Elissa Sangalli, CEO, Northern Initiatives

MARQUETTE — Some kids dream about becoming a nurse. Some hope to grow up and join the Armed Forces. But for Elissa Sangalli, becoming the third CEO of Northern Initiatives was not something she ever anticipated.

“If you would have asked me when I was 10 if I would be running a CDFI (community development financial institution), I didn’t know what that was. But I think that this feels to me at this point in my career like a really natural progression and where I’ve been wanting to spend more of my time for the last three, four, five years,” Sangalli said, “and so I’m really excited to dive in and learn more about how to use financial tools to help support businesses and also to bring in the rest of my skillset to help complement.”

Sangalli will take over President Dennis West’s position when he retires at the end of June, becoming the next president of Northern Initiatives.

Sangalli grew up in downstate Schoolcraft, and has lived in Grand Rapids for over 20 years. She’s spent the last 13 years as the director for Local First, which is a nonprofit organization that works with approximately 1,000 businesses in west Michigan. As a previous member of Northern Initiatives’ board, Sangalli said she can’t wait to get started.

“I am incredibly honored to be able to help lead Northern Initiatives into its next chapter,” she said. “… I’m personally very, very passionate about helping grow local ownership. That’s the kind of work I was doing at Local First and over time, more of my focus has shifted on trying to figure out how to get more capital to local businesses so they could grow and expand. I’m excited to step into this new role.”

Sangalli said she’s looking forward to learning from West and stepping into his shoes when he retires. Her first main goals for Northern Initiatives are to build on the legacy, continue to grow and expand its services to local businesses throughout Michigan and share the story of why local businesses are integral to communities. Local businesses play a major role in communities, Sangalli said, adding that they create opportunities and jobs. Educating customers of the importance of buying local is another task Sangalli would like to continue to pursue and make those local businesses successful, she said.

Part of Sangalli’s job entails being the face of the organization who meets with funders who can provide capital to Northern Initiatives which then can loan those funds to local businesses.

Local ownership is a changing point in building a strong, resilient community, Sangalli said, and that’s what this organization is all about.

“I think a lot of times when we’re looking at our main streets or going to our favorite restaurant or brewery or little retail store, we’re not thinking about some of the behind-the-scene things that help that business be in business like access to capital to buy the merchandise, money to do renovation of that building,” she noted. “… To me, Northern Initiatives provides that capital and also the know-how of the businesses to be able to succeed and that matters because those folks are entrepreneurs who are passionate people who are building their dream. So I’m really excited to get to help people to build their dreams and bring those into reality and also to help their communities thrive.”

Jackie Jahfetson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is jjahfetson@miningjournal.net.