Bridget Gainer, Cook County Board Commissioner – Tenth District
CCLBA Chairwoman
Bridget Gainer is the Commissioner on the Cook County Board for the 10th District representing the North Lakefront and Northwest side. Commissioner Gainer has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit, public and private sectors and her career has provided her a strong foundation in finance, human services and the workings of local government. READ MORE
Xochitl Flores — Bureau Chief – Cook County Economic Development
Xochitl Flores is the Bureau Chief of Economic Development for Cook County. In this role, Flores oversees the activities of the three departments within the Bureau, which include the Department of Planning and Development, Building and Zoning, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. She is responsible for leading the work of the Bureau, collaborating with the seven counties of northeastern Illinois and the City of Chicago to develop and implement initiatives to grow the regional economy. READ MORE
Diane Limas, Board President – Communities United
Diane Limas servcies as the Leader and Board President for Communities United, a non-profit social justice organization located on the northwest side of Chicago. Communities United strives to be a “learning organization,” continually developing our analysis of economic, racial, gender, LGBTQ and disability justice as critical lenses through which we approach our work. READ MORE
Peter M. Friedman, Partner – Elrod Friedman LLP
Peter has an accomplished and broad real estate practice and is the founding partner of Elrod Friedman LLP, a law firm specializing in representing exclusively public sector clients. Mr. Friedman previously was a partner at Holland & Knight, and represented private and public sector clients in all phases of real estate finance, acquisition, development, zoning and land use matters. He counsels property owners, pension funds, tenants and developers in a variety of real estate and transactional projects. READ MORE
Thurman “Tony” Smith, Senior Vice President – PNC Bank
Tony Smith is the Senior Vice President and Community Development Market Manager for PNC Community Development Banking. In this capacity, Mr. Smith leads PNC’s efforts in strategic investments, lending, public service, technical assistance and financial education. Read more
Richard Monocchio — Executive Director, Cook County Housing Authority
Richard J. Monocchio has dedicated his professional career to public service for nearly 30 years. In 2011, Mr. Monocchio was appointed Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Cook County, where he continues to be an advocate for safe, affordable housing.
Under Mr. Monocchio’s leadership, dozens of recreational, academic and vocational programs have been implemented to connect people, opportunities, and communities, ultimately helping residents become self-sufficient and achieve a better quality of life. Monocchio is affiliated with numerous civic and community organizations. He is a board member to the non-profit Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA), and serves on the Cook County Workforce Board. READ MORE
Joy Aruguete — Chief Executive Officer, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation
Ms. Aruguete has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation for 26 years. In this capacity, she supervises operations for this 54-year-old award-winning nonprofit community development corporation dedicated to community controlled development, the preservation and management of affordable housing, economic development centered on job creation, comprehensive community planning and engagement, and the development of community leaders. Ms. Aruguete manages corporate, subsidiary and affiliate business operations of over $25 million annually and oversees the work of 80 staff members who carry out Bickerdike’s mission. READ MORE
Katrina Thompson — Mayor, Village of Broadview, Illinois
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Michelle Carr — Illinois Director, The Nature Conservancy
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Sheila Chalmers-Currin — Village President, Village of Matteson, Illinois
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O. Victoria Lakes-Battle — Executive Director, Chicago Region, IFF
O. Victoria “Vickie” Lakes-Battle has been at the forefront of commercial and mission-based lending for over 30 years and has developed a recipe for equitably serving communities: time + proximity + authentic partnerships. When you think of Vickie, you think of a master connector who is acutely aware of the nuances in building strategic alliances and partnerships that bolster relationships, systems, and equity within communities and organizations.
With a never-ending reserve of expertise in community development, finance, and executive leadership Vickie Lakes-Battle leads with equity, purpose and strategy in everything she does.
On a mission to invest, redevelop and empower low-income communities to activate their visions, Vickie became IFF’s first-ever Executive Director for the Chicago Metro region. She oversees IFF’s full-range of services including lending, real estate consulting, and the community strategies program where she is adept at targeting and cultivating opportunities that support IFF goals and objectives. In this role, Vickie understands the necessity of cooperative engagement and active partnerships that expand the resources available to serve low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. She is a trusted thought partner to community-based organizations, the broader community development sector, and philanthropy.
Vickie’s ability to innovate at every turn–economically, socially, and organizationally–has been recognized throughout the Chicagoland area and nationally. Vickie challenges others to look at community development finance through an equity lens and is willing to ask and wrestle with the tough questions.
She currently serves on the board of the Greater Chatham Initiative, Arts Alliance Illinois, AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits and is on the Steering Committees of Elevated Chicago and Together We Rise. Vickie’s track record positions her as a success benchmark for leaders in the commercial and mission lending and equitable community development space.
Vickie holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Chicago State University. READ MORE
Dr. William S. McClinton Ed.D. MBA — South Suburban Representative
Dr. William S. McClinton is a 20-year veteran of the United States Navy. He is the President and CEO of McClinton life Sciences Inc. (MLS) a company specializing in distribution and supply chain logistics of packaging components and medical laboratory supplies. MLS also specializes in the distribution of chemicals used in the development and manufacturing of medical supplies, personal care products, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.
William holds a Doctoral degree in Social Entrepreneurship and a Master’s in Business Administration, with minors in Organizational Leadership and Human Resources from Governors State University. He also holds a Master’s and Bachelorette degree in Education from Southern Illinois University with minors in Workforce Education and Curriculum Development. READ MORE