N. American Business Alliance Announces New Executive Director

9/5/17

Rodney Foxworth

BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies), a North American network committed to building healthy, equitable local economies, announced today that Rodney Foxworth has joined as its Executive Director.

“After 17 years as BALLE’s founding Executive Director, I am completely confident in this choice for the future of the organization,” said Outgoing Executive Director, Michelle Long. “I respect Rodney’s vision, his thought leadership, and his experience. I appreciate his comfort with the complexity and nuances of network leadership, emergence, and systems change. He works in partnership, and walks with ease in many circles and with many constituencies. His leadership is what BALLE and the local economy field needs right now.”

“I am humbled and deeply honored to be leading BALLE into its next chapter,” said Foxworth. “BALLE supports the most committed and visionary local economy leaders, philanthropists, and investors in North America, and I look forward to strengthening BALLE and its leading edge community through deeper engagement with investors, businesses, and philanthropists, and increased opportunities for collaboration with mission-aligned partners.”

Foxworth’s career has focused on social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, impact investing, and economic development. Most recently, he founded Invested Impact, a consulting firm and intermediary, to help individuals and institutions better invest in promising ideas and social change leaders and enterprises. The firm has advised and partnered with numerous organizations, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Aspen Institute, Greater Washington Community Foundation, and T. Rowe Price. The firm's most visible project has been Ours To Own Baltimore, in partnership with Calvert Foundation and Humanim, which has raised more than $5-million in social impact investment from Baltimore investors. Foxworth also cofounded Impact Hub Baltimore, a coworking space for social entrepreneurs. Previously, Foxworth worked at BMe, a national leadership network of African-American men developed by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in partnership with Open Society Foundations, and at Job Opportunities Task Force, an advocacy organization and think tank focused on workforce development issues affecting low-wealth communities. A 2016 BALLE Local Economy Fellow, Rodney is an established thought leader on impact investing, philanthropy, equity, and entrepreneurship and has appeared on main-stages including SOCAP, TEDx, Council on Foundations, and Brookings Institution, and is widely published, including a chapter in the New York Times bestseller Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading, and Succeeding , edited by Ben Jealous.

“As the Chair of the BALLE Transition Committee, I couldn’t be more pleased about welcoming Rodney Foxworth as our new Executive Director. Our country needs leaders right now who have a special combination of innovative thinking and grounded economic development experience; a commitment to America’s most vulnerable populations; and soul. Rodney has these qualities and more. We struck gold when he accepted our offer,” shared Board member and BALLE Fellow Nikki Silvestri, Founder and CEO, Soil and Shadow.

“The executive search committee worked in close coordination to find fantastic candidates from around the country. From a broad pool of outstanding innovators, Rodney emerged as the clear, transformational leader meant to carry BALLE forward. We are thrilled to have an opportunity to work with him to define a powerful future for BALLE,” said Board member and BALLE Fellow Kimber Lanning, Founder and Executive Director, Local First Arizona.

“As an Oaklander, I could not be more excited to welcome Rodney to our local community. I look forward to our partnership here in Oakland and to Rodney's leadership to tie our local efforts to the continued equitable economic development work that BALLE is building across the country,” said Board member and BALLE Fellow Jose Corona, Director of Equity and Strategic Partnerships, City of Oakland.

Foxworth will be based in Oakland, California.

About BALLE: Founded in 2001, BALLE is a nonprofit organization committed to building local economies that work for all, focused on activating local economy ecosystems by connecting leaders, spreading solutions, and shifting capital. BALLE believes local, independently-owned businesses are the key to solving our communities’ toughest challenges and creating healthy, equitable local economies. Learn more at http://www.bealocalist.org . Also find BALLE on Twitter and Facebook .

Recent Deals

Interested in advertising your deals? Contact Edwin Warfield.

Connect with these Baltimore Professionals on LinkedIn

  • Edwin Warfield

    Editor in Chief, Warfield Digital

    Connect
  • Jean Halle

    Independent Consultant

    Connect
  • Larry Lichtenauer

    President of Lawrence Howard & Associates

    Connect
  • Newt Fowler

    Partner at Womble Carlyle, LLP

    Connect
  • David Crowley

    Owner at Develop DC

    Connect
  • Carolyn Stinson

    Stinson Marketing Group

    Connect