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- 2. 2 3Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report GREATER REACH. DEEPER IMPACT. Our core support includes lending, one-to-one technical assistance, training, and GIS mapping. At the heart of our work is the vision that everyone has the opportunity to live and work in their hometown. We work hand-in-hand with community members to support their efforts to move from just surviving to thriving. Thriving communities have sustainable infrastructure and community facilities, job opportunities that provide a good livelihood, and are places people are proud to call home. LEGEND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LOANS ENTREPRENEURSHIP SMALL BUSINESS LOANS COMMUITY SUSTAINABILITY COMMUITY SUSTAINABILITY LOANS TRAINING
- 3. 4 5Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report On September 19, 2014, the two of us sat at a table in Memphis signing all of the documents needed to perfect the merger between Community Resource Group and alt.Consulting. It has been exciting for both of us former board chairs to see Communities Unlimited, Inc. evolve as a whole new organization built on the rich history of both entities. The merger required change at every level and corner of the organization. As you can see in this report, the team never missed a beat and continued working with communities, water systems and small businesses all across our footprint. All the while four members from each board came together as one cohesive group to clarify the direction of the new Communities Unlimited. Today Communities Unlimited is uniquely positioned to work across the urban-rural continuum to build collaboratives of resource providers and community leadership teams that can move whole communities and neighborhoods toward prosperity. Our new CEO wove together an impressive leadership team able to build new programs, integrate their staff on the ground, make hard decisions together and effectively solve problems. After 15 short months, we can look back and call this merger a success! Finally, we would like to pay tribute to board member, Vera Novak, who helped us through this merger and unexpectedly passed away in January 2016. WE HAVEN’T MISSED A BEAT Herman Strickland Secretary/Treasurer Chris Page Chairman of the Board We are a unique organization that partners with people to support their efforts to improve their lives and their communities. This work is done through individual relationships, with a boots-on-the-ground approach that delivers resources, builds capacity, and has a deep and lasting impact. Our mission is grounded in the belief that thriving communities have sustainable infrastructure and community facilities, job opportunities that provide a good livelihood, and are places people are proud to call home. Our work begins with the purposeful building of partnerships that return positive impacts for all. We inten- tionally seek opportunities to collaborate with others that share our vision, and have the privilege of working with several partners that also are committed to families and communities across our seven states. THE POWER OF COLLABORATION We are proud of our achievements but we aren’t doing this alone. We have the privilege of working with partners who share our vision for vibrant communities. By working together we are stronger, can bolster our capacity, and have a greater, long-lasting impact in communities. COLLABORATIONS Rural Community Assistance Partnership WealthWorks Food LINC Delta Bioenergy LENDIN G TRAINGING TECHNICALASSIST ANCE GISMAPP ING C O M MUNITY SUSTAINABILIT Y ENTREPRENEU RSHIPENV IRONMENTAL GROWING COMMUNITIES Communities Unlimited is certified by the U.S. Treasury as a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) and has more than $16 million in assets. This certification allows us to be a lending source in rural communities by providing affordable lending and development services to help low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream. These critical resources support the needs of at-risk families, small businesses, and community infrastructure and development. STRATEGIC PARTNERS Center for Rural Entrepreneurship Center for Advanced Spacial Technologies (CAST), University of Arkansas City of El Cenizo, Texas
- 4. 6 7Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report WE ARE PROUD OF THE HARD-WORKING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES WE ARE HELPING. You know Martin Luther King says, “We are all woven together into a single garment of destiny.” I think that’s what CU does. —Terrence Davenport, Samaschool Instructor and Community Sustainability Team Member Dumas, AR We’ve got some plans, goals and hope for commercial development— retail stores and businesses coming in. But we we’re trying to work basic infrastructure: water and something everyone in town should have. It just takes time when you have very little money. —Mayor Scott Fricker Abbeville, MS Here we are—3 years ago we finished our application for MEMShop. They launched us into this Broad Avenue space. What a ride. So worth the leap!” —Alice Laskey-Castle and Miguelito Equis Owners, Five in One Social Club Memphis, TN Communities Unlimited was direct and honest which helped us quickly come to a conscensus to avoid hefty fines. —Mayor Alice Carlson Bradley, AR I want the next place we do this work (Community Sustainability) to be in my town. —Mayor Willard Ryland Cotton Plant, AR I owe so much to just the time Communities Unlimited spent helping me realized that I can control my finances versuses my finances controlling me. That was huge!” Emma Self Owner, Green Girl Produce Memphis, TN
- 5. 8 9Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report KEEPING CLEAN WATER FLOWING Clean water is currently a hot topic. But we’ve been passionate about it for decades, and have helped thousands of small towns and rural communities improve their water and wastewater services. A continuous flow of safe, clean water is essential for economic vitality and community sustainability—it keeps residents healthy, helps businesses grow, and encourages new employers to plant roots in the community. The small town of Bradley, Arkansas sits only miles from the Arkansas-Louisiana state line. Their first wastewater system was built 45 years ago with clay tile which is now disintegrating at an alarming rate, causing a high level of pollutants in their wastewater discharge. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) had issued 44 violations during the past two years. The town applied for a USDA loan to overhaul their entire sewer system, but those funds wouldn’t arrive in time to bring their sewer system to compliance before ADEQ started levying fines of up to $10,000 per day. That’s when Bradley’s Mayor, Alice Carson, contacted Communities Unlimited. In order to be back in compliance with ADEQ the city needed to a make two important changes that would cost them more than $150,000. They had to install two new floating aerators and move the inlet pipe in the water storage area. These changes would provide increased aeration and provide a final natural cleansing process for the water before it is released from treatment. To help Bradley get the funding it needed to bring the wastewater system into compliance and avoid hefty fines, we conducted a rate study and presented it to the city council who approved our recommendations. Mayor Carlson appreciated his straightforward approach and directness. With the funds borrowed from Communities Unlimited, Bradley can immediately make the upgrades to bring them back in compliance. The Communities Unlimited loan will also help pay for preliminary engineering to replace their crumbling sewer system that will be funded by the USDA. Once complete, the residents will have a new sewer system that no longer contains possible pollutants in the wastewater discharge. DISINTEGRATING SEWER LINES The rural community of Weleetka, Oklahoma sits in a horse- shoe bend of the North Canadian River. The town’s name comes from an ancient Creek Indian word meaning “running water” and their motto is “Take Pride – We’ll Thrive.” Community leaders were alarmed when the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality issued five different notices of violation and consent orders for their town’s water supply. Officials realized they would need to invest in their city by building a new water treatment plant. The city was able to secure $450,000 in funding from Indian Health Services, $4.2 million in grant funds from USDA, and a $1.1 million loan from USDA. However, none of these funds would be available to pay for the preliminary engineering and the permit to build the new water treatment plant. The city manager, Ben Parish, was referred to Communities Unlimited to see if we could help with the initial financing. Weleetka needed $229,235 to get the project off the ground. Communities Unlimited was able to secure $100,000 from the RCAP revolving loan fund and $129,235 from our Community Development Financial Institution’s loan fund. Weleetka hopes to begin construction soon and once completed the new water treatment plan will give the city the ability to sell water to neighboring districts, an added source of income that will help their city thrive. FUNDING A NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT The small community of Kaw City in north central Oklahoma sits on a hill overlooking Kaw Lake that was created when a dam was built in the Arkansas River. The majority of the residents in the community are retired and enjoy the outdoor recreation provided by the lake. Kaw City’s wastewater system was put under a consent order by Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality when their control panel failed allowing sewage to overflow. The city was able to put together most of the funding they needed for the project through grants but change orders increased the project’s cost $50,000 over budget. The engineer working on the project was familiar with Communities Unlimited’s RCAP partnership and introduced city officials to our development management specialist. We presented information about our environmental lending program to city officials who decided to fund the rest of their project through Communities Unlimited because of the better loan terms. Kaw City has been awarded additional grants to study the feasibility of expanding their water and wastewater services to reach lake front property which has been undeveloped because it lacks basic amenities. The possibility of developing the lake front would encourage economic growth with new homes, businesses, and residents. UPGRADES AND LAKE DEVELOPMENT
- 6. 10 11Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report West of the Pecos River in the Chihuahuan Dessert of Texas lies the City of Balmorhea. The area is known for the San Solomon Springs that provides 26 million gallons of water per day to area farmers. Balmorhea serves 208 residential and commercial customers with water and wastewater services, as well as K-12 school facility. In the heat of late July 2014, the city’s pumps failed at the main lift station that transfers the city’s wastewater to the treatment plant. The city hired a vacuum truck to pump and deliver wastewater to the plant several times each day and quickly incurred high expenses. After an exhaustive coordinated effort between Communities Unlimited and several government agencies and partners, it was determined there were no grant funds available for this type of emergency nor were there any state or federal loan funds that could finance the repairs immediately. By August the city increased water and sewer rates and constructed a temporary, above ground by-pass line but they were concerned repairs wouldn’t be complete before winter and freezing temperatures would threaten to stop operations again. In late September the city submitted an application for $148,000 to Communities Unlimited and the loan was closed on November 6, 2014. The loan provided $82,000 for the lift-station rehabilitation, and $66,000 to finance the emergency expenses and diversion from July to September. The city was able to complete repairs before winter settled in and continued providing services to the community. Sandra Navarette, Balmorhea City Secretary said, “I have nothing but good things to say about the process. Communities Unlimited was really easy to work with and very accommodating. We plan to continue working with them in the future.” EMERGENCY PUMP FAILURE 728,764 PEOPLE COULD RELY ON SAFE WATER AND WASTEWATER 354 COMMUNITIES WERE HELPED WITH WATER ISSUES $1.8 MILLION WAS LOANED FOR 16 WATER/ WASTEWATER PROJECTS ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURS For more than a decade we’ve been making a tremendous impact in driving local economic development and job creation. We take a holistic, in-depth, and hands-on approach when we work with business clients. We get to know them, their company, and customize a strategy specific to help them achieve success. Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare services produce a staggering amount of medical waste that must be safely collected and disposed of properly. Shane Nichols, an entrepreneur in Osceola, Arkansas knew there was a need for this service in his area and started MedEx Waste which collects biomedical waste, removes it from facilities, and transports it for disposal. After several years in business and a growing list of clients, Shane was struggling to manage his business accounting. The Arkansas Small Business Technology and Development Center at Arkansas State University referred Shane to Communities Unlimited and we got right to work with Shane. Shane needed to produce financial projections, prepare financial statements, and record account transactions correctly. These are all things financial lenders require. We enabled him to become proficient in accounting, which is essential to be a successful small business and introduced him to accounting tools that would simplify the process and easily prepare and produce the documents he needed. Shane is now using his new found knowledge and tools to make his business more cost effective. MedEx waste is currently in its fifth year of business. It fills a niche that is not met by the larger medical waste companies which is why his business has grown 200% in the past two years. MedEx started with three full-time employees and now employs nine full-time employees and three part-time employees and offers services in four states. Shane has also started another business which provides transportation to doctor’s appointments for those who need assistance. He identifies needs in his community and builds a business to full those. He truly has the entrepreneurial spirit. MEDICAL WASTE LEADS TO BOOMING BUSINESS
- 7. 12 13Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report The Memphis Heritage Trail is a 20-block area in downtown Memphis, Tennessee that is deeply rooted in African- American history and culture. It is also the site of an urban redevelopment project making it a sustainable community that drives economic development. Communities Unlimited became a partner in this project through our MEMShop program which helps small business owners launch pop-up retail shops in vacant storefronts. These businesses get a six-month lease, financial assistance, managerial consulting, and marketing services which lets them test a business concept with the hope of staying long- term. Three businesses were chosen for the Memphis Heritage Trail MEMShop project and they launched their businesses along Second Street in May, 2015. • OXN (pronounced oxen) is a men’s clothing store. Proprietor Zac Woolfolk wanted to test whether or not a storefront was the best way to reach his target market. • Circuitous Succession Gallery is a unique art gallery curated by Jason Miller. New shows are curated monthly with opening receptions the last Friday of each month. The Gallery represents established artists and occasionally introduces emerging artists. • Makeda’s Butter Cookies is already known to Memphians, but husband-and-wife team Maurice and Pamela Hill hoped their second location in Heritage Trail would help them reach new markets. And so far it has—Makeda’s has signed an extended 5-year lease. FROM VACANT TO VIBRANT Losing some of your eyesight has a profound impact on your life. Just ask Martez Freeman of Batesville, Arkansas. He began losing his vision and was unable to continue working his regular job. But Martez saw this as a chance to pursue his life- long passion of becoming a mobile DJ and start his own business. He began DJing when he was young, spinning records for his mother and house parties. But Martez needed a little help from Communities Unlimited to get DJ Pee Enterprise and Entertainment off the ground. The business name comes from his nickname, Pee-Wee. We sat down with Martez and together we went through each step of starting a small business. We mapped out a business plan, conducted a feasibility study and market analysis. All of these helped him secure funding from state organizations that assist individuals with disabilities. He used the funds to purchase special DJ equipment specifically designed for his vision loss. Martez employs part-time help to drive him to his events and assist with setting up and breaking down the equipment. Now that his business is up and running he is working to establish good accounting practices. Martez is currently training to use QuickBooks to make sure his business continues to thrive. VISUALLY IMPAIRED DJ PEE GETS THE PARTY STARTED 238 ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS WE HELPED 28 NEW BUSINESSES STARTED 80 JOBS CREATED 5 LOANS MADE TO SMALL BUSINESSES $39,500 LOANED TO ENTREPRENEURS Emma Self, owner of Green Girl Produce has been busy since we profiled her last year. She has new website, new logo, and is working towards her goal of reaching every Memphian with her micro greens. Emma created the first indoor vertical farm to grow microgreens in Memphis and she sells them to local restaurants. She has been collaborating with chefs to develop flavor profiles for different mixes of microgreens with recipes to match. Emma wants everyone to be able to add micro greens to their foods. The flavor profiles, including spicy and mild, give people the idea of what taste to expect and what foods to add them to. She wants to show the world, or least Memphis, that mi- crogreens aren’t just for chefs in high-end restaurant but that anybody can use them to add flavor to their food. She met last September with Communities Unlimited and we gave her a cash flow tool that showed her she could still turn a profit if she sold her greens at a discounted price to local grocery stores. Emma is still selling to chefs and restaurants but has started selling to Bring It Food Hub and Miss Cordelia’s—neighborhood stores that sell farm-fresh, locally grown food. She says her experience with Communities Unlimited has been invaluable. She now has a strong grasp on her expenses and revenues and feels the tools and training she has been given empowers her to be in charge of her finances. The biggest lesson she has learned from starting and owning a small business is to have fun. Emma is reaching out to more neighborhood stores and farmers markets so that she can reach more people with her locally grown greens. BUSINESS IS GROWING FOR LOCAL FOODS
- 8. 14 15Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY Making connections and building bridges of collaboration within communities to help move them from persistent poverty to persistent prosperity captures the essence of our Community Sustainability work. This strategy is facilitated by Communities Unlimited but owned and conceptualized by the local community. This grass-roots effort engages all areas of the community and partners with similar mission-minded organizations to move from survivability to prosperity. Communities Unlimited is working alongside the Community Sustainability leadership team in Dumas, Arkansas and has designed multiple strategies to grow entrepreneurs and build an ecosystem to sustain community growth. These strategies center around the local farmers market, developing artisans, revitalizing the arts center, promoting tourism, and offering support services to help existing businesses grow. Communities Unlimited has partnered with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship to support entrepreneur development and growth. We are also building capacity within city leadership to support infrastructure plans and working with the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Dumas, and the Delta Technology Education Center to engage community resources to support entrepreneurial growth initiatives. Lydia Davis, a Dumas community sustainability team member, recently formed a new non-profit, Widows Empowering Widows and Reaching Others to offer support to grieving adults, as well as provide mentoring to young people and young mothers. Currently she is looking for a facility so she can teach skills, provide career counseling, and be a place where older residents can interact with young people to empower them to reach their full potential. BUILDING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IN DUMAS, ARKANSAS In 2015, Communities Unlimited began working with community leaders in Newport, Arkansas during the past year to create a diverse Community Sustainability Leadership Team to evaluate the assets, challenges, and opportunities in the community. From there they will construct strategies to encourage entrepreneurship and help existing businesses grow. The Center for Rural Entrepreneurship is leading the team through an opportunity assessment and providing training for the process. The team is creating strategies that will: • Expand and improve communication channels to entrepreneurs • Create kits for starting a business • Build mentoring resources • Recognize community members for their contributions to the community and business development • Capitalize on identified development opportunities • Market and promote locally owned businesses Community stakeholders are directly involved in executing these strategies and the Community Sustainability Leadership Team members are personally working with local entrepreneurs to make sure they have the resources they need. This type of commitment and passion is what makes the community sustainability work so rewarding and will transform these communities into vibrant places to live and work. STIMULATING SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH IN NEWPORT, ARKANSAS In the early 1980s a land developer named Cecil McDonald began selling cheap land to poor immigrant families settling along the Rio Grande River in Webb County. They were completely unaware of the greed and corruption behind the transactions. The State of Texas Attorney General’s Office took McDonald to court and a judge placed his unsold properties into receivership in the bankruptcy proceedings. This followed a state lawsuit accusing him of installing water and sewer systems that were unsanitary and violated state water laws. The bankruptcy receivership established a trust fund for a new nonprofit, the El Cenizo Infrastructure Development Corporation (ECIC). Webb County was appoint- ed the receiver of the public water system which served El Cenizo and the nearby colonias Rio Bravo. Webb County contracted with Communities Unlimited to manage the water and wastewater systems. More than 20 years later, Communities Unlimited is still dedicated to helping El Cenizo, Rio Bravo, and the surrounding colonias areas through its Nuestra Casa home improvement lending program. Sisters Graciela Serrato and Rosalia Jaime are using the home improvement lending program to improve their homes. Graciela used the funds to paint the inside and outside of her home and install a new roof. Rosalia is installing a new roof and adding sheet rock to the inside of her home. A very important partnership has been made with the City of El Cenizo and the ECIC. Mayor Raul Reyes agreed to assist residents in El Cenizo and the neighboring community of Rio Bravo in completing the loan application and receiving loan payments. Mayor Reyes’ staff to date has received 56 loan applications since June of 2015. Communities Unlimited has closed 33 applications totaling $84,000. IMPROVING HOUSING IN THE POOREST COMMUNITIES
- 9. 16 17Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report 2,500 GALLONS OF BIODIESEL PRODUCED THIS YEAR $445,160 IN GROSS SALES FROM THE $84,000 LOANED WILL PAY FOR WALLS, FLOORING, INSULATION, AND SAFE WATER 5 BUSINESSES 13 JOBS CREATED FROM OUR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORK 33 HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS MADE IN THE COLONIAS TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WHAT COUNTS FY 2015 COMMUNITIES UNLIMITED HAS IMPACTED 748,233 PEOPLE 354 COMMUNITIES 5 BUSINESSES 13 JOBS WERE CREATED FROM OUR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORK 238 ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS HELPED 28 NEW BUSINESSES STARTED 80 JOBS CREATED $39,500 LOANED TO 5 ENTREPRENEURS $84,000 IN HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS TO 33 LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN THE COLONIAS TO HELP PAY FOR WALLS, FLOORING, INSULATION, AND SAFE WATER 728,764 PEOPLE 354 COMMUNITIES HAVE CLEAN DRINKING WATER $1.8 MILLION LOANED FOR WATER/ WASTEWATER PROJECTS 16 WATER/WASTEWATER LOANS MADE 44 COMMUNITIES WE HELPED SECURE $26 MILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING Our work continues to evolve in the small Delta town of DeWitt, Arkansas with a farm to fuel initiative. Delta Bioenergy is a network of farmers, producers, distributors, and local businesses who have created a value chain that’s using the resources and assets of the community to create sustainable energy to power everyday infrastructure. Farmers and test plots at University of Arkansas’ Phillips Community College DeWitt Campus (PCCUA) have more than 50 acres of camelina planted that can be processed into biofuel and animal feed. Vegetable cooking oil is also collected from the community and combined with the camelina to produce biofuel. Johnny Davis, a biofuel processing entrepreneur with ARCO Feed and Farm supply, has expanded his operation capacity to process 200,000 gallons of biofuel a year and has added pretreatment tanks to make the operation more efficient and cost effective. Camelina is a winter crop and extreme weather in 2015 hampered production. Delta Bioenergy partners harvested and processed seven acres of camelina in the 2015 growing season with the help of Renewable Energy Technology students at PCCUA. Partners are exploring different varieties of camelina that will work with the climate and staggering planting dates to manage risk. This should increase oilseed production to maintain a steady supply of feedstock for biofuel production. FARM TO FUEL PROGRESS IN DEWITT, ARKANSAS
- 10. 18 19Communities Unlimited 2015 Annual Report OUR PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS We expresses our sincere gratitude to our investors, contractors, and partners. Without their support we would not be able to help small communities and thousands of hard-working people build secure and sustainable futures. Arkansas Advanced Energy Association Arkansas Capital Corporation Group Arkansas Department of Human Services Arkansas Development Finance Authority Arkansas Economic Development Commission Arkansas Green Energy Network Arkansas State University Delta Center ARVETS Assisi Foundation Bank of America Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation CDFI Memphis Center for Rural Entrepreneurship Charles and Madonna Flemming Charles and Mary Grant Foundation City of DeWitt, Arkansas City of El Cenzio, Texas City of Memphis Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team College of Agriculture and Technology, Arkansas State University Community Development Corporation of Brownsville Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Foundation for a Greater Memphis Community LIFT Conservation Fund Conserve Consultants, LLC Delta Farmers Growing Camelina Delta Regional Authority Downtown Memphis Commission East Arkansas Planning & Development District EmergeMemphis Entergy Charitable Foundation Flemming Foundation Ford Foundation Hearst Foundations Hope Credit Union Housing Assistance Council, Inc. Houston Endowment Iberia Bank International Bank of Commerce Little Rock and Memphis Branches of St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank Lower Rio Grande Development Council Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation McCaffrey Foundation Memphis Office of Resource Enterprise Mid-South Community College Mississippi Department of Health Newport Economic Development Corporation Office of Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Community Services/ACF, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Wastewater Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Opportunity Finance Network Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Raymondville Economic Development Center Regions Bank Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc. Security First National of Hugo (Oklahoma) Simmons Bank Southeast Arkansas Planning & Development District Tennessee Valley Authority Texas Appleseed Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Business Cooperative Services U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development U.S. Small Business Administration Wells Fargo Bank Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LEADERSHIP Chris Page, Chairman of the Board SVP, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Herman Strickland, Secretary/Treasurer SVP and Senior Credit Officer, Pinnacle Financial Partners Wayne Fawbush Consultant Maximillan Sprinkle Attorney at Law, Sprinkle Firm Salomon Torres Executive Director, San Benito Economic Development Corporation Small Business Loan Committee Herman Strickland SVP and Senior Credit Officer, Pinnacle Financial Partners Joe A. Williams Market President, BancorpSouth Michael Jones President/CEO, Merchants & Farmers Bank Cardell Meadows Credit Analyst, Arvest Bank Maurice Butler SVP and Consumer Banking Manager, IBERIABank Water/Wastewater Loan Committee Mark Rounsavall Program Director, RCAP/Communities Unlimited Joe Ruddell President, First Bank of Washington County Louis K. Bangma Retired FmHA Loan Officer Alberto Luera Retired Executive Director, Centro Aztlan George Tipton Retired Development Management Specialist, CRG Deborah “Debby” Warren Principal, Debby Warren Consulting Adjunct Professor, Terry Sandford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University Donna Kay Yeargan Principal, DKY Consulting CEO, Communities Unlimited Ines Polonius Corporate Office Communities Unlimited, Inc. 3 East Colt Square Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 ph. 479.443.2700 email: info@CommunitiesU.org www.CommunitiesU.org RCAP State Offices Brandon, MS 601.506.6305 Dry Prong, LA 318.899.5001 Fayetteville, AR 479.443.2700 Rogersville, AL 256.483.8611 Texarkana, TX 903.793.0109 Warner, OK 479.445.3715 Waynesboro, TN 931.332.6579 Entrepreneurship/ Small Business Offices Pine Bluff, AR 870.535.0011 Little Rock, AR 870.535.0011 Jonesboro, AR 870.680.8284 Memphis, TN 901.312.9797 COMMITTEES OFFICES A special thank you to the people who have always believed in our mission and supported our work.