Nedra Sims Fears Email & Phone Number

Greater Chicago Area

The Greater Chatham Initiative (GCI) is a comprehensive, innovative and ambitious effort to align the growth trajectory of the Greater Chatham community -- comprised of the Chatham, Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park and Greater Grand Crossing community areas -- with that of the broader metropolitan Chicago region, for the mutual benefit of both. It aims to enhance Greater Chatham’s status as a community of opportunity – one that connects its residents, businesses and other assets to regional markets, as development and deployment of these assets are critical to the growth of the regional economy. It also aims to strengthen the community’s position as a community of choice – augmenting its ability to attract and retain the core of its historic population: middle-class African-American families.

Wrote a $17.4 million, phased, nine-block, 3.2-acre master plan for a substantiallydisinvested Atlanta urban community for an Atlanta nonprofit. Jumped-started sameplan with the development of a $3.4 million Phase 1 Creative Placemaking project. Assembleddesign, construction, and project management team. Competitively secured a $1 million capitalgrant from the City of Atlanta for the mixed-use development. Identified tax credit and privatecapital needed to complete Phase 1.Developed a $4.3 million 2-block plan to expand the campus surrounding an Atlantahistoric home museum for a client. Completed museum market study. Recommended how the museum couldincrease its revenues by 600%.Prepared as a Focus:HOPE employee a $30 million physical redevelopment plan and financialfeasibility studies for a key anchor building in a middle-income neighborhood. Building is a11-story250,00 sq. ft. mixed-use property. Identified Tax Credit Equity Syndication Team. Managed anadditional $7 million land assembly and project development for the adjacent 60 scattered-siteresidential units.

Prepared high-ability students and young professionals for ‘business.’ As a consultant conductedintensive one-to three weeks The Fullbridge company online program. Taught applied competencyin business analysis, sales, marketing, financial analysis, valuation, project management, andprofessional communications. At a minimum, participants reported gaining financial literacy and at a maximum reported being able to complete complex financial analysis and reporting.Wrote and secured $66,000 grant for a national non-profit client that wanted to improve women ofcolor corporate success. Created eight best practice workshops for: human resource managerswho need to successfully recruit and retain women of color; and for women of color on how to‘break the glass ceiling.’ Managed instructional design process. Delivered two workshopprototypes.Advised national nonprofit client on how to Increase Floridian women of color STEM careerpipeline. Researched and authored national and statewide professional mentoring program.

Marketed and underwrote for FannieMae two-custom housing finance transactions totaling $108million; doubled delivery of single-family lending products to $88 million; and credit enhancedmortgage revenue bond.Managed retail-lending division for the City of Chicago Department of Housing. Provided $350 million of mortgages, grants, and construction management services to property owners and renters who acquired, refinanced, and/or improved 4,000 single- and multi-family housing units. Structured two $250 million single-family mortgage revenue bonds. Financed $75 million in housingconstruction projects.Created and operated $35 million construction and permanent mortgage products for multi-familyproperties by Community Investment Corporation - one of the nation’s first CommunityDevelopment Financial Institutions.

Georgia

Provided business consulting and training to child care resource and referrals, and early care and education centers. Services included offering training and consulting to give childcare managers the financial tools they need to experience noticeable gains in revenue, net income, operating reserves and market share. Provided one-stop-shop training for CCRRs' center clients. Provided consulting and workshops for childcare center and group owners. Providers received Georgia Continuing Education Credit for some workshops.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Facilitated the turn-around of 45 (public, private and charter) early care and education schools in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan. Helped closed the educational achievement gap. Launched new wrap-around business management consulting practice for 6-10 large ($3-30 million) schools operated by school districts, universities, technical colleges, and charter and private schools. Increased corporate revenues by $3 million. Helped schools achieve noticeable gains in revenue, net income, operating reserves and market share; and decreased delinquent accounts. Researched child development and ECE economics; authored and delivered six original trainings. Presented trainings/industry business benchmarks at MN and Nat’l Assoc. for the Ed. of Young Children Professional Development conferences. Lectured at the World Forum in Belfast, Ireland. Testified at MN State House on facility financing.

Greater Detroit Area

Administered community development programs and innovative financing mechanisms to improve college campus’ contiguous neighborhood. Wrote and coordinated 38-block holistic strategic redevelopment plan with architects. Plan informed by local stakeholder advisory group. Prepared $30 million physical redevelopment plan and financial feasibility studies for 11-story 250,000 square foot mixed use existing building; and identified Tax Credit Equity Syndication Team. Managed $7 million land assembly and project development for adjacent 60 scattered-site residential units. Wrote development requests. Received grant awards. Awarded 2006 State of Michigan “Cool Cities” and 2005 LISC/MASCO Community Development. Detroit LISC planning partner.Secured funding for the installation of a new local playground and outdoor amphitheatre. Co-sponsored with a local bank a consumer credit counseling workshop for community members. Managed community partnership with local elementary and high schools. Coordinated painting and landscaping of local public school, boarding of vacant properties, and illegal dumping removal.

Bachelor Of Science, Interior Architecture

Loeb Fellow

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), Finance, Economic Development And International Business