The Governor's Ultimate Small Business & Entrepreneur Resource Summit

Track 2: Finance and Credit Panelist Information

Robin Duncan

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Robin L. Duncan received both her bachelors and graduate degrees from Michigan State University.  With a personal, lifelong commitment to economic revitalization, her career has included work in Puerto Rico, Jefferson East Business Association as well as her current post as Business Development Manager for the Small Business Detroit Microloan Program, a collaboration between the City of Detroit and the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development. Her current role includes providing leadership, coordination and oversight of strategic community outreach initiatives.

Rita F. Hillman

Rita F. Hillman is the Director of Community Development at the Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund (MITF) which fosters economic and social justice by providing loans and technical assistance for affordable housing and economic development.  Her responsibilities at MITF include originating and underwriting loans for small businesses, nonprofit facilities, micro-enterprise loan funds, and commercial real estate development.  Rita is also responsible for working with a select number of housing partners throughout Michigan who are working on the state’s current foreclosure crisis.  She brings over 20 years of experience in the areas of commercial, consumer and mortgage lending to the position.

Prior to joining the Trust Fund team, Rita was the Marketing Director for the Michigan office of the Fannie Mae Corporation where she worked for 9 years.  While at Fannie Mae, she was responsible for the “HouseMichigan” lending initiative that provided over 50 billion dollars of investment in single-family, multi-family and community development.  Rita has a passion for working on projects that impact that lives of low-to-moderate income families located in urban, rural and on Native American reservations in Michigan.  She is also the former Vice President for Community Reinvestment at TCF Bank. 

In 2002, Rita was named one of Crain’s Detroit Business “Most Influential Women in Finance.”  She has a degree in business administration from Wayne State University.  In 2003, Wayne State honored her as one of its most prominent “Black Alumni.

Lorenzo Thurman

Lorenzo Thurman is the Executive Director of the Detroit Micro-Enterprise Fund. Prior to joining the Fund in 2007, Mr. Thurman was the economic development officer with the Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund for six years. He has more than eight years of experience in community and economic development and small business lending. The mission of the Detroit Micro-Enterprise Fund is to provide small business loans to entrepreneurs who do not have access to capital through traditional lending sources. Mr. Thurman has a passion for working with individuals and assisting them in maximizing their God-given talent.

Vanessa Rucker

Vanessa joined the CEED staff as the Small Business Detroit MicroLoan Program Loan Officer in 2006 and was promoted to director in 2008. Vanessa services the City of Detroit applicants at the CEED Detroit office.  She develops relationships with community leaders, financial institutions, and conducts Microloan orientations in Detroit.  Vanessa coordinates all phases of the loan process from meeting with potential clients, performing site visits, analyzing loan applications to presenting loan applications to the loan review committee and supervising the Detroit staff.  Vanessa previously worked at Bank One (formerly NBD Bank), and she brings 27 years of banking expertise as a Banking Center Manager and later a District Manager. Vanessa received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Michigan State University. Vanessa states “I am excited about joining CEED; it allows me the opportunity to help people in business achieve their goals and create new opportunities for the community.”

Daedra has received numerous honors for leadership and commitment to community transformation including: the National Association of Women Business Owners, Michigan Women's Business Council & CEED, African Women Economic Consortium, US Department of Justice for the Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust collaboration, and Women's Justice Center/My Sister's Place.

Daedra earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Wayne State University, and received a fellowship to the prestigious Center for Creative Leadership, Brussels, Belgium; LaJolla, California.  Daedra’s goal is to complete a Masters-PhD in International Peace and Conflict Studies.

Our Venue Sponsor is The Charles H. Wright Musueum of African American History.

Please visit their site, obtain a membership and view other upcoming events.

 www.maah-detroit.org

Information about our Panelists

Edward Deeb

http://directory.leadmaverick.com/The-Michigan-Business-and-Professional-Association/DetroitWarrenLivonia/MI/7/221/index.aspx

Maria Thompson

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/apps/pbcs.dll/dcce?Date=20071008&Module=100&Type=MIW07&ID=373297&Selected=84&nomdcache=1

Allen C Young

http://www.alancyoung.com/

 Perry Mehta

http://www.solarwaterenergy.net/coo.html

Co-Chairs of Our Planning Committee

Honorable Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168--57920--,00.html

Honorable Lt. Governor John D. Cherry, Jr.

http://www.michigan.gov/ltgov/0,1607,7-169--58524--,00.html

For more information about Dr. William F. Pickard, our Keynote Speaker

http://www.answers.com/topic/william-f-pickard

http://www.spoke.com/info/pEvpvPm/WilliamPickard