Joseph “Joe” Rouzan III will retire after six years as president/CEO of Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC), making way for new leadership.
VSEDC is a community-based nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that offers programs and projects to drive community self-sufficiency, facilitate business growth, access to affordable housing, goods and services, and job creation.
Under Rouzan’s tenure, VSEDC has grown exponentially, evolving and expanding to meet the ever-changing needs for economic and small business development solutions in South Los Angeles while increasing funding to these organizations significantly.
Also, he created long-term partnerships with federal, state, county and city government agencies and major corporations, such as Best Buy, Annenberg, Weingart and 23 Banking Institutions.
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“I have been privileged to serve in the footsteps of my predecessor, Marva Smith Battle-Bey. Her spirit lives within the staff, which has grown from nine to 33 over the last five years,” said Rouzan.
“I’ll end by not saying good bye, but rather see you tomorrow. There is so much more to be done!”
Prior to joining VSEDC, Rouzan served as director of the City of Los Angeles Business Source Program, overseeing nine Business Source Centers throughout the city and managing a $4.5M annual budget. His 29 years of city service includes 13 with the Economic and Workforce Development Department and 16 with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Regarding Rouzan’s tenure, VSEDC Board Chair Kecia Washington said, “We appreciate all that Joe has done to bring the organization to where it is today.”
She added that the Executive Board has secured the services of an executive search firm to lead the recruiting process and is considering both internal and external candidates.
To learn more, visit vsedc.org. Contact Rouzan at [email protected].
