Meet NeighborWorks Capital Board Member Rosa Rios Valdez

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Get to know Rosa, a Board member since 2007. She also serves as the Chair of the Loan Committee. As President and CEO of BCL of Texas, Rosa has led the investment of more than more than $200 million in small business loans and manages a $25 million commercial real estate loan portfolio. She has a strong commitment to rural communities and served as a board member of the Rural Alliance.

How did you come to be on the NeighborWorks Capital Board? What motivates you as a Board Member?

NeighborWorks Capital was a merger of a Neighborhood Capital Corporation (multifamily-focused) and RNA Community Builders (rural-focused). I was recruited by the outgoing rural NCC board member to fill a rural vacancy. I grew up on a dairy farm in workforce housing. And although I have lived in Austin Texas over 40 years, my husband says “you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl”. It’s so true. And I am also able to report, the stars are bigger and brighter in rural Texas.

What are the highlights of being Chair of the Loan Committee?

I am a trained commercial real estate underwriter. Serving on Loan Committee is both complex and rewarding. I especially like the diversity of NeighborWorks loan requests that come to NC. The borrowers, the developments, and the communities that the NeighborWorks Capital impacts are vastly different. The biggest highlight for me in 2021 was the work that our staff and Loan Committee completed for the creation of a long-term Permanent Capital loan product for our NeighborWorks network partners. This new loan product has been met with great success and we will be increasing this fund soon..

What has your board experience with NeighborWorks Capital taught you about, or have you been able to take back to, your full-time position?

I am a statewide CDFI lender. NeighborWorks Capital is a national CDFI. I understand and share the challenges of serving a big geographic market. I appreciate the NC staff capacity to originate and fund loans and the extensive effort to manage a large loan portfolio. Market penetration and loan funds recovery is critical in the CDFI industry. What I have learned the most is the importance of having sound corporate financials and dedicated staff to raise the capital for a growing CDFI. 

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