Think of someone in Pekin Rotary that you can always depend upon, and a name you're likely to consider is Mike Krohe. From the Rotary Grill to serving as Club Treasurer, Mike is more than ready to serve.
Born in Jacksonville, Mike was raised in Virginia, IL where he attended a kindergarten through 12th grade school graduating in a class of 29 students. He attended Truman State and left after a year to serve Uncle Sam in the United States Army. Fort McClellan, AL was home to his basic training and after 4 months moved on to Fort Lee, VA for a 6 month stint. He experienced Active Duty Training before joining the IL Army National Guard in nearby Beardstown. While in the guard Mike attended
and graduated
Officer Candidate
School in 1995-96.
All of this occurred against a backdrop of finishing college with a degree in Accounting and Finance at Western Illinois University in 1993; getting married; starting a family; and beginning a career. Mike had met his future wife,
Sheri
, a Pekin native, at a church retreat while they were both in high school. It was after marrying and expecting their daughter that Mike decided to leave the Army in 1996.
Mike started his life in the working world as an auditor with Clifton-Gunderson. From there he moved joined CILCO for 3 years before moving to AXA Advisors as a Registered Investment Advisor for another few years. This eventually led him to Herget Bank's Trust Department where he served as a Trust Officer for a decade. Opportunity knocked in 2012 and Mike traded in his suit for a work shirt becoming Agri-Finance Manager at Agland FS in April 2012 where he currently serves.
In 2005, Herget Bank's Syl Franklin sponsored Mike's membership in Pekin Rotary Club. He joined the board in 2007 and became club president for the 2010-11 term. He has been on the board ever since, currently serving his fifth year as club treasurer.
A devoted family man, Mike and
Sheri
have home schooled their children
for the past eight years
. They also serve as an example for their children demonstrating a spirit of giving back and volunteerism. Mike has served as a coach for a variety of sports activities from basketball, to baseball, to football and now lacrosse.
"I enjoy sports and spending time with my kids," he told me. "I also found an additional need that I could help with and that was coaching kids that need some additional encouragement or investment of time in their lives by a mentor".
A year and a half ago, Mike became a Teaching Pastor at Church 214 at the Limelight Event Plex in North Peoria. As a member of this team, he is responsible for giving the message every 6 weeks. He is currently President of the Apache Association which is the Association of Peoria Area Christian Home Educators.
In asking Mike what he enjoys most about Rotary he shared that he appreciates the camaraderie and the sense that we can make a difference. But there is something else that few know about his devotion to Rotary. When he joined our club, he was so drawn to what Rotary International does in the world that he personally made a financial contribution its cause. He confesses to being surprised that RI responded by recognizing him as a Paul Harris Fellow. "I was not expecting that", he told me, "I was just supporting them." That's Mike- giving to others with nothing expected in return- except the hope that he is truly making a difference. If there is one thing we can all take pride in, it's knowing that Mike Krohe certainly makes a difference and he calls himself a Pekin Rotarian.
