The Long Beach Center of Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) open its doors to an undeniable force and gave him the authority to shape the progression of their organization; Byron Reed has become LBCEI’s first permanent president and CEO.
In April of 2017, Long Beach City Council moved forward with an intense strategy that focused on the advancement of the city in a 10-year span. Long Beach public servants focused on providing opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs.
One of the key parts of the economic blueprint is “Economic Inclusion which aims to increase access to economic opportunities in low-income communities to advance economic equity.”
LBCEI launched in March of 2020, standing as physical evidence of the Long Beach City Council’s initiative, which was devoted to the growth of the local economy entitled, “Everyone in.”
During their growth, the pandemic rapidly spread throughout the world. This pivoted the urgency of the original mission; the city needed a solution to take form immediately. LBCEI shifted gears and started to look at where they can support small businesses and harness food security for Long Beach residents in the north, central, and western regions.
The organization knew these next seasons of business will lean heavily on compassion due to COVID-19. That is why sitting at the helm is a businessperson who has a bigger heart than his suitcase, Reed is looking to become the firm’s first permanent president and CEO.
As a sought-out mentor for senior leadership and master of financial dealings, Reed will transition out of his senior position as vice president of CIT/One West Bank and begin a new chapter as CEO of LBCEI.
In reflection, the newly appointed CEO stated, “Now more than ever, economic inclusion is critical to creating an equitable environment for positive growth and impact throughout the city of Long Beach,” Reed said in the press release.
He continued, “As the first President/CEO of the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion, I am extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the organization around this critical work.”
Reed has been known to guide the very best and take on projects that deal very heavily with personal life. Much like the community seeks help during a crisis, people from various backgrounds would come to Reed in their most vulnerable states.
He leads a mentorship, Reed’s Tribe, which is a “Colorblind Mentorship through Authentic Leadership.” In a previous exclusive interview, Reed explained how this work influences the future and why it is significant to the collective community.
As president and CEO, Reed will be able to exercise his talents of support and strong leadership skills to navigate LBCEI through extremely sensitive places in the community, that need both a hand extended and the strength to pull them over rough times.
Looking at his background, Reed earned his bachelor’s degrees in finance and political science/public administration from the University of Oklahoma with over 30 years of experience in finance. The Long Beach Center of Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) welcomes his wisdom to lead the organization to success.
