REGISTER NOW!
Transforming communities, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago puts residents on the path to affordable homeownership and sustained neighborhood recovery. We are dedicated to the work of advocating for working families and revitalizing neighborhoods through community building, real estate development, mortgage lending, homeownership education, and housing policy.
Join us on March 11, 2021 at our (Virtual) Annual Awards as we honor leaders in affordable housing and those dedicated to creating healthy and stable communities where all are proud to call home.
For more information, contact Jennifer Conway at 773-329-4138 or [email protected]
Pledge
Thank you for supporting NHS, your pledge will support NHS' community reinvestment initiatives.
Speakers
Moderator

Anthony Simpkins
Neighborhood Housing Services
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Simpkins is a leader in Chicago’s affordable housing community and has held multiple roles serving the City of Chicago. Most recently as Managing Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Housing, he oversaw housing and community development policies, programs, and strategic investments. Previously, Anthony served as a Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County and was Deputy Commissioner for the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, focusing on asset management, intergovernmental affairs, housing preservation initiatives and economic development policy. Anthony helped to develop and administer many groundbreaking programs focused on revitalizing struggling communities, including the Troubled Buildings Initiative and the Micro-Markets Recovery program. Anthony was a 2011 Emerging Leader for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He is a board member and past-president of the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago, and a former board member of the Cook County Bar Association. He is also a Board member of the Downtown Islamic Center, the RTW Veterans Center, and former Managing Editor of the Journal of Islamic Law and Culture.
Panelists
Strategies for Systemic Change: National leaders talk solutions to access and equity

King Harris
Illinois Housing Development Authority
Board Chair
Mr. Harris has dedicated his life’s work to affordable and accessible housing and housing policy and advocacy. He initiated the first employer assisted housing project in the Chicago metropolitan area at System Sensor’s where he served as President and CEO. King conducted research, wrote, and published multiple housing policy action plans and reports used to guide housing initiatives throughout Illinois. He was a charter member of the Housing Roundtable working to advance affordable housing ideas in Illinois. His advocacy work as a member of the Housing Roundtable led to the creation of an annual fund to provide rental support for needy families, blight reduction in troubled neighborhoods, and a State Affordable Housing tax credit program. After serving eleven years on IHDA’s Housing Advisory Council, he is now the Board Chair. King is also a Senior Fellow working on Housing issues at the Metropolitan Planning Council. In addition to his work in housing, King chaired the Paralympic Committee during Illinois’ 2016 Olympic bid.

John Rogers, Jr.
Ariel Investments
Chairman, Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer
Mr. Rogers founded Ariel Investments, the first minority-owned investment firm, in 1983 to focus on undervalued small and medium-sized companies. Ariel Fund, which he still manages today—has a 34 year track record of outperformance. A sought after market commentator and speaker, John is regularly featured in a wide variety of financial broadcast and print publications. His investment expertise earned him honors as Co-Mutual Fund Manager of the Year by Sylvia Porter’s Personal Finance magazine as well as an AllStar Mutual Fund Manager by USA TODAY. John was awarded Princeton University’s highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented each year to the alumnus whose career embodies a commitment to national service. John is a board member of the Barack Obama Foundation, McDonald’s, NIKE, The New York Times Company and serves as vice-chair of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. Nationally, John is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a director of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.

Scott Swanson
PNC Illinois
President
Mr. Swanson is the regional president of PNC Bank in Illinois. He leads PNC’s overall growth strategy in the market, including the executive banking team, Corporate Banking, Asset Management, and Retail Banking. In addition, he represents PNC in the community and directs the company’s community engagement. Scott serves as a member to the executive committee of the Adler Planetarium and the Commercial Club of Chicago and serves on its Civic Committee. He serves on the boards of directors of The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, World Business Chicago, the Big Shoulders Fund, the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center and the Executives’ Club of Chicago. He is a member of the Cook County Council of Economic Advisors, the Economic Club of Chicago, the finance council of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and serves as a trustee of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago.

Andrea Zopp
Cleveland Avenue
Managing Partner
Ms. Zopp leads Cleveland Avenue’s work investing in and supporting minority and women entrepreneurs and their companies. Previously she served as President and CEO of World Business Chicago, where she led the organization’s mission of inclusive economic growth, supporting businesses, and promoting Chicago as a leading global city. Prior to joining WBC, she served as Deputy Mayor, Chief Neighborhood Development Officer for the City of Chicago. Andrea has held executive leadership positions at several Fortune 500 companies. As the former President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, she led the nationally-recognized organization’s focus on expanding economic opportunity in underserved communities. Andrea currently serves on the board of Relativity and has served on the boards of Urban Partnership Bank and Andrew Corporation. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Chicago State University and also serves on the boards of the Henry Ford Health System, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Black Ensemble Theater as well as the Chicago Police Board.
honorees
Transformative Impact Award

King Harris
Illinois Housing Development Authority
Board Chair
King Harris , Board Chair, Illinois Housing Development Authority, is awarded with the prestigious Transformative Impact Award for his contributions to affordable housing, housing policy and advocacy, wheelchair and handicap accessible housing, and most recently expanding housing opportunities for the recently incarcerated. Mr. Harris’ lifelong commitment to this work, his statewide philanthropy, and national and international contributions to the housing field, has truly had a transformative impact across the globe.
Community Impact Award

Maricela Garcia
Gads Hill
Chief Executive Officer
Maricela Garcia, CEO, Gads Hill, has earned the Community Impact Award for her work creating opportunities for children and their families to build a better life through education, access to resources, and community engagement. Her tireless efforts advocating for refugee, immigrant, women, and human rights continue to make an impact across our communities.
Gale Cincotta Community Visionary Award

Raul Hernandez
The Resurrection Project
Co-Founder
Raul Hernandez , Co-Founder, The Resurrection Project, will be honored with the Gale Cincotta Community Visionary Award – alongside Raul Raymundo – for his community investment work for predominantly Latino communities on the southwest side of Chicago and western suburbs. Under their leadership, TRP has seamlessly blended community development, community organizing, human service delivery, and advocacy to build healthier and stronger communities.
Gale Cincotta Community Visionary Award

Raul Raymundo
The Resurrection Project
Co-Founder and CEO
Raul Raymundo , CEO, The Resurrection Project, will be honored with the Gale Cincotta Community Visionary Award for co-founding TRP- alongside Raul Hernandez – and his community investment work for predominantly Latino communities on the southwest side of Chicago and western suburbs. Under their leadership, TRP has seamlessly blended community development, community organizing, human service delivery, and advocacy to build healthier and stronger communities.
Sponsors
Transformative Partners



Legacy Builder



Foundation Builder

City Builders




Neighborhood Builders






Community Partners






Community Friends
- Chicago Community Loan Fund
- Far South Community Development Corporation
- IFF
- Mutual of America
- The Resurrection Project
