Richmond, Va. (June 5, 2013) -The Better Housing Coalition (BHC), the largest not-for-profit housing developer in the Greater Richmond region, named Greta J. Harris as its new president and CEO, effective August 5, 2013.

 

Harris will succeed T.K. Somanath, who is retiring June 30, 2013, after serving as BHC’s first and only president and CEO for nearly 25 years.

 

“Building on T.K.’s legacy is a tall order, but we are confident that Greta’s scope and breadth of experience makes her exceptionally qualified to lead BHC and fulfill its mission,” said John McCann, chairman of BHC’s Board of Directors. “She can navigate the complexities of sustainable development, and she works collaboratively with a wide variety of community partners to succeed in creating healthier, more viable communities.”

 

Harris most recently was vice president for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national non-profit community and economic development corporation. In this role, she provided strategic and managerial support to 10 of LISC’s local offices in southern and mid-western regions. Prior to that role, she was the senior program director for Virginia LISC, based in Richmond, which supported local organizations in developing more than $250 million in real estate in Central Virginia.

 

“BHC is legendary for helping to transform so many of Richmond’s neighborhoods through high-quality, affordable housing and support services,” said Harris. “The need for strategic neighborhood investments that can lead to increased economic prosperity for residents and the broader community will be critical for the foreseeable future.  I look forward to working with BHC and its partners, investors and local governments in the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and Petersburg to help fulfill these needs and make our community stronger for everyone.”

 

 

Learn more about Greta: read the full press release here.