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Meet the rest of the team

A message from the Managing Director

I am passionate about the work the organization is achieving as we empower the next group of category leading enterprises. As I source new companies to be in our portfolio while building relationships with investors and the community, I hope to spur business growth in our economy. I have spent my career working as an investor and builder, and hope to continue to impact lives and my community for the better.

A Q & A with New Community Transformation Fund Director Ollie Howie


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Help­ing grow a more inno­v­a­tive & diverse West Michigan

We believe in a more diverse econ­o­my, dri­ven by eco­nom­ic pros­per­i­ty in West Michi­gan com­mu­ni­ties of col­or. With greater access to cap­i­tal and essen­tial sup­port ser­vices, we’re cre­at­ing upward mobil­i­ty for entre­pre­neurs who haven’t been giv­en this oppor­tu­ni­ty his­tor­i­cal­ly. NCTF Grand Rapids is active­ly part­ner­ing with investors who share this vision and are ready to lead.

Grand Rapids, MI

Lim­it­ed Part­ner Investors

We’re proud to part­ner with local com­pa­nies invest­ing in the future of West Michigan

Inside NCTF Grand Rapids

  • Tina Freese Decker
    Tina Freese Decker
    Pres­i­dent & Chief Exec­u­tive Offi­cer, Corewell Health

    “We are proud to part­ner in estab­lish­ing the New Com­mu­ni­ty Trans­for­ma­tion Fund. The funds are intend­ed to increase eth­nic and racial diver­si­ty in own­er­ship and entre­pre­neur­ship in West Michigan.

    Invest­ing in part­ner­ships that enhance equi­ty and strength­en our com­mu­ni­ty is con­sis­tent with our mis­sion to improve health, inspire hope and save lives.”

  • Robert B. Kaminski
    Robert B. Kaminski
    Chief Exec­u­tive Offi­cer, Mer­can­tile Bank of Michigan

    “The New Com­mu­ni­ty Trans­for­ma­tion Fund has the poten­tial to be a nee­dle mover for the advance­ment of racial diver­si­ty for busi­ness own­er­ship in West Michigan.

    Mer­can­tile Bank of Michi­gan is pleased be one of the ini­tial investors in this fund, and through it, we remain com­mit­ted with all of our com­mu­ni­ty part­ners in work­ing to ensure that busi­ness oppor­tu­ni­ties are avail­able that will cre­ate a strong and sus­tain­able eco­nom­ic cli­mate in which every­one in our diverse com­mu­ni­ties can par­tic­i­pate and enjoy.”

Anthony Chang, Founder of BAMF

BAMF Health enables true intelligence-based precision medicine by pinpointing cancerous cells, and effectively treating them with more accuracy and precision than traditional methods. The Company piloted in Germany and moved to Grand Rapids to headquarter.

A Chang Final

Sabeer Nelli, CEO of Zil Money

Zil Money is an all-in-one payment platform and accounts payable solution designed for SMEs. Zil Money automates payments from start to finish so you can spend less time on payment tasks and more time on work that really matters.

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Carl-Alain Memnon, Cristian-Robert Joseph, and Patrick DeSuza Co-founders of Grain

Grain analyzes a user’s cash-flow behavior and provides them with a personal, responsible revolving line of credit based on their unique spending habits without issuing a physical card. The product is automated from end-to-end: Grain syncs with a user’s existing primary checking account and, using their transaction data, makes credit decisions and empowers users to manage their credit responsibly. Grain operates on a monthly billing cycle and reports monthly to all three credit agencies, just like a traditional credit card.

Grain Founders

New Visionaries Wanted

New Community Transformation Fund is equipping ambitions early & mid-stage high growth companies, transition/legacy businesses and providing business development & support.

Learn More

Who should apply

We’re actively seeking relationships with companies that:

  • Are scal­able, high-growth, ear­ly to mid-stage companies

  • Have founders locat­ed and oper­at­ing in West Michigan

  • Are in advanced man­u­fac­tur­ing, food pro­cess­ing and agribusi­ness, life sci­ences and med­ical devices, or infor­ma­tion technology

  • Are focused on mul­ti-gen­er­a­tional wealth cre­ation with­in his­tor­i­cal­ly dis­ad­van­taged groups

Entrepreneur Apply
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Grand Rapids, MI

Board and Investment Committee

Board of Directors

  • B Klohs Final

    Birgit Klohs

    Co-Founder & Exec­u­tive Chair
    New Community Transformation Fund
  • Headshot c jackson 2x

    Christal Jackson

    Founder
    Head & Heart Philanthropy
  • Headshot s welch 2x

    Skot Welch

    Co-Founder and Man­ag­ing Partner
    New Community Transformation Fund
  • Headshot g rochow 2x

    Garrick Rochow

    Pres­i­dent & CEO & Board Treasurer/​Sec­re­tary
    CMS & Consumers Energy
  • K Anku final

    Kwame Anku

    Chair­man & CEO
    Black Star Fund
  • R Hall

    Ron Hall Jr

    Pres­i­dent & CEO
    Bridgewater Interiors, LLC
  • V Pickard

    Vivian Pickard

    Pres­i­dent & CEO
    Pickard Group

Investment Committee

  • Headshot s mclean 2x

    SCOTT MCLEAN

    Man­ag­ing Director
    COREWELL HEALTH VENTURES
  • D Grogan Final

    DALE GROGAN

    Chief Exec­u­tive Officer
    NCTF, HOLDINGS
  • Headshot h burrell 2x

    HAROLD BURRELL

    Part­ner, SVP
    LIGHTHOUSE INSURANCE
  • Headshot t liang 2x

    TIM LIANG

    Man­ag­ing Director
    ALPHAMAX ADVISORS
  • Headshot d holtrop 2x

    DOUG HOLTROP

    SVP, Cor­po­rate Banking
    MERCANTILE BANK OF MICHIGAN
  • R Scott Square

    RACHEL SCOTT

    Real Estate Invest­ment Consultant
    SPARC INVESTMENT LLC
  • R kothari Final

    RAJESH KOTHARI

    Man­ag­ing Director
    Cascade Partners LLC
  • S Jandernoa Square

    STEVE JANDERNOA

    Part­ner
    42 North Partners
  • S whitelocke square

    SIMON WHITELOCKE

    Pres­i­dent
    ITC Michigan