Forward Community Investments, Inc. (FCI) announced Monday that Evan Reed is returning to the organization as the new Director of Lending. He will begin his new role on July 17 and will be based in the organization’s Milwaukee office.
Evan has been a long-time champion for equity in access to capital, FCI said in a press release. Most recently he served as the Senior Director of Impact Investment Strategy at Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee where he led strategy and activation efforts for their $25 million Impact Investment Fund. Earlier this year, he earned recognition as one of Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 recipients and recently presented as the commencement speaker at the graduation for the 13th cohort of the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee.
This will be Reed’s second stint at FCI. He previously served as the Regional Director for FCI’s Southeast Wisconsin operations in 2020 and 2021, following nearly four years as Senior Program Officer, Equitable Economic Opportunities for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
“FCI is a long-standing community partner in Milwaukee and Wisconsin helping nonprofits and underrepresented entrepreneurs alleviate financial anxiety and create social impact by acting as an investor, connector, and advisor,” Reed said in a statement. “Joining FCI as Director of Lending will continue a career passion for economic development and creating access to capital with investments that reduce financial and socioeconomic disparities, as well as create generational impact.”
“We are thrilled to have Evan back at FCI in a key leadership position,” FCI CEO Ryan Zerwer said in a statement. “He has been an important part of Milwaukee’s impact investment ecosystem and we are excited to now leverage his talents statewide. He will be an instrumental part of our strategy to develop innovative financial solutions that facilitate catalytic impact in Wisconsin’s most challenged neighborhoods and communities.”
FCI is a statewide community development financial institution (CDFI) who provides mission-based financing, advisory services, and grants to Wisconsin mission-based organizations with a focus on addressing racial and socioeconomic disparities. They have offices located in Madison and Milwaukee. To learn more about FCI, visit www.forwardci.org.
