Roberto Barragan

President
Valley Economic Development Center
(818) 907-9977
www.vedc.org

As the President of VEDC, Mr, Barragan manages the largest small business development non-profit organization in Metropolitan Los Angeles. With an annual budget of $5 million and over 50 employees in 7 offices, VEDC serves over 3,000 businesses yearly with financing, training, and direct business assistance.

Previously, as Vice President of Business Lending, Mr. Barragan managed a $6 million Revolving Loan Fund established by the United States Economic Development Administration and $2 million in Lending Programs consisting of commercial, small business, and microloans from $1,000 to $700,000. The Lending Division consists of 5 individual loan programs. Over the last 5 years, he has directed all loan origination, credit underwriting, loan closing and portfolio servicing. Mr. Barragan oversaw seven staff, three loan officers, and a variety of consultants and attorneys. The current portfolio generates over $500,000 yearly in program income.

He has over 13 years experience managing non-profit organizations, including the last eleven involved in community economic development, technical assistance to for-profit and non-profit entities, and financial resource development. Mr. Barragan is a nationally recognized expert on loan funds and microlending. Previous experience includes work in minority and non-minority owned businesses, startup company market strategy development, feasibility studies, financial evaluation, and fundraising as well as development of non-profit coalitions.

Mr. Barragan was previously Executive Director for the Community Financial Resource Center of South Central Los Angeles, a project of the Los Angeles Community Reinvestment Committee. A joint venture of 32 member banks and the Community Development Department of the City of Los Angeles. Under Mr. Barragan's direction the CFRC combined direct packaging assistance with a loan program designed to put money into the hands of small businesses based on real-world criteria and entrepreneurial loan underwriting.

Between 1989 and 1993, Mr. Barragan was Executive Director for the Mission Economic Development Association in San Francisco, California. As Director he was responsible for the completion of the 24th Street Revitalization Project, including the creation of art/public space improvement projects, the Mission Theater District Revitalization Project, the overall Economic Development Plan for the Mission District, and the acquisition and rehabilitation of a 350-car parking garage. Between 1987 and 1989, he was the Executive Director of Adelante Inc., a community development organization located in Berkeley, California.

Education:
1987- University of California, Berkeley, Masters of Business Administration, Marketing and Real Estate Concentration
1984 - Princeton University, New Jersey, Bachelor of Arts, Politics and International Law