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ROBERTO BARRAGAN - President
click pic to enlargeAs the President of VEDC, Mr. Barragan manages the largest business development non-profit organization in Southern California. With an annual budget of over $5 million and 42 employees in 7 offices, VEDC serves businesses yearly with financing, training, and direct business assistance. Previous experience includes work in minority and non-minority owned businesses, as well as community based outreach. Mr. Barragan has been responsible for startup company market strategy development, feasibility studies, financial evaluation, fund raising as well as the development of nonprofit coalitions.
Education:
University of California, Berkeley
- Masters of Business Administration, Marketing and Real Estate Concentration
Princeton University
- Bachelor of Arts, Politics and International Law
Areas of Expertise:
Non-profit management, community economic development, financial resources development, technical assistance to for-profit and non–profit entities, lending and micro lending
WARREN COOLEY - Vice President of Operations
click pic to enlargeBefore joining the agency nine (9) years ago, Mr. Cooley owned several businesses. The Living Tree was a small chain of bookstores located in several Southern California regional shopping centers. The other company, EDCON, was an economic consulting and project management firm, providing pre-development services to the recreation, entertainment and real estate industries. His previous responsibilities at VEDC have included Manager of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) office in Ventura County; Associate Director of the network of SBDC’s operated by VEDC; Director of Economic Development; and Director of Retail and Business Services. He brings to VEDC a solid background in business, consulting, and real estate development. He is also an experienced workshop and seminar presenter.
Mr. Cooley developed and directs the highly successful Historic Downtown Los Angeles Retail Project, which is charged with the revitalization of the City’s retail core. The business financing options used for the 50 new businesses that have located are creative, as no low cost government backed loans have been used.
Education:
University of Wyoming, Bachelor of Science, Education & Recreation
University of Oregon, Masters of Health & Recreation
Areas of Expertise:
Real estate development, retail development and businesses, Los Angeles downtown revitalization efforts, general
business topics, urban economic development
CYNTHIA IBARRA - Director of Business Services
click pic to enlargeMs. Ibarra has been with VEDC for the past 8 years, currently serving as the Business Center Director, where she is responsible for the agency’s technical assistance programs across the greater metropolitan Los Angeles area. She also oversees the production and implementation of the agency’s various annual access to capital business expos across the State of California. Previously, Ms. Ibarra served as the Program Manager for VEDC’s only business assistance State-wide program. This program focused on helping California based women and minority owned businesses through consulting, training, financing and procurement services. Previous to that, Ms. Ibarra served as VEDC’s Marketing and Development Director, where she was responsible for the agency’s and its 2 affiliates’ marketing activities across 5 offices and 3 counties. Currently, she serves on VEDC’s Marketing Committee, Public Relations/Marketing Board Committee and is an active board member for New Directions for Youth. Ms. Ibarra comes from 5 years of experience in the market research industry.
Education:
California State University, Northridge, Bachelor of Science, Health Administration
Areas of Expertise:
Marketing, event planning, public relations, development
Angela Stanislawski - Director of Lending
click pic to enlargeAs Director of Lending, Angela Stanislawski is responsible for the management of VEDC’s $12 million lending pool. She reviews attorney prepared loan documents, verifies that all conditions of approval have been met, secures collateral and funding of loans, in addition to monitoring collections, workouts and liquidations activity. Other duties include overseeing accounting for all lending programs and preparation of reports to all funding sources.
Angela Stanislawski began her VEDC career in 1998 as Program Assistant for its Lending Division. During her tenure in the Lending Division, Angela has held the positions of Microloan Program Coordinator, Program Manager for VEDC’s largest loan program, Los Angeles Revolving Loan Program, and Collections Manager. Angela is also a Notary Public for the State of California.
Education:
California State University Northridge, Bachelors of Science, Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Areas of Expertise:
Business lending, the process of business lending, microlending, and credit worthiness
JULIE FONSECA - Director of Economic Development
click pic to enlargeVEDC Mrs. Fonseca has been with Valley Economic Development Center since 2004 and currently serves as the Business Development Officer. While at VEDC, Mrs. Fonseca has secured over $4 million in contracts and established a Federal Credit Union Charter for the Pacoima Development Federal Credit Union, the first of its kind in the Pacoima community. Mrs. Fonseca has extensive experience in working with federal, state and local governments along with corporations and private foundations.
Mrs. Fonseca comes from a background in real estate and economic development and has extensive knowledge in acquisition and development. Mrs. Fonseca grew up in Boyle Heights and understands first hand the struggle and obstacles of small business owners such as immigration, language and access to capital. Mrs. Fonseca holds a bachelor’s degree and masters in business administration.
Education:
University of Southern California, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration
Areas of Expertise:
Economic development & revitalization, grant writing, public-private funding partnerships, credit unions.
ANTONIO PIZANO - Program Director, San Fernando Valley Financial Development Corporation
click pic to enlargeAs Program Director of the SFV-FDC, Mr. Pizano oversees the CA Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, SBA 504, and West Valley Microloan programs. Through these programs, Mr. Pizano has been able to provide small businesses with different levels of financing. The different lending programs provide the agency the flexibility to meet the individual financing needs of each small business; whether its $25K for the purchase of equipment, a $500K line of credit for working capital, or $5MM for the purchase of a commercial building, Mr. Pizano has assisted a number of businesses in accessing capital.
With over 10 years of retail banking and commercial lending experience, Mr. Pizano also serves on the Pacoima Developmental Federal Credit Union's Loan Committee where he reviews and makes recommendations on SBA 7(a) loan requests. With a strong background in banking, commercial & business lending, and real estate he has held various positions in the industry. Prior to joining the SFV-FDC, Mr. Pizano was a Business Loan Consultant for VEDC, and previously held management positions at Wells Fargo Bank and Norwest Financial. Mr. Pizano also has extensive experience in public speaking and workshop facilitation. Active in the local community, he has served on the Executive Boards of local non-profit agencies such as Pacoima Beautiful, the National Hispanic Business Association and the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce.
Education:
California State University, Northridge, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Finance
Areas of Expertise:
Credit management & underwriting, lending, consulting, business development and workshop facilitation. Fluent in Spanish.
