Quentin D. Strode

Quentin D. Strode is a community economic development leader dedicated to offering equitable financial solutions for marginalized businesses of color.

Quentin has served in senior leadership roles at Bank of America and U.S. Bank as top producer for the Western Regions. Running multi-state retail and small business operations while overseeing all aspects of bank operations, Quentin was in charge of integrating resources to drive and differentiate the brand and increase market share for both banks. Instrumental in revenue generation, Quentin delivered the bank’s full resources to various consumer and business-related services while also guiding decisions on local charitable giving, sponsorships, marketing and coordination of all community relations activities including local youth business training and mentorship.

Leveraging his expertise as a former executive for Bank of America and U.S. Bank, Quentin takes on a comprehensive approach to bridging the capital access gap for underserved community entrepreneurs and small business owners.

As CEO of Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation, Quentin is focused on improving the economic wellness of South LA’s disenfranchised entrepreneurs and small business communities by boosting capital access, capacity building and networking opportunities that expand beyond the LA neighborhood. By amplifying technical and entrepreneurial assistance and strengthening youth education, Quentin envisions a strong roadmap that facilitates business growth and job creation enhancing community self-sufficiency. Most recently as President and CEO for NEW Community Investments, Strode launched two business centers, offered college-level proprietary entrepreneurial courses, and provided alternate financing options to help underserved women, women of color and minority small businesses succeed.

Quentin is deeply involved in community affairs and is a sought-after board member, serving on the board of some of the most influential industry associations and community organizations like the LA Urban League and the Center Theater Group in the past. He also supports educational and scholarship opportunities for Southern California’s disadvantaged communities through board memberships for The Randal Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of La Verne, USC Dornsife College of Letters Arts and Sciences, Educating Young Minds, MUFG Union Bank Community Advisory Board, STEAM:CODERS and Woodstock Institute in Chicago, Il. He was recently appointed to the board of BizFed Institute.

Quentin is currently working on a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of La Verne. He holds a certificate from the Graduate School of Banking at the Pacific Coast Banking School, University of Washington in Seattle, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Jacksonville State University in Alabama. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Los Angeles and studied at Master of Public and Private Management program at Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama.