Ron Grzywinski has served as an advisor to, or on, the Craft3 Board of Directors since 1995. He brings unparalleled expertise in banking, finance and lending for community and economic development and small business. Ron’s numerous awards include the Independent Sector's John W. Gardner Leadership Award and the Medal for Entrepreneurial Excellence from the Yale University School of Management. In 1973, Ron co-founded ShoreBank Corporation, the nation's first certified community development financial institution, in Chicago. In partnership with community-based conservation organization Ecotrust, ShoreBank founders formed Craft3 to test their shared idea that economic development, positive social outcomes, and environmental sustainability could go hand in hand if you used capital as a tool for good.
Ron has been an invaluable guiding force for Craft3. He explains, “My role is to prod, encourage, commend strong performance, and to monitor. My duty is to help the organization, expand its horizons, and to believe that it can do more for the benefit of the community.” When asked what excites Ron about Craft3, he has this to say: “It is an organization that strives for perfection. It is constantly challenging itself to do more and to do better. It is very human in its work and in its relationship to its employees, clients, and neighbors.”