Toby Rittner, EDFP
President & CEO
trittner@cdfa.net |
Mr. Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), which includes management of a 32 member Board of Directors, and the organization’s various educational, advocacy and research initiatives. Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured extensively in The Bond Buyer and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author if CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) through the National Development Council (NDC). Rittner has also advised state and federal government leaders, including President Obama’s Administration Transition Team, on economic development finance policy and focus.
Prior to joining CDFA, Mr. Rittner was the Director of Legislative Affairs and former Director of Training for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Mr. Rittner has also worked for the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners, Community and Economic Development Department as a Senior Program Coordinator for Economic Development and as an Associate Planner for the City of Gahanna, Ohio.
In 2010, Mr. Rittner was appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I, LLC and is also a member of the Advisory Board for Heritage Ohio. Mr. Rittner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's of City and Regional Planning degree from the Ohio State University. |
Katie Kramer
Director, Education & Programs
Phone: (614) 224-1316
kkramer@cdfa.net |
As Director of Education & Programs for the Council of Development Finance Agencies, Katie Kramer coordinates the Council’s expansive educational offerings including CDFA’s Training Institute and Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Ms. Kramer is also responsible for managing all of CDFA’s outreach and programming efforts including field seminars, webinars, and design and communications activities. Prior to this role, Kramer served as CDFA’s Development Director for five years managing membership and sponsorship activities and assisting with the planning and marketing of CDFA’s events and publications. Previously, Ms. Kramer worked in the Assessment Division at Ballard & Tighe, Publishers as Project Coordinator where she managed projects involved with the development of standardized language tests. Prior to Ballard & Tighe, Ms. Kramer was employed by Scripps College as Assistant Director of the Annual Fund where she organized fundraising campaigns for alumnae, parents, and students. She studied art history at Scripps College and is a graduate of Cleveland State University. |
Stefanie Stoller
Development Coordinator
Phone: (614) 224-1300
sstoller@cdfa.net |
Stefanie Stoller manages CDFA's membership, sponsorship and Annual Development Finance Summit planning components. Stefanie is also responsible for managing the organization’s contact database, online bookstore and is the primary resource for directing individuals through CDFA’s internal network. Stefanie is a skilled association management professional having previously worked for a full-service association management company. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Consumer Affairs from the Ohio State University. |
Erin Tehan
Legislative & Federal Affairs Coordinator
Phone: (614) 224-1323
etehan@cdfa.net |
Erin Tehan manages CDFA’s various legislative affairs, policy and research projects including overseeing in-house grassroots legislative efforts. Erin’s primary responsibility is to manage CDFA’s legislative affairs efforts which includes, working with Congress and the Council’s legislative representatives in Washington, DC. Erin also provides support on the federal affairs side of the Council’s efforts by working with various federal agencies. She has a Bachelor of Science Business Administration with a focus on International Business and Economics from Ohio Northern University. |
Jason Rittenberg
Research & Resources Coordinator
Phone: (614) 224-1325
jrittenberg@cdfa.net |
Jason Rittenberg manages CDFA's ongoing research and resource collection activities and is the editor for the Council's popular Development Finance Review Weekly e-newsletter. The newsletter is sent weekly to nearly 20,000 subscribers nationwide. Jason also manages CDFA's Original Research Focus and Online Resource Database efforts to collect, disseminate, catalogue, and evaluate research and resource material for the development finance industry. Jason has a strong background in research and statistical methods, having spent the previous five years as the lead or assistant investigator on a number of research projects. Jason holds a Master's Degree in Communication from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor's in Communication from Ohio University, both with an emphasis on politics and media. |
Jerry J. Arkebauer
Bond Finance Course Advisor |
Jerry J. Arkebauer serves as the Council's Bond Finance Course Advisor providing expertise, leadership and direction for CDFA's Training Institute. Arkebauer's subject knowledge and experience provides CDFA with a unique insight into the use of bond financing for spurring investment and economic development.
Arkebauer served as Vice President of Finance for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority from 1997 to 2006 where he was responsible for developing the Port Authority’s Northwest Ohio Bond Fund Program and other stand-alone bond issues. He has completed 89 bond issues for more than $1 billion. Similar Bond Fund Programs later were initiated at four other Ohio Port Authorities to offer long-term, fixed rate bond financing for fixed assets.
He also is president of Arkebauer & Associates, LLC, a business and public sector consulting firm he established in 2007. Through consulting contracts, Mr. Arkebauer serves as a consultant to the Blanchard Valley Port Authority, with offices in Findlay, Ohio; the Regional Port Authority of Northwest Ohio, with offices in Defiance, Ohio; the Sandusky County – Seneca County Port Authority with offices in Tiffin, Ohio; and the Port Authority of Springfield, Ohio. Mr. Arkebauer received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toledo, and he is also the administrator of the Northwest Ohio Regional Economic Development Association (NORED) which represents economic development professionals in 12 Northwest Ohio counties. |
Tony Q. Smith
Tax Increment Finance Course Advisor |
Tony Q. Smith serves as the Council's Tax Increment Finance Course Advisor providing expertise, leadership and direction for CDFA's Training Institute. Smith's' vast experience in project and real estate finance provides a deep knowledge-base to help guide CDFA's educational elements related to tax increment finance.
Tony Q. Smith, AICP is a Practice Leader with S. B. Friedman & Company, a development advisory firm based in Chicago’s Loop. Tony is a real estate analyst with experience in public/private deal structuring, negotiations, tax increment financing (TIF) analysis, New Markets Tax Credits, and area revitalization strategies. He has assisted municipalities such as the City of Chicago, City of Milwaukee, and suburban Illinois communities in creating TIF districts, negotiating TIF contributions to public/private deals, and evaluating TIF feasibility for a range of front funding instruments.
On behalf of the City of Chicago, he also led the process of successfully applying for a $100 million allocation of New Markets Tax Credits in the 2006 federal competitive round. He is currently assisting the City in implementing its New Markets program. Tony holds a Master’s in City Planning, a Post-Master’s Certificate for study in Transportation and Infrastructure Planning, and a B.A. in Urban Studies and Environmental Studies, all from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American Planning Association, the Urban Land Institute, and the Congress for the New Urbanism. |
Dana Sumner
Revolving Loan Fund Course Advisor |
Dana Sumner s serves as the Council's Revolving Loan Fund Course Advisor providing expertise, leadership and direction for CDFA's Training Institute. Sumner's depth of knowledge and vast experience in small business finance and fund development helps guide CDFA's educational elements related to revolving loan fund finance.
With over 20 years as a commercial lender working for some of the largest banks in the country, Mr. Sumner brings a practical, hands on approach to Commercial Lending. In the capacity of Senior Commercial Lender he had the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of Commercial lending. As the Director of Lending for one of the largest Economic Development organizations in the Northeast he managed a 35 million dollar RLF and oversaw Economic Development retention and attraction efforts. In 2002, Dana P. Sumner and Vin DiCara started Development Finance Training and Consulting Inc. to offer Commercial Loan training nationally. He has trained thousands of lenders across the country in the areas of Portfolio management, credit analysis, loan underwriting, Economic Development strategies, problem loan resolution, documentation, financial analysis and entrepreneurial assistance. Dana has provided programs for the Credit Union National Association, Small Business Administration, National Association of Development Organizations, Rural Development, U.S.D.A., Farmers Home, Dept. of Agriculture, New England College of Finance, and various banks, Economic Development organizations and credit unions With a B.S, and MBA in Finance he has also served as an adjunct faculty member teaching Economics and Managerial Finance and is a nationally certified instructor for the entrepreneurial training programs offered by NXt Level and Fastrac. |
Eric Silva
Legislative Representative
Winston & Strawn
Phone: (202) 282-5745
esilva@winston.com |
Eric Silva serves as one of CDFA's Legislative Representative in Washington, DC. Eric has been an instrumental part of CDFA's legislative workings. Silva is with the Washington, DC based law firm of Winston & Strawn and worked on Capitol Hill before moving to the private sector. |
Lori Griffin
Chief Financial Officer |
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Sam DeNies
Network Administrator |
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