ACG in San Antonio: Janie Barrera, Founder & CEO of ACCION Texas Inc. on 8/26/14

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ACG EVENT

Event Details

When:

August 26, 2014 11:30 AM - 1 PM CDT

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Overview

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Janie Barrera is founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Accion Texas Inc. Created in 1994, Accion Texas has grown to hold the nation’s largest microlending portfolio. The nonprofit agency provides small loans and management training to microenterprises of all kinds — from startups to long‐established businesses — and operates in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than 14,000 loans totaling more than 150 million – with an impressive 96 percent repayment rate.
As President and CEO, Ms. Barrera is responsible for the organization’s financial management, oversight of its annual budget and the development of methodology and loan delivery procedures. In particular, she has worked hard to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs, who historically have faced considerable obstacles when seeking the financing they need to start and grow their businesses. Since 1998, under her leadership, Accion Texas has made more than 660 loans totaling 7.3 million to women business owners in the Dallas‐Fort Worth area – and has
ensured that all of them receive the education and other tools they need to succeed. In fact, 40 percent of Accion’s DFW clients are women.
Ms. Barrera has received nationwide recognition for her accomplishments, including the Small Business Administration Financial Services Advocate of the Year and the Minority Enterprise Development Consortium's Corporate Advocate of the Year. The San Antonio Business Journal listed Ms. Barrera as one of “Twenty Defining Players: People Who Have Helped Shape the City,” and also named her as one of 2013’s “Legacy Leaders.” Ms. Barrera has served on many national, state and local boards, including the Federal Reserve Board’s National Consumer Advisory Council. President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Barrera to the President’s Advisory Council on
Financial Capability and she also was named to the board of directors for the Federal Reserve of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch.
She has dedicated her professional life to helping others. She is a change‐agent in the field of microfinance and helping small businesses reach their full potential. Experience from her 35‐year career has given her a unique viewpoint as to how microfinance relates to a community’s economic growth and social well‐being.
Ms. Barrera began her career as director of telecommunications for the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 1977. There, she helped found the area's first nonprofit radio stations, KLUX and KHOY, as well as two television production studios. After completing her MBA at the University of the Incarnate Word, the Corpus Christi native remained in San Antonio where, in 1989, she became marketing director for the U.S. Air Force Morale, Welfare and Recreation Division headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base. 
 
This lunch is sponsored by: BB&T 
 
Online registration is now closed (the RSVP deadline was Friday, August 22nd). Walk-ins will be accommodates if space becomes available based on no-shows at the following rates: ACG Member price: 40./Non-ACG Member price: 65.
 
Complimentary self-parking for this event is available in the parking garage of the Frost Bank building.

Your registration for this event acts as an audio/video release and includes your permission for ACG Central Texas to use your image and comments captured on audio, video or photographic formats while attending the event for marketing and promotional purposes. For further information please contact: Sara Singer - ACG Central Texas Chapter Executive @ acgcentraltexas@acg.org or 512-970-0417.

Cancellation Policy – Cancellations received in writing to acgcentraltexas@acg.org by 5pm, August 25th will receive a full refund. There are no refunds for cancellations received after 5pm on August 25th. If you are an ACG Member unable to attend, you can transfer your registration to another person for this same event. If the person attending in your place is not an ACG Member, they will need to pay an additional fee to bring them up to the non-member rate to attend.
Hosted by: ACG
Chapter
Austin/San Antonio
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