Janet Thompson, Chair of the Board, has announced the appointment of Paul Quintero to the position of Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer of ACCION New York.

Mr. Quintero joins ACCION New York with over 13 years of experience in investment banking, public accounting and community development investment experience.  Mr. Quintero served as Senior Vice President of Business Investments at the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ), one of nine empowerment zones established by the Clinton Administration in 1994 to revitalize distressed communities by using public funds and tax incentives as catalysts for private investment.   While at the Empowerment Zone, Mr. Quintero successfully closed over $25 million in direct investments and $57 million in triple-tax exempt financings for community development projects that include the largest "big-box" retail development in Manhattan, the largest microloan fund in New York State history, the first new medical school in Harlem in over 30 years, the first auto dealership north of 57th street, the first bowling alley north of 42nd street and other development firsts.

Before joining the Empowerment Zone in 2003, Mr. Quintero was a Vice President at Lehman Brothers, where he worked in the Global Communication and Media Group within the investment banking division.  Prior to Lehman, Mr. Quintero worked as a senior associate at Schroder & Co., where he worked in the Industrial Manufacturing Group.  Before joining Schroder, Mr. Quintero began his investment banking career with Chase Securities (now JPMorgan Chase) where he coordinated and managed syndicated loan financings and merger and acquisition transactions for both domestic and Latin American clients across a range of industries.  Prior to investment banking, Mr. Quintero worked as a senior staff accountant for Deloitte & Touche.

Mr. Quintero, a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), earned a BA in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Washington and was one of the 100 students selected by the Washington state legislature for a four-year full tuition scholarship under the Washington State Scholars Program.  Paul was selected as a fellow from the Robert F. Toigo Foundation and completed his MBA from Columbia Business School.

"Mr. Quintero's accomplishments and broad career experience demonstrate his commitment to the mission and work of ACCION New York," said Janet Thompson, Chair of the Board.  "We are confident that he will further grow our organization and continue to strengthen our positive impact on metropolitan New York's small business community." 

ACCION New York, the largest microlending organization in the United States, contributes to the economic development of the New York metropolitan region by providing loans and advisory services to those that do not have access to traditional sources of credit. Since its inception in 1991, ACCION New York has provided over $65 million in small loans to entrepreneurs that do not have access to traditional sources of credit, lending a benchmark $14 million in 2006 alone.  Ranging from experienced restaurateurs to home-based businesses and native New Yorkers to recent immigrants, loan recipients have transformed capital into citywide economic development, positive community change, and personal empowerment. 

In January 2009, ACCION New York combined operations with ACCION USA.