Hancock Capital Management (HCM) has expanded its leveraged senior loan platform with the addition of six investment professionals to its team in Chicago. The new staff, whose appointments are effective immediately, includes:

• Eric Barton, Director, Originations. Mr. Barton, who has nearly 20 years of leveraged lending and asset management experience, joined HCM from Crescent Capital;
• Jeff Bottcher, Director, Underwriting. Mr. Bottcher, who has more than 16 years in accounting and leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from Antares Capital;
• Ryan Reko, CFA, Director, Underwriting. Mr. Reko, who has nearly 10 years of leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from CIT Group;
• Patrick Kilrea, Associate, Underwriting. Mr. Kilrea, who has more than five years of syndications and leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from Barings LLC;
• Brian Cihlar, Associate, Underwriting. Mr. Cihlar, who has more than five years of accounting and finance experience, joined HCM from Guggenheim Partners; and
• Conner Moriarty, Associate, Underwriting. Mr. Moriarty, who has three years of leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from NewStar Financial.

"We are pleased to have attracted such a talented and experienced group of originators and underwriters to our team," said Devon Russell, Senior Managing Director, Hancock Capital Management. "The expansion of the Leveraged Senior Credit Team will advance the early success of the platform, which includes transactions supporting three private equity firms."