bank financing.

Marisa Barrera, who has been with DreamSpring since 1996 after joining as a loan officer, has been serving as acting CEO while the board searched for a permanent leader. DreamSpring’s earlier retirement notice for founder Anne Haines said Barrera would step into the acting president and CEO role during the search. Barrera remains chief impact officer, keeping institutional knowledge in place as the transition unfolds.

The appointment also underscores how far DreamSpring’s reach has grown beyond its Albuquerque roots. Its latest CEO announcement said the organization operates in 20 states, while other board materials from 2025 said it was serving entrepreneurs across 27 states. However the footprint is counted, the lender’s scale means leadership decisions in Albuquerque can ripple far beyond Bernalillo County, affecting access to patient capital for Hispanic, Native and women-owned businesses as well as other entrepreneurs who rely on flexible financing and technical support.