Cindy M. Holler is the President of Mercy Housing Lakefront. She is responsible for overseeing the implementation of a regional strategy for creating a continuum of affordable housing options for homeless, low income and working adults and families who are struggling to make ends meet. As President of Mercy Housing Lakefront, she oversees the operations of more than 1,500 units of supportive and affordable housing spread out across Chicago's Austin, Lakeview, Roseland, South Loop and Uptown communities. Mercy Housing Lakefront was formed when Lakefront Supportive Housing and Mercy Housing Midwest consolidated their local operations in 2006. Cindy will lead the organization as it establishes a pipeline of housing developments in Chicago, Milwaukee and Cincinnati. Prior to joining Mercy Housing Lakefront, Cindy was a National Director for Housing and Community Development for Fannie Mae. Cindy was responsible for making housing and community development investments with for-profit and non-profit developers as well as housing authorities and state and local governments through out the nation. In addition, she worked with each of the company's 55 Community Business Centers to define and implement Community Development strategies that deliver the greatest value to the community, that are aligned with community priorities, and that support Fannie Mae's mission to increase opportunities for homeownership and affordable rental housing. Cindy and her national staff of 10 people invested over $500 million in communities.Prior to joining Fannie Mae, Cindy was the Chief Operating Officer at Shorebank Development Corporation in Chicago and President of Shorebank's real estate development company in Cleveland where she was directly responsible for development of four major development projects, resulting in the new construction of more than 300 units of housing and more than $65 million in capital investment in projects in Shorebank's targeted communities.Prior to Shorebank, Holler was the Executive Director of New Cities Redevelopment Corporation in Harvey, Illinois, and was the former new project director of Progress of People's Development Corporation, a part of Brooklyn Catholic Charities. In both Chicago and NYC, she developed more than 1,595 units of low- and moderate-income rental and ownership housing, and a series of commercial projects for underserved neighborhoods. Holler received a bachelor's degree in political science/rhetoric and communications from Kent State University and her master's degree in City and Regional Planning/Real Estate from the Pratt Institute in NYC. Her honors include a Henry W. Miller Fellowship from the Urban Land Institute, the Robert S. Weinberg Award for Academic Excellence in Urban Planning, and from the American Planning Association, New York Metropolitan Chapter. Cindy lives in St. Charles, Ill., with her husband, Rev. Mark Larson, Senior Pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. |