CDFI Friendly South Bend Introduces Community Champion Sam Centellas as Its New Leader

CDFI Friendly South Bend Board Chair Ramal Taylor is proud to introduce Sam Centellas as the organization’s new Interim Executive Director. Centellas will join CFSB on June 7th.

Since fall 2013, Centellas has led La Casa de Amistad, the regional Latinx Youth and Community Center. He will continue with La Casa de Amistad until he transitions to full-time work at CFSB this Fall.

Founded in 2020 just prior to the COVID-19 crisis, CDFI Friendly South Bend is connecting local businesses, individuals, and developers to the $220 billion CDFI industry. CDFIs—community development financial institutions—are private financial institutions with public purposes. Most recently, CFSB celebrated the opening of the Beauty Hive Beauty Supply with financing it helped coordinate from Allies for Community Business, a CDFI based in Chicago.

Board Chair Taylor says that, “Sam brings to CFSB proven experience working in South Bend’s communities, fundraising, and networking. Everyone who knows Sam knows that his hiring will bring energy and excitement to our efforts to increase flexible, affordable financing in South Bend.”

“I am excited to join the team as an advocate for our community to bring more focus, attention, and most importantly resources for affordable housing, small businesses, and nonprofits,” Centellas said.

“Sam is exactly the kind of entrepreneur CDFI Friendly South Bend needs,” according to Mark Pinsky, Founding Partner of CDFI Friendly America, a national trade organization. CDFI Friendly America worked with the South Bend business, community development, and public community to design and launch CFSB. “We know that CDFIs managing hundreds of millions of dollars are looking to invest in South Bend.”