Board Spotlight: Welcoming Jenice Contreras to the Main Street America Board of Directors

Jenice Contreras is an established leader in business, community, and economic development. Currently, she serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development (the Center). Under the Center, Jenice is responsible for the NEO Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and community development.

Jenice is a driving force around the neighborhood redevelopment efforts in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood in the most densely populated Hispanic enclave in the state of Ohio and Jenice grew up and still works in.  Focused on cultural preservation, wealth creation and business development, Jenice represents the organization as project owner + co-developer of CentroVilla25, an adaptive reuse of a vacant 32,500 square foot warehouse and office building.

“Jenice Contreras is a powerful leader with long history of connecting communities, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Main Street America’s Board of Directors,” said Hannah White, Interim President and CEO of Main Street America. “Her deep experience with equitable economic growth, small-scale development, and cultural preservation will be invaluable in helping us pursue our strategic agenda and expand the reach of our network.”

Jenice serves on the Boards of the Center for Community Solutions, United Way of Greater Cleveland and is a member of the City of Cleveland’s Planning Commission’s Near West Design Review Committee and Cuyahoga County’s Citizen Advisory Council on Equity. In 2017, Jenice completed a fellowship through the Business Alliance for Living Local Economies (BALLE) and in 2019 served as the Faculty Chair for the National League of Cities Equitable Economic Development Fellowship.

She was recognized as the 2021 Progressive Woman of the Year and named as one of 2021 NEO Smart 50 by Smart Business Magazine. Other notable recognitions include Crain’s Cleveland Magazine’s 2019 Woman of Note in Non-Profit. In 2018, Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine also recognized Jenice as a Notable Woman in Real Estate, was awarded the 2018 YWCA Woman of Achievement and was the 2017 Ohio Latino Affairs Commission’s Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan. She is an advocate in addressing racial diversity and representation of people of color. Jenice was born in Puerto Rico, is bilingual, bicultural and proud of her heritage. She’s committed and passionate about equity and dedicated to ensuring economic growth of the Latino in Northeast Ohio.

Learn more about Jenice by checking out our Q&A with her below!

The work you are doing in Cleveland's Clark-Fulton neighborhood sounds incredible. Tell us more about the vision for CentroVilla25 and how this redevelopment project came together.

The CentroVilla25 project came out of a search to address the need for a lack of affordable, retail ready space in the corridors of the neighborhood I work in, which is also where I grew up. I fell in love with the concept of ethnic markets while visiting Mercado Central in Minneapolis. After the visit, nearly 10 years ago, I went home to Cleveland and began working on creating our own Latino market in the near west side of the city, the neighborhood that has the largest density in the state of Ohio. The project will feature  20 kiosk style, micro retailers, a commercial kitchen, an outdoor plaza, a specialty grocery store, and a business innovation center. CentroVilla25 will break ground this this summer and expected to open late summer 2024. I serve as project owner and developer of the project.

What is one key way Main Street leaders can better support equitable economic development in their communities?

By being INTENTIONAL about inclusion.  Inclusion must be a constant goal with no final destination. Yet. Full inclusion in an experience embedded in the fabric of the communities served.

Of all the values MSA embodies (Community-driven, Collaboration & Partnership, Equitable & Inclusive, Resilient & Future-focused, Community Preservation-based & Support Small for Greater Impact), which resonates with you the most and why?

Hard to select one because of their interconnectedness to each other. I would have to say Equitable and Inclusive. There is just so much work needed to ensure Main Streets are fully equitable and inclusive. I am looking forward to learning and contributing where and when it is appropriate.

Please join us in welcoming Jenice!