A creative architect and administrator of community development programs, Roy Priest is well-known and respected in Washington and across the country. His distinguished 37-year career in government and the nonprofit sectors included executive positions at both the local municipal and federal level. His exemplary leadership and accomplishments reflected his steadfast commitment to serving the social and economic needs of our nation's families and communities. His success is benchmarked by the thousands of housing, retail, commercial and industrial projects that have been built and financed through programs he has developed and implemented throughout his career in community economic development
Roy is currently a principal owner of Community Development Concepts, Incorporated, a consultant firm dedicated to providing unique and creative solutions to a full range of community and economic development challenges facing communities, government, and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers strategic interventions, situation analysis, planning and program development in real estate development and finance, business development and finance, risk management analysis, strategic planning, organization and human capital development, and management system development and analysis. The firm also provides CRA analysis, equitable development planning, grant acquisition and management, and the establishment of community relations strategies.
Prior to joining his current firm, Roy Priest served a seven-year tenure as the president and CEO of the National Congress for Community Economic Development. As chief executive to the nation's trade association representing more than 4,300 community development corporations (CDCs) nationwide, Roy demonstrated both innovative, effective strategies designed to foster growth and prosperity in America's economically distressed communities and a thorough knowledge of the programs, procedures, funding criteria, policy shapers and community leaders in the federal, state, local, philanthropic, and economic development arenas. He was instrumental in directing the formation and implementation of the organization's five-year strategic plan that will guide it through 2007. His work in re-positioning CDCs to become more entrepreneurial and self-sufficient was heralded. He was the outstanding spokesman for the CED field and significantly championed and advanced the economic, asset, wealth approach for communities and organizations.
Roy completed a 17-year tenure with the U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He helped create and direct groundbreaking initiatives that aided in the empowerment of communities and organizations throughout America. As the director of economic development, he administered and managed HUD's economic development programs including the $4.6 billion Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG), $3 billion Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Renewal Communities Program, $4.6 billion Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), $1B Economic Development Initiative (EDI) Program, $300M Section 108, and $50 billion Youthbuild programs. While at HUD, he also directed the Buffalo, NY, Community Planning and Development Office. During his tenure in the Buffalo office he led the nation by generating the largest number of applications and approvals for the UDAG program. His efforts transformed the economic development and strategic planning capacities of most of the cities in the 28-county region serviced by the office. He positioned the office to be the national leader for economic development programs and policies among HUD's offices.
Roy began his career in Washington in 1967. He worked for the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA) as the project director for a large urban renewal project responsible for the development of 1,800 units of new and rehabilitated housing, 25,000 square feet of retail space, and 40,000 of community service space. Over the next seven years, he held a myriad of senior management positions that involved the management of major program and policy responsibilities of the RLA. In 1975, he directed the task force to develop the District of Columbia's first CDBG application and concurrently directed all organization development functions to create the first consolidated housing department in the District (Department of Housing and Community Development - DHCD).
In DHCD Roy directed the Office of Policy, Planning, Program Development and Evaluation for nearly four years. He was responsible for all of the long-range strategic planning, program development, and housing and community development policy formulation for the District of Columbia. He subsequently took a position in the D.C. Office of Budget and Finance to direct the re-organization of the office and manage the Office of Resource Development that was responsible for the District's $450 million federal grant program.
Throughout his career, Roy Priest has been a visionary and committed ally and leader of the community development movement. He is imaginative, articulate, and confident about what can be done to improve the quality of life for all of America's communities. An intelligent and dedicated manager, he is knowledgeable in both the programs and principles of community development at all levels. He has been the strategic planner for organizations, programs, and communities throughout his 37-year career His honesty, forthrightness, and solid hands-on management experience have made him both a good team player and consensus builder.
A native Washingtonian, he attended Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. He is also the recipient of a Masters of Public Administration from The American University and a Masters of City & Regional Planning from the Catholic University of America.
Roy Priest serves on a myriad of national advisory boards that include the following:
Current Organization Affiliations:
- New Century Financial Corporation, Irvine, CA
- Commercial Lending LLC, Minneapolis, MN
- YouthBuild USA, Cambridge, MA
- Rural Local Initiative Support Corporation, Washington, DC
- St. Ann's Fund (Washington Archdiocese), Washington, DC
- Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH
- Intrust, LLC, Houston, TX
- Market Advisory Group, Project for Public Spaces, New York, NY
- Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Washington, DC
- New School for Social Research CED, New York, NY
- The Hausas Club, Washington, DC
- Bachelor Bendict Club, Inc., Washington, DC
- Newport Preparatory School, Wheaton, MD
- Boston College Center for Corporate Community Relations, Boston, MA
Past Business Organization Affiliations:
- Board of Directors, St. John's College High School
- Editorial Board, Housing Development Reporter
- National Working Group, Small Business Administration ACE-NET Program
- Member, National BusinessLinc Coalition
- Advisory Committee, Freddie Mac Affordable Housing Committee
- Vice Chairman Board of Directors, National Neighborhood Coalition
- Advisory Board, Community Development Financial Institution Coalition
- Advisory Committee Child Welfare League HOPE VI Technical Assistance
- Advisory Committee, Center for Community & Interfaith Partnership Building Communities Together
- Task Force, District Building Industry Association's Neighborhood Resource
- Advisory Board, Development Leadership Network
- Board of Directors, The Empowerment Network Foundation
- Member, Environmental Protection Agency, Smart Growth Coalition
- Member, 21st Century Committee on Economic Security (Social Security Reform)
- Convener, Sustainable and Livable Communities Network
- Member, Technical Advisory Group - Health and Human Services
- Advisory Board, National Association of Manufacturers Workforce Development Leadership
- Member, New Market Tax Credit Coalition
- Member, National Commission of Wealth Accumulation
- Board of Director, Community Market Plan Development Institute
|
