The Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corp. on Wednesday announced community relations and civic leader Tomas Porturas has joined its board.
Porturas brings extensive experience in nonprofit board leadership to the WCEC. He currently serves as Wells Fargo’s community relations vice president for New Jersey, responsible for region-wide Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, Community Reinvestment Act compliance management, team member volunteerism and external stakeholder engagement to help strengthen the communities Wells Fargo serves. Porturas also serves on the boards of directors and advisory councils of the UCEDC, Local Initiatives Support Corp. Greater Newark and the Elizabeth Development Co.
“Banks have an important role to play in supporting economic opportunity that helps diverse and underserved communities achieve their business goals. The WCEC is all about helping and strengthening businesses in diverse and historically marginalized communities in New Jersey, and I am honored to join its board and support its mission,” Porturas said.
The WCEC works with women and Black, indigenous and people of color-owned businesses from startup to growth stages through its educational resources, business counseling and technical assistance. The upcoming lineup of webinars covers key topics small business owners need like funding options, marketing, business planning and branding.
“We are delighted to welcome Tomas to the board of the WCEC. His civic leadership, community engagement and knowledge of microbusinesses aligns perfectly with our goals and mission,” WCEC Executive Director Rana Shanawani said
The WCEC’s board is made up of eight members with diverse backgrounds and skills who can lend support in mission-critical areas such as marketing, operations, law, finance, fundraising and management.
“By leveraging the skills of Tomas and our other talented business leaders on the board, the WCEC is closer to its vision of a world where all entrepreneurs have the support they need to thrive in business,”WCEC Board President Alyce Hackett said.
