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Ms. Dondi Scumaci
President - Elevations Unlimited, Inc.
Dondi Scumaci is an international speaker, author, and an expert in professional and personal development. She is well known for her high energy on the platform and for the dramatic results that her seminars inspire.
Prior to establishing her consulting firm, Elevations Unlimited, Inc., Dondi was Vice President and Director for two of the largest financial institutions in the United States.
Dondi is frequently requested for strategic design sessions, management retreats, professional conferences, executive coaching, and keynote presentations. Her presentations are designed to deliver solid, actionable disciplines and her seminars and keynotes have made a positive, lasting impact on
corporations across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa.
Dondi co-authored Thriving in the Midst of Change and developed Mentoring-in-a-Box, an interactive, self- study tool for mentors and protégés. She is also the author of Designed for Success, a book which helps encourage and advise women in today’s hectic workplace.
Dondi's second book, Ready, Set...Grow! is on shelves now
Dondi possesses a strong business and leadership background, excellent presentation skills, and a love for developing people.
Dondi lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Scumaci, son Tabor, and Basset Hounds –Sir Ignatius of San Antonio, Manhattan Rising, and Isabel de Fortunato.
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Ms.
Lisa Guscott,
President and CEO
Long Bay Management
Company
Lisa Joann Guscott is president
and CEO of Long Bay Management Commercial Properties, a subsidiary
of Long Bay Management Company, which is a Boston based family-owned
and operated real estate management and development company. Ms.
Guscott is co-chair of the Boston Medical Center’s 2005
Gala and co-chair of BMC's Friends of Women's Health initiative. She
currently serves on the board of directors of the Boston Medical
Center, the Mattapan Family Service Center, the Burroughs Group
and the Freedom House of Roxbury. Her other affiliations include
the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the Boys & Girls
Club of Boston. She is a former board member of the Huntington
YMCA and served on the transition team for Treasurer Tim
Cahill. Ms. Guscott earned her under-graduated degree from
Wellesley College and her MBA from Simmons College.
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Ms.
Lynda Morris Parham, Ph.D.
Director of Couples and Family Therapy at the Danielsen
Institute of Boston University
Dr. Lynda Morris Parham is a Psychologist,
presenter, and teacher, in the areas of clinical, family,
and community psychology. Dr. Lynda is the Director of
Couples and Family Therapy at the Danielsen Institute of
Boston University and has her own private practice. Her
holistic approach integrates behavioral science practices
with faith-based insights in her work with individuals,
couples, families, churches and community organizations.
For several decades, Dr. Lynda has provided
leadership, mentorship and motivation to women from diverse
racial, economic and religious populations in urban, suburban,
rural and international settings. She received her ministerial
training from Jubilee Christian Church (formerly New Covenant
Christian Church) in Boston where she is a Charter Member
and serves as a minister and consultant to Chosen Vessels
Women's Ministry, Covenant Counseling Ministry, and the Prayer
Ministry. She is committed to international ministry and
cultural exchange by serving on the Board of the Walker Center
in Newton, as a Scholar with the North America Chinese Scholars
Association, and has mentored a generation of national and
international female boarding school students at Dana Hall
School.
Dr. Lynda and her husband Tony (www.TKGweb.com)
are trained marriage counselors who co-present on a variety
of topics to strengthen couples and families. The couple
lives in Boston and they have three children. For more information
about Dr. Lynda, please visit her website at www.DrLynda.org
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Ms. Frederika Williams
President & CEO – Whittier Street Health Center
As President & CEO of Whittier Street Health Center, Frederica Williams has transformed a basic community health center into a neighborhood centerpiece, celebrating diverse populations and increasing their access to lifesaving health care. Her keen vision has positioned Whittier as a leader in urban health care with a crucial focus on the importance of culturally competent primary care and social services.
Under Williams’ direction, Whittier has embarked upon an ambitious community outreach campaign, taking quality health care to patients rather than waiting for patients to arrive at their door. Whether hosting New England’s largest men’s health summit or making health care practitioners available at schools, community events or local houses of worship, Whittier relentlessly engages its neighborhood, encouraging good health. This fervor to better the community’s health is cultivated from the top, beginning with Williams.
In addition to fostering an environment of proactive health care and energizing a community, Williams is charged with the duty of sound financial stewardship. She brings this much-needed business acumen to her daily work at Whittier. The year prior to her arrival, Whittier suffered an overall loss from operations of roughly $600,000. Williams was able to turn things around; and in her first year, the organization showed a profit of $350,000 - roughly a $1 million turnaround in one year.
Williams joined Whittier in February 2002 and since that time the center has doubled the number of people served, increased revenues by almost 60% and expanding the range of services provided to the community regardless of their ability to pay for services. This financial condition continues to grow through improvements in operations, diversification of funding sources, and the development of entrepreneurial services. By fostering a healthy balance sheet, Williams is able to expand the reach of Whittier’s core medical and social services, improving the health of uninsured and underinsured populations.
Williams has more than 22 years of experience in health care administration, finance and operations management as well as a wealth of knowledge concerning community-based health care, international public health, strategic planning, revenue maximization, physician practice management and technology.
Williams serves as a Board of Trustee for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. She is a Board member of the Boston Health Net, and serves on the Advisory Boards of the Society of Women and Girls’ Initiative in Sierra Leone, Community Oriented Correctional Health Services, Global Health/ International Women’s Health Initiative, African Health Foundation (AHF) and the African Community Health Initiative (ACHI).
Williams is actively engaged in supporting improvements in the health of diverse immigrant and low income populations living in Massachusetts by promoting access to quality, culturally competent health and social services enhanced through education, research and community partnerships. She also participates on several national and local initiatives focused on providing high quality, reliable and accessible health care and support services to the elderly, disabled, immigrants, children, the uninsured and underinsured.
She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the London School of Accountancy, a graduate certificate in administration and management (CSS) from the Harvard University Extension School, and an MBA from Anna Maria College. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Financial Administrator in the United Kingdom and Wales. Williams has participated in two executive training programs at the Harvard Business School’s Hauser Center for Non Profit organizations, is a NCCJ Lead Boston graduate 2003 and is an associate member of the American College of HealthCare Executives. She has received several awards and recognition locally and nationally for her commitment to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care and increasing access to high quality of care. She frequently serves as a guest speaker at local and national conferences on a wide range of topics.
Ms. Williams was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone and is the proud mother of three sons, Dennis, Dunstant and Devin.
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B-2-B
Symposium Panelists
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Jean
Burke
Representative
Primerica Financial Services
Jean Burke is a representative with Primerica Financial
Services a member of the Citigroup Corporation. Since 1997
Jean has helped countless families get on the road to becoming
Debt Free and Financially Independent.
A founding member of the Sanctuary Bookstore Management
team, a ministry of Jubilee Christian Church the largest
church in New England. Jean served as the Senior Book buyer
as well as Manager of their flagship store in Needham, MA.
While at Sanctuary Books, Jean founded the organizations “Monthly
Book” club. Jean was also instrumental in Sanctuary
Book store going from one location to three locations.
Jean has been a board member for the Christian Economic
Development Association (CEDA) since 2003. The CEDA organization
is a multi-cultural, multi racial, interdenominational faith-based
financial concepts organization. The mission of the CEDA
organization is to increase individuals and organizational
financial value by providing events and communication services.
Jean is also a board member of Worship and Wealth ministries,
which has a mission to inspire individuals to experience
their covenant of wealth through faith and the implementation
of sound financial principles.
Jean lives in Hyde Park, Massachusetts with her three children
Ayana, Xandria and Marcus.
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Ms. Kelly Chunn
Principal – Kelly Chunn & Associates
Kelley Chunn, the principal, is a graduate of New York University and the Simmons College Graduate School of Communications Management, She has taught and guest
lectured at several schools including Northeastern University, Simmons College,
Brandeis University’s Heller School, American University in Rome and Jos TV College in Nigeria. She began her career as a TV news writer and producer for the three network affiliates (Channels 4, 5 and 7) in Boston before briefly moving to Nigeria to serve as consultant to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Kelley is a longstanding member of the National Association of Black Journalists,
the Public Relations Society of America, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Multicultural Committee, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
Kelley Chunn & Associates (KCA), a collaborative consultancy, has more than 18 years of experience in providing strategic research, cause marketing and public relations services designed to promote diversity and inclusion in academic, government, for-profit and non-profit institutions and businesses. KCA’s broad range of client partners includes the City of Boston Empowerment Zone, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Boston Department of Neighborhood Development, the Museum of African American History Emerson College, Simmons College, Harvard University, Third Sector New England, the Boston Women’s Fund, Gillette Company (now Procter & Gamble), Staples, the Boston Public Health Commission, the National Institutes of Health, The MA Department of Public Health, The Wang Center (Citi Center) for the Performing Arts, WGBH-TV, the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN-TV), the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Working Mother magazine’s international multicultural initiative.
KCA has produced radio and video products for among others, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Education Campaign, the Boston Public Health Commission, the Boston Women’s Fund, the National Institutes of Health and The Susan Komen Foundation.
An award winning consultancy, KCA has been featured or quoted in Boston Women’s Business, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, the Bay State Banner, PR Week,Business Week, Color Magazine and C-SPAN. In 2008, Women’s Business named KCA one of the top 10 public relations firms in the New England region.
In 2008 Boston Women’s Business named KCA one of the Top Ten public relations
firms in Greater Boston.
KCA is located at Hibernian Hall in the historic Dudley Square business district of Boston. KCA is certified by the State Office of Minority & Women Owned Business Assistance, the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council and the City of Boston.
www.kelleychunn.com
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Ms.
Jacqui Conrad
Principal - De la Cruz Communications
Jacqueline Conrad is a bilingual professional with over
15 years of marketing and communications experience. She
specializes in strategic marketing, communications, public
and community relations for organizations interested in marketing
to multicultural markets.
In 1998, Jacqui founded delaCruz Communications, a consulting
firm that specializes in cause-related, health awareness
and strategic marketing campaigns for ethnic audiences, such
as the African American and Latino population. Additional
services include event management, public relations, media
relations, branding and facilitation of conflict resolution
workshops for Hispanic employees and managers. delaCruz Communications
partners with highly skilled and creative professionals to
provide quality services that enable clients to effectively
deliver their message across diverse platforms. Jacqui’s
focus on cross-cultural markets and organizations targeting
diverse markets results from managing a variety of projects
where culturally sensitive strategic communications with
Latinos and other communities of color is essential.
In addition to her consulting work, Mrs. Conrad speaks at
business roundtables, seminars, and graduate classes on the
subject of small business development, urban entrepreneurship
and home-ownership. She also facilitates monthly entrepreneurial
workshops on behalf of the Small Business Development Center
at UMass Boston. Jacqui is nationally certified to teach
entrepreneurial and business start-up classes from NxLevel™,
a well-recognized preeminent entrepreneurial training program
in the United States.
Partial list of clients include the Boston Public Health
Commission, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Judge Baker Children’s
Center, Whittier Street Health Clinic, Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals,
Madison Park Development Corporation, Dimock Community Health
Center, and Associated Early Care & Education.
Jacqui received a B.S. from Suffolk University and a Masters
Degree in Communications Management from Simmons College.
Mrs. Conrad sits on several boards including the Latino Professional
Network (LPN), the Simmons Club of Boston, Latino After-School
Initiative (LASI), and the Christian Economic Development
Association, Inc. (CEDA). A native of New York, Mrs. Conrad
resides in Milton, MA with her family.
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Ms. Phyllis Cooley
Construction Manager – Small & Local Business Enterprise Office
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Ms.
Betty Anne Fortunato
Senior Franchise Consultant - MatchPoint
Franchise Consulting Network
etty Anne’s business and life experiences have prepared
her well for the role of independent franchise consultant
for MatchPoint. Teaching, training, managing, coaching, mentoring – all
have been roles she was drawn to and excelled at, using her
innate skills of relating to people and their needs.
Betty Anne has been a sales and marketing executive for
almost 20 years. Early on in her career she identified the
franchise marketplace as a tremendous opportunity for the
products and services she represented. She set out to become
an expert in franchising, developing franchise marketing
strategies for companies who service the franchising industry.
In this capacity, she has given seminars for Fortune 500
companies to increase their understanding of the franchise
marketplace.
Betty Anne established her expertise as a sales and marketing
professional, starting in the early 1980’s working
for Radio Shack as a trainer for both corporate and franchise
store managers. She held successively increasing positions
of responsibility in marketing and sales over the next 15
years at Data General Corporation, Motorola and Gartner Group,
where much of her time was spent working with the independent
business owner reseller partners of these companies.
In 1996 she joined ARAMARK Corporation’s Uniform and
Career Apparel Group as Director of Sales, responsible for
setting strategy to increase sales to small and medium sized
businesses. In this role, Betty Anne worked intimately with
franchise companies and their franchisees, insuring that
the products and services ARAMARK offered them supported
their companies’ business goals. During this time,
sales for her business unit more than doubled. In 2000, Betty
Anne was promoted to Vice President of QSR Managed Accounts,
responsible for all activity to support sales to the franchisees
of McDonald’s Corporation, Wendy’s International,
Southland Corporation (7-11), El Pollo Loco, etc.
Betty Anne has been an independent Franchise Consultant
with FranChoice, Inc. since 2003, joined MatchPoint in March
of 2008, and has been highly successful in placing people
in franchise businesses across the country.
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Mr. James Fortune
Program Compliance Specialist – MassHousing
James Fortune is currently Program Compliance Specialist in the Compliance and Diversity Division at MassHousing. His responsibilities include (1) providing direction and leadership in policy and program development to assist small and minority businesses seeking procurement and contracting opportunities with MassHousing-financed housing developments, (2) monitoring the contract compliance of property management companies that manage MassHousing-financed developments, and (3) providing technical assistance and guidance to property management companies with regards to MassHousing’s small and minority business enterprises utilization program.
Mr. Fortune has more than 25 years of experience working in various managerial and supervisory roles in economic and business development. The experience has included serving as executive director of a state funded housing development corporation, director of a federally funded small business development center, assistant director of a Ford Foundation funded economic research center and a consultant to a state agency on how to utilize public finance as a vehicle for community development in economically depressed areas.
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In addition to his work experience, Mr. Fortune holds two masters degrees, one in the field of economics and the other in the urban/policy sciences field. He has also taught college level courses in economics and finance.
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Mr. Jamie Hoyte
Office to the Asst. to the President – Harvard University
James Hoyte is Associate Vice President for Equal Opportunity Programs at Harvard University. He is also Lecturer on Environmental Sciences and Public Policy at Harvard College, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and member of the Harvard University Committee on Environment. Mr. Hoyte came to Harvard in 1992 after a twenty year career as a lawyer, public policy consultant and government official.
At Harvard he works with the various deans and faculties of Harvard’s schools and with its central administration to implement affirmative action and diversity programs throughout the University. He represents the University with selected key external constituencies especially in communities of color. He has oversight of a variety of special programs to increase the numbers of women and underrepresented minorities at Harvard, especially within the administrative staff including the Harvard Administrative Fellows Program.
Mr. Hoyte has published articles in the fields of environmental policy and management. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of several environmental and civic organizations.
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Ms.
Ann Hunt,
Lead Lender Relations Specialist, U.S. SBA
Anne Rice Hunt has been employed by the
U.S Small Business Administration since 1981. Ms. Hunt
currently manages the Agency’s financing programs
for the state of Massachusetts. Over the past five
years, the Massachusetts office provided more than $1.5
billion dollars in loan guarantees to over 13,500 small
businesses in participation with over 110 lending institutions.
Ms. Hunt had worked as a loan officer for
12 years before assuming the position of Finance Chief in
1995.
Ms. Hunt received an MBA degree from Salem
State College as well as a BA degree in Sociology from the
Massachusetts School of Liberal Arts.
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Ms. Debora Jackson
Principal – The Renewal Group
The Reverend Debora Jackson is the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Needham, MA, the first African American and first woman to be so called. She is a powerful preacher, well known for stirring and energizing congregations and audiences alike.
Prior to answering the call to ordained ministry, Rev. Jackson was the Chief Information and Chief Operating Officer of SmartEnergy: an Internet-based energy service provider headquartered in Woburn, MA. As CIO and COO, Rev. Jackson was responsible for the execution and delivery of the SmartEnergy technology platform and company operations. To her role, she brought more than 20 years of systems implementation and management experience having led scores of engineering teams developing complex business applications and solutions for manufacturing, energy and health care industries. Her experiences included managing the implementation of new products manufacturing processes across four continents; consulting to Fortune 500 companies; and building high-performance professional services organizations. Prior to joining SmartEnergy, Rev. Jackson held senior technical leadership positions in several consulting and software products organizations.
In addition to the pastorate, Rev. Jackson is also an independent consultant specializing in organizational restructuring, strategic planning and spiritual renewal programs. Her retreats and workshops have helped individuals and organizations become reengaged and revitalized, while enabling them to achieve their full potential.
Rev. Jackson holds a Master of Divinity Degree, with honors, from Andover Newton Theological School, and a Master of Engineering degree in Manufacturing Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Indiana University. She will begin her doctoral studies in the fall of 2009, focusing on spiritual leadership and management. She resides in Newton, MA with her husband and their son.
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Mr. Jesse Jeter
Executive Director – Christian Economic Development Association
Mr. Jeter has been part of the growth and development of the Jet-A-Way organization since graduating from college in 1987. The Jet-A-Way Inc. organization is a family owned and operated waste disposal and recycling company located in Roxbury Massachusetts. Jesse’s parents Eddie and Darlene Jeter started the Jet-A-Way firm in 1969. Jesse’s dad, Mr. Eddie Jeter passed away in September 1991. When Mr. Jeter passed in 1991 the firm’s annual sales were $10,000,000. The family decided not to sale the firm and has subsequently grown the firm to $17,000.000 in annual sales. Mr. Jesse Jeter has held several roles at the Jet-A-Way firm with his current role being VP of Business Development. Mr. Jeter is also on the board of directors of the Jet-A-Way organization.
Mr. Jesse Jeter, on July 17, 2002, while maintaining his role at Jet-A-Way Inc. founded a not-for-profit organization entitled the Christian Economic Development Association (CEDA). CEDA, a multi-cultural, multi-racial, interdenominational faith-based financial concepts organization, was organized to help businesses and individuals increase their financial value. The CEDA organization is governed by a board of directors and advisors, whom like Mr. Jeter, give of their time, talent and resources on a volunteer basis. Today, the CEDA organization host three annual events and services the varying needs of its constituents during the course of the year.
Also during 2002 Mr. Jeter co-founded a business with his wife, Denise Jeter, entitled Ann’s Christian Learning Center (ACLC). ACLC, a for profit business, provides tutoring services for children in grades 2-10 in the subjects of math, language arts and reading skills. The organization is a state approved, for profit, faith-based private tutoring company committed to providing academic enrichment to students. The effectiveness of ACLC services has catapulted the growth of the company and triggered an increasing demand for more individualized academic support for students
As a speaker, Mr. Jeter has been requested to conduct speaking and teaching engagements at numerous locations. Additionally he has served on the Board of Directors of various organizations, including the Massachusetts Minority Contractors Association, Boston Employment Commission for the City of Boston, New Market Business Association and several others. He also serves on a variety of advisory boards.
Mr. Jess Jeter was born in Boston Massachusetts. He is married, has three children and resides in Boston Massachusetts.
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Mr. Ronald G. Marlow
Assistant Secretary of Access and Opportunity – The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Ron Marlow serves as the Assistant Secretary for Access and Opportunity in the Patrick administration. In this role, Marlow is responsible for overseeing and coordinating efforts to ensure that all individuals, no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability, have an equal opportunity to work for and contract with state government. Additionally, Marlow is responsible for reviewing existing state programs, activities and policies to ensure that they are consistent with the goal of promoting nondiscrimination and equal opportunity.
Prior to taking on this position, Marlow served as Director of the Governor’s Development Cabinet, where he worked to coordinate the efforts of the executive offices that are engaged in large-scale economic development projects and initiatives. In this position, Marlow played a leading role in helping to craft “The Springfield Partnership,” a blueprint for state engagement in efforts to revitalize the city of Springfield. Marlow’s prior positions include: Chief Operating Officer at Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, Chief of Staff to state Senator Dianne Wilkerson and Chief of Staff and Director of Community Services as the Boston Housing Authority.
Mr. Marlow has been very active in the Boston community. At present, he is the Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Community Development Finance Corporation. He has served on the Boards of Action for Boston Community Development, Inc., the Hispanic Office of Planning and Evaluation, the Private Industry Council, Project RIGHT, and the Board of Quincy/Geneva Housing Corporation. He has been recognized by many organizations for his outstanding accomplishments; and in February 2000, The Boston Herald recognized Mr. Marlow as a “future Black history maker.”
Mr. Marlow is a graduate of Northeastern University (Master of Science) and The Pennsylvania State University (Bachelor of Arts). Mr. Marlow was born and raised in Boston. He is married and has two children.
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Mr. Robert Nelson
District Director – US Small Business Association
Robert H. Nelson was appointed district director of SBA’s Massachusetts District Office on November 26, 2007. The district office is located in Boston with a branch office in Springfield, Massachusetts. Prior to his appointment as district director, Mr. Nelson served as branch manager of the Springfield, Mass. office.
Mr. Nelson began his SBA career in 1998 as a loan specialist for the Connecticut District Office in Hartford, Conn. He joined the Massachusetts District Office in 2000; first in the capacity of lead loan specialist/chief of portfolio management and later as branch manager.
As district director, Mr. Nelson is responsible for the effective delivery of SBA’s financial and business development programs with a mission to counsel, assist and protect the interest of small business statewide in order to maintain and strengthen the economy.
Mr. Nelson, together with a staff of 15 permanent SBA employees, will work to help entrepreneurs to start, grow and build their businesses. On the financial side, Mr. Nelson is responsible for increasing delivery of the popular 7(a) and 504 loan programs which help small businesses obtain access to capital. He is also responsible for SBA oversight of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center’s (MSBDC) statewide network, the seven Massachusetts chapters of SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business and the Massachusetts Women’s Business Center – the Center for Women & Enterprise.
Before joining the SBA, Bob spent a number of years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as section chief of the medium/other assets division in the Franklin, Mass. consolidated field office. He also has a number of years of banking experience having been a commercial lender for several New England area banks. He was a Vice President at Shawmut Bank, R.I.
Mr. Nelson holds a BA degree in Economics from Hobart College in Geneva, New York. He and his wife, Debbi, have three sons, Brad, Mark and Christopher.
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Mr. Tony
Parham
CEO, The Koinonia Group LLC (TKG)
Antonio (“Tony”) Parham is CEO of The Koinonia
Group LLC (TKG), a management consulting firm which works
with a variety of organizations, including Fortune 100
firms, start-ups and not-for-profits. Mr. Parham has over
25 years of experience in multiple domains: a charismatic
speaker, corporate executive, management consultant, entrepreneur,
technologist, not-for-profit executive director and university
lecturer. He has served on the boards of several for-profit
and not-for-profit organizations. He received an M.S. in
Management from MIT's Sloan School of Management, an M.S.
from the University of Southern California, and a B.S.
from MIT. More information about TKG can be found
at www.TKGweb.com
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Mr. Andre Porter
Executive Director
Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Professional Profile: 20+ years of economic development and commercial real estate experience.
Bio: Andre M. Porter has been managing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE) since May of 2008. As Executive Director, he is responsible for planning, developing, managing, coordinating and monitoring the state's overall small and micro business development efforts. He is also responsible for developing ideas and legislation to improve small business competitiveness and for monitoring legislative and administrative policy changes for potential impact to small businesses. The primary objective of OSBE is to successfully assist businesses to create, maintain, and relocate jobs to Massachusetts.
Prior to his current position, Andre Porter spent eight years as the Deputy Director of the City of Boston’s Office of Business Development. In this position he was responsible for the Boston Main Streets Program which funds 19 commercial districts across the City; small business lending; commercial real estate and business development finance; technical assistance for entrepreneurs and small business owners; and numerous resources and services that encouraged neighborhood and business development across the City.
Some of the achievements of the Office of Business Development under Andre Porter’s leadership include the financing of over 53 commercial real estate projects totaling more than $400 million in development costs; funded and provided design assistance to over 300 façade improvement projects totaling more than $25 million in construction costs; assisted over 80 restaurant projects through the Neighborhood Restaurant Initiative, resulting in more than 500 new jobs; developed and launched the Boston Hotel Loan Fund which brought in more than $6.5 million in fee income; developed and launched the Community Change Card program, a technology-based customer loyalty card for small neighborhood retail businesses across the City.
Prior to working for the City of Boston, Mr. Porter spent fourteen years in the banking industry where he was a commercial real estate lender, asset manager, and workout specialist for several Boston-based banks. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from Tufts University.
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Ms. Josefina Silva
Loan Officer
Community Development Finance Corp.
Josefina B. Silva holds the position of
Loan Officer at Massachusetts Community Development Finance
Corporation, a thirty year quasi-public agency funded by
the State of Massachusetts to provide loan and assistance
to businesses in LMI communities.
Silva had a very successful career in the banking industry
for almost twenty years. She held the position of Vice President
and Loan Officer at Bank of America and its predecessors,
Fleet and Bank of Boston. Silva was chosen specifically to
launch the community development and outreach programs at
Bank of Boston and was the initial officer hired into the
newly formed unit in July 1994. She was a top performer and
received several awards, including person of the year award.
Silva’s career also includes
the not-for-profit sector, and in 1993 she received an
award from the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership
(MBHP) for her work toward residence empowerment and development
of community leaders as an organizer at Dorchester Bay
Economic Development Corporation.
Silva is a graduate of Instituto Superior de Economia, Universidade
Tecnica de Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal. After graduating in
1983 Silva relocated to the Boston area and began her professional
career in the banking industry. She received a diploma in
Trust Business from the New England School of Banking in
1991 and in 1997 she received a diploma from Bank of Boston
Loan Officer Development Program.
A native of West Africa’s Cape Verde Islands, Silva
is now a resident of Malden, MA. She is the mother of three
children, Awara (20), Kaiysa (19) and Ywina (17). Silva is
very involved in the community activities and was a co-founder
of Boston’s Capeverdean Association and the Capeverdean
Professional Network. She is on the Board of Massachusetts
Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS), a loan committee
member of the Merrimack Valley Economic Development Loan
Fund, and a member of Dorchester Bay Economic Development
Corporation loan committee. To complement her many other
talents, Silva is fluent in five languages.
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Ms. Jeanette Simmons
Community Branch Manager - Sovereign Bank
Jeanette Simmons is currently a Sovereign
Bank Branch Manager and Vice President working out of the
Fields Corner Office in Dorchester. She has been with the
bank for over 10 years after earlier having a successful
career in the retail industry where she was a store manager
and honored in 1996 as a Black Achievement Award winner.
Her current duties include providing leadership, managing
the sales culture, bringing in new business, ensuring branch
integrity and implementing strategies to reduce overhead
and improve efficiency. She was born in Savannah, GA and
raised in Boston, MA where she participated in the Big Sisters
program and served on the Special events Committee of the
United Negro College Fund for 11 years. She was on the committee
for the Cambridge Y.W.C.A. Empowerment Conference for Women
of Color.
When she was branch Manager in Chestnut
Hill MA she was on the “Second Step” board which is a home for
abused Women and children. And now currently serves on two
boards in Dorchester MA “Close To Home” and “Fields
Corner Main Streets”.
She loves spending her free time with her family. Her son
Roger and her two grandsons Kai and Khoury Jeanette Currently
resides in Dorchester
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Ms. Ronia Stewart
Branch Manager - Citizens Bank
Ronia Stewart is the
manager of Citizens Bank’s
Dudley Station branch, which is located at 2343 Washington
Street in Roxbury. Stewart is responsible for overseeing
branch staff, directing branch activities and continuing
to deliver exceptional customer service at the Dudley Station
location.
Prior to joining Citizens, Stewart worked
at MFS Investment Management in Boston and Garden of Eden
Ministries, Inc , a nonprofit organization in Dorchester.
An
important aspect of her life is her three children (Rasheida,
Ronia and Clifford). She enjoys spending time with her family
and friends, entertaining, traveling and shopping for shoes.
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Ms. Debora Todd
Financial Planner – MBRN Financial Services
Deborah has worked in the financial services industry
for over 25 years. She has a strong background in the design
and delivery of financial systems that provide business
solutions and has worked for several large financial institutions
including Bradford Trust Co., Fidelity Investments and
Bank of America. Deborah is currently with The Prudential
Insurance Company of America where she is licensed to offer
Life, Health, Disability and Long Term Care Insurance in
both CT and MA. She holds securities registrations Series
6 and 63 and is a registered representative with Pruco
Securities, LLC headquartered in Newark, NJ. Deborah holds
a B.A.S. in Business from Boston University and an MBA
in Finance from Suffolk University.
Deborah works diligently with each of her clients to make
sure that they have financial solutions that will help
them reach their insurance and financial goals and dreams
and that will provide the foundation for building a good
financial future by providing strategies to assist them
in growing, protecting and preserving their wealth.
Deborah has been happily married since 1966. She and her
husband, Jonathan, have two married children, two grandsons
and another grandchild on the way.
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Ms.
Stacey Williams
Deputy Director
Small & Local
Business Enterprise Office
Stacey Williams is the Deputy Director and
Certification Manager of the City of Boston Small and Local
Business Enterprise Office.
Ms. Williams was born and raised in
Boston. She graduated from Emmanuel College, earning a
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management and Spanish.
After working for 2 ½ years
in the private sector for an advertising and direct mail
firm, Ms. Williams went to work for the City of Boston.
When Ms. Williams began working in
the Small and Local Business Enterprise Office, it was
just a program within the Purchasing Division. Over the
years, she has helped minority and woman business owners
obtain City of Boston certification for their companies;
learn about the City’s contracting and bidding
procedures; and encouraged working relationships between
City departments’ contracting representatives and the
certified business owners through trade fairs, as well as
individual introductions. In accomplishing these tasks, the
SLBE Office has been able to increase the number of minority
and woman owned businesses receiving contracts with the City
of Boston, as well as help them seek and secure contracts
with privately owned companies and organizations, both in
the Greater Boston area and nationally.
Ms. Williams oversees certification and maintains the database,
which currently includes over 900 certified vendors.
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