BOSTON, August 27, 2007 – ACCION USA, a microfinance pioneer and the leading microlender in Greater Boston, today announced that Senior Director Erika Eurkus has been named to the Boston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40,” which lists the best and brightest young business leaders and innovators in Greater Boston.

For each of the past 10 years, the Boston Business Journal has honored 40 outstanding professionals under the age of 40 for their business success and community contributions.  On October 11, the newspaper will host an awards presentation and special reception for the 40 awardees and other key area business leaders at the Marriott Boston Copley Hotel.

“I am so thrilled to be listed among these driven and enthusiastic businesspeople that have shown so much dedication to their organizations as well as to their communities,” said Erika Eurkus, Senior Director for Capital and Brand Development of ACCION USA. “All of us at ACCION USA are proud of our accomplishments in bringing credit to Boston’s underserved small business owners. We hope that with the tools that we provide – credit and financial education – our clients will one day make their own headlines in the Boston Business Journal.”

Ms. Eurkus is responsible for the capitalization and management of ACCION USA’s Loan Fund, which specializes in loans to low- and moderate-income individuals that are often considered unbankable by traditional lenders.  In addition, she leads ACCION USA’s branding efforts in positioning itself in the national marketplace. A frequent speaker on microfinance, Ms. Eurkus recently addressed several hundred senior staff at United Way’s annual conference.  Prior to her current position, Ms. Eurkus oversaw the day-to-day operations of ACCION USA’s New England lending program, a position she assumed after assisting with first ever merger in the domestic microfinance field in the union of ACCION USA and Working Capital.  Under her leadership, ACCION USA disbursed more than $6.35 million in loans – at an average loan size of just $6,000 – to local small business owners, many of whom were minorities or women.

A resident of Boston and native of Concord, Ms. Eurkus is an active volunteer in the community, leveraging her expertise and experience to further the cause of economic justice in the area.  She chairs the Housing Committee of Mayor Menino’s Boston ONEin3 Advisory Council and served for two years on the Advisory Board of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship at the Pioneer Institute.  Ms. Eurkus enjoys speaking about microfinance to students, often participating on panels or talking about her career path and ways in which recent graduates can become involved in microfinance and other forms of social enterprise.  Ms. Eurkus dedicated much of her free time in 2006 volunteering for Center for Women & Enterprise founder Andrea Silbert’s campaign for Lieutenant Governor.

About ACCION USA
ACCION USA is a private nonprofit organization that provides credit and business training to low- and moderate-income microentrepreneurs, or self-employed women and men.  Since it first began lending in Greater Boston, ACCION USA has disbursed over $9 million in microloans to owners of area businesses who had previously been unable to secure bank credit. These loans have helped these microentrepreneurs to expand their businesses, increase their income, and improve the well-being of their families.  For more information, visit www.accionusa.org.

Media contacts:

Monica Lai
ACCION USA
617-625-7080 ext. 1240