FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 16, 2023 (Brunswick, ME) – The Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) family of organizations announces the appointment of a new CFO, along with the following promotions and hires to its staff:

Teresa Jankovic has been named CEI’s new Chief Financial Officer. Teresa has served as CEI’s Interim CFO since May 2022. Teresa is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of New York, and for the past several years she has been working as senior advisor and consultant at a CFO level to a diverse portfolio of organizations. Teresa was a financial services audit partner in NY with KPMG and a Managing Director at BNY Mellon responsible for foreign exchange product management. Teresa served on the board of BMO Funds, Inc., 2020 – 2022. Additionally, Teresa served on the boards of Community Capital New York, The Ursuline School, and the Financial Women’s Association. She is a National Association of Corporate Directors Certified Director (NACD CD). Teresa holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting and finance from the Columbia Business School, a Master of Science degree in Applied Solar Energy from Trinity University, and Bachelor’s in Geology from Barnard College.

Promotions
Daniel Wallace has been promoted to Chief Investment Officer. As CEI’s CIO, Daniel leads a team of 12 deploying capital to Maine’s small business community and oversees the management of CEI’s loan and investment portfolio, which has grown to a record $60MM under his leadership. Daniel has spearheaded the creation of several new financing products designed to expand access to capital for low-income communities and build wealth for entrepreneurs underserved by traditional financial institutions.

Daniel began his career at CEI in 2012 in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Program, bringing with him experience managing and owning retail food businesses, building green homes and running a nonprofit arts organization. Daniel graduated with a B.A. from Williams College and an M.A. in Community Planning and Development from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine. Once a professional baker, Daniel is always on the lookout for an excellent loaf of artisan bread.

Ryan Green has been promoted to Director of Lending. Ryan joined CEI in early 2018 as a Credit Analyst before becoming a Loan Officer late in 2019 and was quickly promoted into the role of Senior Loan & Investment Officer during COVID. Prior to joining CEI, Ryan worked eight years for Seafax, Inc. holding various positions, including Credit & Senior Portfolio Manager. Ryan holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from The University of Maine at Orono.

Amy Winston has been promoted to Senior Director, State Policy. Amy first worked at CEI as the director of the Lincoln County Economic Development Office from 2004-2012, and then left to pursue other opportunities. She returned to CEI as Policy Associate in 2018, working with Carla Dickstein and Laura Buxbaum, and after Carla’s retirement Amy was promoted to State Policy Director. She has been a tireless, creative, and tremendously committed advocate for CEI’s mission, working to advance local food systems, child care, renewable energy, and small business resources in Maine through a combination of diplomacy, internal and external teambuilding, and an unwavering focus on equity. She holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Purdue University and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire.

New Staff Members

Jodi Cordes, Program Director for the CEI Women’s Business Center, Farmington. Jodi joins CEI as the Program Director for the CEI Women’s Business Center Southwest, based in Farmington. Jodi has served as a faculty member at Kennebec Valley Community College, Central Maine Community College, and RSU 9 Adult Learning Center. Before joining CEI, Jodi served as the Director of Human Resources at LEAP Inc. Jodi is a graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education, and holds a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Towson University. Jodi is a Society for Human Resource Management – Certified Professional and a Crucial Conversations Certified Instructor.

Max Evans, Senior Accountant – Max joins CEI as a Senior Accountant. Max is a licensed CPA in the state of Florida and brings valuable experience from accounting roles throughout his career and learning from various industries as well. During his professional journey in Maine and Florida, where he worked as a Staff Accountant and Staff Auditor. Max is a Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor. Max holds a master’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in accounting, both from Florida Atlantic University. Max relocated from Florida to Maine in late 2020.

Alexandra “Ally” Forester, Program Developer for the Childcare Business Lab – Ally joins CEI as a program developer for the CEI Child Care Business Lab and will create, enhance, and deliver programs that strengthen the childcare sector by expanding entrepreneurship opportunities with a focus on enabling business starts and encouraging growth and expansion. Most recently, Ally has been the owner and operator of several restaurant ventures. Before becoming a restaurant owner, Ally focused her work on Early Childhood education opening two elementary schools. Ally holds a master’s degree in teaching from the Relay Graduate School of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History of Art from Wellesley College.

Benjamin Kramer, Treasurer – Ben joins CEI as Treasurer.  Ben brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and growth from holding positions as Fund Accountant, Senior Financial Analyst, Budget Manager, Controller, and Manager for Investment and Planning at different organizations, most of them in the financial services industry. Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Nebraska Lincoln and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Maine.

Eric Treworgy, Business Advisor – Eric joins CEI as an SBDC Business Advisor, servingcurrent and aspiring small business owners in Washington and Hancock counties. Eric brings more than 35 years of experience in start-ups from different industries, spending many years of his career in the tech/software industry holding roles as a VP, Sales and Major Accounts. He also spent a few years as a CEO of STRIVE International, a non-profit organization helping individuals facing societal barriers to employment obtain the training and support they need to build a career. His most recent venture is the Pugnuts Ice Cream Shop and Gelateria in Surry, Maine. Eric is a graduate from Yale University.

Gretchen Ascher, CEI-Boulos Investment Analyst – Gretchen joins the CEI-Boulos team as an Investment Analyst, where she is responsible for supporting the senior staff in managing and expanding the company’s investment funds focused on high-impact commercial real estate projects across the country. Gretchen is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business with a Bachelor of Business Administration and minor in public policy. She previously worked as a Lending and Investment Intern with CEI in the summer of 2022, where she supported the creation of anti-racist and justice-focused initiatives within the underwriting process.

Stuart Hean, CEI- Boulos Vice President of Investment – Stuart joins the CEI-Boulos team as Vice President of Investment. Stuart joined CEI-Boulos with over 10 years of experience at the intersection of impact investing and economic development. He is responsible for managing and expanding the company’s investment funds, with a specific focus on business development and originations. Stuart started his career with Reinvestment Fund where he supported the implementation of strategic initiatives on behalf of the C-Suite. Additionally, he’s held the role of Director of Leasing & Development for Shift Capital, an impact driven and vertically integrated real estate investment firm, and most recently was Director of Investments at The Collective Investment Group – an impact driven private equity firm with a mission to capitalize Black real estate developers leading impactful projects. Stuart received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Environmental Studies from Haverford College.

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About CEI

Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) works to build a just, vibrant and climate-resilient future for people and communities in Maine and rural regions by integrating finance, business expertise and policy solutions in ways that make the economy work more equitably. CEI envisions a world in which vibrant, equitable and environmentally sustainable local economies enable all people and communities to thrive. More at www.ceimaine.org