Introducing ICA’s new Chief Program Officer and Chief Investment Officer. ICA is proud to expand our leadership and team to take on new challenges.
Today we are happy to announce new hires and promotions to build ICA’s team and expand our capacity to accelerate great businesses. Dianna Tremblay, who has been an integral part of ICA’s growth over the past six years, has been promoted to Chief Program Officer. On the investing side, John Gough has joined as Chief Investment Officer, Yui Ueno is promoted to Senior Director of Investment, and Willis Wilson joins as our Portfolio Manager.
These staffing changes come at an important time for ICA as we work to expand access to coaching, capital, and connections for entrepreneurs of color and women entrepreneurs in the Bay Area. These entrepreneurs are often locked out of traditional financing and business networks due to systemic inequities – made worse by the pandemic. ICA is launching a new $10MM investment fund and continuing to grow our advising program offerings to support small business owners now and for the long term. (Read more about ICA’s work in our 2020 Impact Report, which will be released next week.)
“Having John and Dianna on the team is a huge coup for ICA and our mission,” said ICA CEO, Allison Kelly. “With John at the helm of our Investment team and Dianna guiding the development and delivery of our high-impact programming, ICA can expand our deeply integrated, collaborative model and continue to support the Bay Area region in the years to come,” she added.
Having launched and led the ICA Accelerator since its inception, Dianna created its overall infrastructure and has continued to iterate and innovate, ensuring that ICA delivers programming relevant to entrepreneurs in a rapidly changing region. As Chief Program Officer, Dianna will lead a team of three to expand the reach of ICA’s services and partnerships and continue to grow our service-delivery model. Dianna will also oversee our network of pro bono advisors.
John brings 20 years’ experience in international banking, corporate finance, impact investing, and has hands-on operational business experience. He joins the team after an exhaustive executive search and will be responsible for building ICA’s second investment fund, targeting a $10MM raise.
John is joined on the investment team by Yui Ueno who has been promoted to Senior Director of Investment and Willis Wilson as Portfolio Manager who joins ICA after years of experience working with ICA companies in an advisory capacity. We are thrilled to have Yui and Willis’s fresh perspectives, hands-on investment experience, and deep institutional knowledge on a growing team.
“We are tremendously pleased to have Dianna and John’s leadership in these important positions. John joining the ICA team and the elevation of Dianna are smart investments in our capabilities, people, and infrastructure at a critical time,” said ICA Board Co-Chair Jack Russi. “Both have the experience, leadership, and commitment to the ICA mission that will position our organization for further growth and success.”
Based in Oakland, ICA provides an interconnected model of business support to grow the value of local businesses so that entrepreneurs can create wealth for themselves and their workers. Since 1995, ICA has provided capital, coaching, and connections to more than 600 entrepreneurs throughout the region. With ICA’s support, these entrepreneurs have secured over $300MM in external funding, created and retained over 6,000 jobs, and paid over $1BB in wages to local workers.
In 2020, ICA launched the Resilience Lab Accelerator to strength the long-term resilience of small business, and introduced the Rapid Relief Liquidity Fund, a 0%-interest loan product, bringing to bear ICA’s integrated small business support and investments capacities, for small businesses affected by the downturn.
With a deepened executive team, ICA will continue to respond to the needs of our small business community as we navigate the uncertainty ahead, together.
Don’t forget – ICA will be releasing our 2020 impact report next week!
