Our Staff  

Our Staff

Jim Thomas, Project Operator

Mr. Thomas is the MBEC™ Project Operator and specializes in general management and organizational and administrative systems assistance.

Jim is an economic developer with a background as a commercial loan officer. His 16-year career in the banking industry has provided him with extensive experience in small business and community economic development. As founder and Executive Director of Community Capital Development’s nonprofit organizations since 1997, he has been responsible for establishing strategic and operating plans and budgets. His work has enabled the organization to achieve its mission of developing new entrepreneurs, creating jobs, growing loan funds, and nurturing business assistance programs. Jim has built lasting relationships with investors, supporters, and partners as well as with the general public and community development organizations.

Jim earned his undergraduate (BA) and graduate degree (MBA) in Business Administration at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Victor Valdez, Project Director

Victor Valdez brings the MBEC experience in business, economic development, and international trade with a strong background on minority business issues. He previously served as the President & CEO of the Northwest Minority Business Council, growing the organization to its greatest achievements in its 30 year history. He was the Latin American Sales Manager, for Seattle based, Johnson International Company before joining the Council. Before coming to Seattle, he spent several years with the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as the Associate Director overseeing various chamber business development programs.
He earned his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and received his Bachelors of Science in Marketing from Arizona State University. 

Rhonda DeVito, Business Consultant

Ms. Rhonda DeVito is a Business Consultant for the MBEC where she counsels business owners on how to grow their firms prosperously. Rhonda has a life-long history of launching and operating companies. She was President/CEO of Alexander Trading Co. Inc., an award-winning refrigerated trucking and transportation brokerage firm and also Apex Cold Storage Co. Inc., a public cold storage warehousing firm. After selling her companies in 1997, Rhonda began Ideas Int’l. LLC, doing discreet business consulting with a focus on mergers & acquisitions, start-ups and turnarounds. She has cleaned up sizeable embezzlements, managed firms in distress, worked with a variety of non-profit organizations and brings a wide array of skills to her position at the MBEC. Rhonda enjoys the challenges of working across all industries and cultures and bringing financial and contracting opportunities to her clients. .

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