| Greetings and Salutations! I’ve just come back from convenings of StartingBloc and the Social Venture Network, two organizations that have played a major role with the WJF/Mentor Capital Network. StartingBloc has been an excellent source of interns and staff for us since 2005, when Leah Morgan graduated from the 1st StartingBloc class and promptly racked us down to learn more about sustainable business. We have worked with a dozen StartingBloc fellows since then, as entrepreneurs, interns, and staff. It is a great resource for people looking to propel themselves into social enterprise careers. The Social Venture Network has always been our single largest source of mentors. They have created an amazing family of people who have created and guided the social enterprise field, and I am immensely proud to be a member. Say hello if you are going to be at either of these events: LOHAS (Los Angeles, CA – Oct 29 – 31) Net Impact (Minneapolis, MN – Nov 6-8) Saying goodbye. This summer, two members of the WJF/Mentor Capital Network passed away, and I wanted to remember them here. Fred Cooper was a leading figure in building the CDFI industry, and a significant force in bringing about the New Markets Tax Credit program. He was always warm and friendly and was excited to meet with our entrepreneurs at local events. Michael Kleinman was one of my favorite people. His career with Computer Sciences Corporation gave him incredible insights about managing large projects that he shared with me many times over late night whiskey and cigars. (The cigars were his. The whiskey was mine.) Both men will be missed. |
Ian Fisk Executive Director The Mentor Capital Network www.mentorcapitalnet.org |