We are pleased to announce, Elissa Sangalli has been selected as Northern Initiatives new President.
Northern Initiatives is a Community Development Financial Institution. Since 1994, we have made more 1,200 loans totaling $74M to bolster small businesses. Since our launch in 1992, NI has expanded from the UP to the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan in 2007 and then to the urban communities of the Western Lower Peninsula of Michigan in the last 2 years.
Elissa brings both experience and focus to this growth phase. We are very excited to announce she will be joining the team as President.
Elissa is an exceptional leader and is committed to building sustainable local economies that put people first. As the President of Grand Rapids – based Local First and Founder of Good for Michigan, she has brought together nearly 1,000 businesses in West Michigan to collaborate in building a vibrant community that encourages sustainable business, social enterprise development, and the creation of a more equitable and inclusive region.
Elissa is a founding BALLE Fellow and a BCorp Measure What Matters Champion. She has been named an Exemplary Executive by the Grand Rapids Young Non-Profit Professionals, and one of the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty leaders three times.
For additional details please see our official press release.
