About

Board of Directors

Ivan Sorbel, President
Ivan Sorbel is the Executive Director of the Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce and has been with the Chamber since October 2001 shortly after its inception. Prior to his employment in the Chamber, Mr. Sorbel owned and operated a small drywall business, I & L Sheetrock. He was recruited by the Chamber to bring knowledge of owning and operating of a small business. Mr. Sorbel's commitment has been proven by the growth and stability of the Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce in the short time that his has been the Director.

Mr. Sorbel was born in South Dakota, but as the son of a Bureau of Indian Affairs employee, he has lived on many different reservations in South Dakota and Nebraska. Mr. Sorbel attended college at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyoming on a rodeo scholarship. He later transferred to Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. After college he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served for five and half years. While in the Corps he married and began a family. Shortly after his discharge he and his wife moved back to the Pine Ridge Reservation to raise their children.

Emma Clifford, Vice Chair

Brian Kirk, Loan Committee Chair

Wilma Standing Bear, Secretary

Mike Her Many Horses, Member

Jim Mirehouse, Loan Committee Member
Jim Mirehouse is a Montana native raised on cattle ranch. He served in the United States Air Force as pilot, staff officer, and commander for twenty-two years. He retired at the rank of Colonel and began a career in financial services. Mr. Mirehouse functioned as a loan officer, bank president, and regional manager with a major national banking system working in all aspects of commercial banking. Following his banking career, he founded a Venture Capital Company in South Dakota to provide startup equity capital for new businesses and served as the Regional Manager for the Small Business Development Center for Western South Dakota. Currently, Mr. Mirehouse is CEO of the Black Hills Business Development Center and Genesis Equity Fund, LLC. He serves on five company boards of directors, several non-profit boards in addition to the Lakota Funds Loan Committee.

Arvine Standing Elk, Member
Arvine Standing Elk was born in Porcupine, South Dakota. She is now retired after serving in various aspects for the federal government. Throughout her career she worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Services in South Dakota, Oregon, and Washington. In addition, she worked for the Bonneville Power Administration in Oregon and Washington. Ms. Standing Elk worked in the private sector in California for Hughes Aircraft Company, YWCA, and the city government in Topeka, Kansas. She is enjoying her retirement with her husband on their Horse Head Ranch just south of Rockyford. She and her husband have two sons.