Board and Staff
Members of AEDC elect the Arcata Economic Development Board of Directors annually. Board members are responsible for managing the corporation, setting goals and vision for the organization and monitoring the scope of programs and services offered by AEDC.
2008 Board of Directors
Michael Proulx, President
Mr. Proulx has served in various capacities on the board over the years and served on the Board from 1980 to 1997 and from 2001 to present. Currently, he serves on the finance, loan and executive committees. Mr. Proulx is employed by the California Department of Rehabilitation and Humboldt State University.
Sheila Steinberg, Ph.D., Vice-President
Dr. Steinberg joined the Board in August of 2005 and is an assistant professor of sociology at Humboldt State University. Her recent research projects include a study of three rural North Coast communities in an effort to analyze community strengths. In 2004 she completed Successful North Coast Entrepreneurship: Building Community Through Business, a report for the North Coast Small Business Development Center and Humboldt State University Office of Economic and Community Development. She currently serves on the loan and executive committees.
Susan Diehl McCarthy, Secretary
Ms. Diehl McCarthywas elected secretary in January, 2007 and was President in 2004. She has been on the board since 2002 and is currently on the loan and executive committees. Ms. Diehl McCarthy
is a senior vice president commercial lending at Reprop Financial in Eureka,
and has twenty years experience working with regional and local borrowers,
developers and governments.
Becky Price-Hall , Treasurer
Ms. Price-Hall was elected to the board as treasurer in January 2007. She currently serves on the finance, program and executive committees. Ms. Price-Hall is a grant administrator for the City of Trinidad.
Larry Dugger, Past President
Mr. Dugger was elected president in January 2007 and served on the Board from 1982 to 1997 and from 2001 to present. He currently serves on the finance committee. Mr. Dugger is the Operations Development & Planning Analyst for Simpson Timber Company in Arcata, CA
Janet DePace
Ms. DePace has served as vice-president and president and has been on the Board since 2000. She currently serves on the Loan Committee. Ms. DePace was co-founder of two local manufacturing companies, and currently owns MLC Enterprises in Eureka, CA. She is president of the Humboldt County Workforce Investment Board.
Tim Lorenzo
Mr. Lorenzo is returning to the AEDC board after serving from 1999 to 2003, serving as both vice president and president. Over the past twenty years, he has served on the program, membership, finance and loan committees. Mr. Lorenzo is the owner of Lorenzo Properties and a mortgage advisor, RCI Mortgage.
Carol Moorehead
Ms. Moorehead was elected to the board in January of 2007 and serves on the loan and executive committees. A 25-year resident of Eureka, Ms. Moorehead brings with her 17 years experience as a commercial banking manager. She also holds a California Real Estate Broker's License. Ms. Moorehead is the vice-president commercial banking relationship manager at Umpqua Bank.
Kathy Montagne
Ms. Montagne has served AEDC since 2004. She is currently the chair of the program committee. Ms. Montagne is the Executive Director of Northcoast
Children's Services.
Nancy Streufert
Ms. Streufert served as President in 2005, has been on the board since 2003. She is currently on the loan and executive committees. Ms. Streufert is a practicing attorney in Eureka with an emphasis in small business, non-profit, intellectual property, internet, and creative arts law.
Tina Susmilch
Ms. Susmilch has served on the Board since 2003 and is currently chair of
the loan committee. Ms. Susmilch is a vice president commercial loan officer
for Redwood Capital Bank in Eureka.
AEDC Staff
Ross Welch
Executive Director, since May 1, 2008
Mr. Welch comes to AEDC with thirty years of lending experience in Humboldt, Del Norte and Mendocino Counties. For the past eight years, Ross has worked in Humboldt County, most recently for Redwood Capital Bank where he worked in commercial lending and as branch manager. Besides lending experience, Ross has also served on various community organizations such as the Crescent City JayCees and Rotary Clubs in Eureka, Fortuna and Fort Bragg.
Stephanie Witzel
Controller, since October 2007
Ms. Witzel has been a Certified Public Accountant for nearly 20 years, with the last 14 years as a self-employed CPA. In that time, she worked for a wide variety of organizations including non-profit, governmental, agricultural and business. Stephanie joined AEDC to lend her expertise to supporting the small business community of Humboldt County. Ms. Witzel also has a B.S. in Natural Resource Planning from Humboldt State University.Arcata.
Kelli Denney
Loan Manager, since September 1999
Ms. Denny is responsible for review and preparation of all AEDC loan requests. She manages revolving loan funds that include SBA Microloans, USDA IRPs and three local revolving loan funds. Ms. Denney also packages and underwrites SBA 504 loans.
Kelli served in increasingly responsible positions with Six Rivers National Bank from Loan Specialist to Consumer Loan Officer to Assistant Vice President/Commercial Loan Officer from 1993 to 1999. Ms. Denney worked at U.S. Bank of California from 1989 to 1993 as a Clerk, Operations Assistant and a Real Estate Loan Processor.