Page 10 - I21 Summit Magazine

PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, INCLUSION

AND DIVERSITY LEADS TO ENDURING COLLABORA-
TION WITH THE BLACK PAGES OF OHIO

inor- project lead when formerly a senior advisor for a federal regulator.
ity Business One such forum was called “Big Ideas for Small Business,” and it
MEnterprises was held in both Cincinnati and Toledo (respectively).
(MBEs) come in all Realizing that a signifi cant need in the revitalization of urban and
types, from fl edging central city neighborhoods is strengthening support for microen-
home based businesses terprises and small businesses, Thompson has been pleased to also
to store fronts to serve on community boards and committees. Her board service
construction contrac- at nonprofi t and community development corporation Mid-
tors that work on Town Cleveland is an example. Jeff Epstein, executive director,
largescale development MidTown Cleveland, Inc., values Thompson’s many contributions
projects. Such diversity to his organization: “Maria Thompson has been an invaluable
among MBEs calls for member of MidTown Cleveland’s board for nearly a decade, bring-
a variety of support to ing insight, connections, and wisdom to our organization. As a
help these businesses member of the development committee, she helped bring about
Maria J. Thompson continually grow and the fi rst weekly “Chomp” food truck event and its accompanying
improve. Additionally, street scape beautifi cation initiative. As a member of the board,
what’s typically true she has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help create the
of MBEs is that their vibrant neighborhood that MidTown is becoming today, asking key
business is located in a minority area or central city, and this makes strategic questions and providing insight based on her depth of
their existence and success that much more critical when it comes experience in community and economic development.”
to supporting community and economic development. Thompson
says such information about MBEs is critical in terms of under- In addition to MidTown Cleveland, Thompson was also the for-
standing why we need organizations like the Black Pages of Ohio mer board president of the now defunct WECO Fund. WECO
and its affi liate publication, The Summit Magazine. was formerly a community development fi nancial institution
(CDFI) and only US SBA Microenterprise Lender in north eastern
Thompson (a longtime advocate for minority homeownership, and Ohio. Thompson earned a special award recognition from the or-
microenterprise and small business development) has worked with ganization, and Carrie Rosenfelt, (former WECO staffer and now)
the various affi liates under the Black Pages of Ohio’s umbrella for executive director of the Economic and Community Develop-
nearly 25 years, or practically since its inception. ment Institute (or ECDI of) Northern Ohio, says of Thompson:
Thompson’s work in the area began in earnest as a community vol- “Maria is a champion for economic inclusion and equity. In the
unteer, which in turn lead to her becoming the director of a non- decade I have known her, she has been a tireless advocate for mi-
profi t affi rmative marketing and fair housing organization. It was nority owned business, fi rst as the board chair for WECO Fund, a
during this time that Thompson fi rst came into contact with the microenterprise development organization in Cleveland, and today
Black Pages of Ohio and contracted with the publication to adver- as a supporter of the Economic and Community Development In-
tise to reach her target audience. From this beginning, Thompson stitute (ECDI). Maria generously shares her depth of knowledge
has continued to work with and collaborate on a variety of initia- and experience in the industry to support organizations like ECDI,
tives with the Black Pages of Ohio. Several of these initiatives in- working to expand economic opportunity. “
clude providing sponsorship to support networking events hosted Bob Lanier, publisher and editor of The Summit Magazine, says
by the Black Pages during the vast majority of her banking career, of Thompson: “it’s been a pleasure to work with Maria on various
and including the organization in forums where she served as
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