Latest SBFF Updates: Plenary Sessions and Small Business Partner Showcase
Debby Stefaniak
“OFN is excited to announce two of our three plenary sessions at this year’s Small Business Finance Forum. The Tuesday plenaries will cover two driving topics: working with individuals with criminal records and new capital raising strategies,” said Donna Fabiani, OFN’s Executive Vice President of Knowledge Sharing.
SBFF’s opening plenary, Unlocking the Potential of Individuals with Criminal Records: The Power of Small Business, will feature OFN President and CEO Lisa Mensah’s interview with Teresa Hodge, co-founder of Mission: Launch, an organization focused on financially stabilizing opportunities for individuals with criminal records.
Donna further stated, “Ms. Hodge’s commitment to reducing the harm prison causes to individuals and their families has been nationally recognized, and we are honored to have her on our stage. She will share her experiences as a person directly impacted by the challenges returning citizens face in entrepreneurship, as well as how CDFIs can be catalysts for economic justice.”
The lunch plenary on Tuesday, Growing Your Portfolio: Raising New Capital for Small Business Lending, centers on three new fund structures and collaboratives designed to raise capital to scale CDFI small business lending. The session will be moderated by Amir Kirkwood, OFN’s Chief Lending and Investment Officer, who will be joined by Gary Cunningham of the Black Vision Fund, Yuliya Tarasava of CNote, and David Gough of Grameen America.
The SBFF will also feature a closing plenary on Wednesday. Stay tuned for more plenary updates!
Small Business Partner Showcase Offers Something for Everyone
This year’s Small Business Partner Showcase will feature products and services for small business-focused CDFIs and other mission-driven lenders. This year marks the fourth consecutive year of the Partner Showcase at the Forum, which will also be the site of Tuesday’s Networking Reception, providing attendees the opportunity to meet exhibitors representing products, services, and networks that can assist them in achieving their lending missions.
Here is a list of this year’s Sponsors and Exhibitors, who help make the event possible:
Sponsors
- JPMorgan Chase & Co., Lead Sponsor
- Capital One, Bronze Sponsor
- Santander Bank, N.A., Bronze Sponsor
- Wells Fargo & Company, Bronze Sponsor
- Woodforest National Bank, Bronze Sponsor
Exhibitors
- Be Boss Online by Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation
- CommonGoals Software
- DownHome Solutions
- FISCAL Credit Suite
- FUND Consulting, LLC
- LoanWell
- Outcome Tracker by VistaShare
- Responsible Business Lending Coalition
- Tax Guard
- Ventures Lending Technologies
Learn more about Small Business Finance Forum’s speakers and agenda. Registration is still open.