Featured Speaker

Lyneir Richardson is the Executive Director of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CUEED) at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ, where he leads capacity-building programs that have assisted 600+ NJ entrepreneurs and founded the Black and Latino Investment Fund. He is also Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the Department of Management and Global Business at Rutgers Business School.

Lyneir is co-founder of The Chicago TREND Corporation, a social enterprise funded by prestigious impact investors to stimulate urban retail development. To date, Chicago TREND has raised $17M+ to strengthen commercial corridors and owns four community shopping centers.

Lyneir served as the Chief Executive Officer of the primary economic development corporation in Newark, NJ, for two different mayoral administrations, and started his career as a corporate attorney at the First National Bank of Chicago. He graduated from Bradley University and the University of Chicago Law School.

Lyneir Richardson

Executive Director, Rutgers Business School, CUEED

Session Panelists

Chris Bernardo

Chris Bernardo

President and CEO, Commercial District Services

Jef Buehler

Jef Buehler

Leader, NJ Neighborhood Preservation Program

Aisha Glover

Aisha Glover

Vice President, Urban Innovation, Audible, Inc.

Richard Heapes

Richard Heapes

Senior Vice President, Streetworks

Emily Manz

Emily Manz

President, EMI Strategy

Michael Manzella

Michael Manzella

Deputy City Manager, City of Asbury Park

Rafael Mata

Rafael Mata

Senior Consultant, SBDC New Jersey

Michael McGuinness

Michael McGuinness

Chief Executive Officer, NAIOP NJ

Natalie Peneiro

Natalie Peneiro

Executive Director, Downtown Somerville Alliance

Vanessa Quijano

Vanessa Quijano

SVP of Business Development, Invest Newark

Roger S. Smith

Roger S. Smith

Design Director, Gensler

Jonathan Schultz

Jonathan Schultz

Managing Principal, Onyx Equities

Ralph Zucker

Ralph Zucker

President, Somerset Development

Bob Zuckerman

Bob Zuckerman

Executive Director, Downtown Westfield

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