Together we can.

Access to capital in certain areas of the Minneapolis - Saint Paul metro area (in particular, North Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Promise Zone), is limited compared to other parts of the area. The objective of Fortis Capital is to make financial, knowledge and social capital increasingly more available to these and other underserved areas. The following objectives comprise a developing list of targeted goals / outcomes: 

• Enhance access to capital infrastructure and financial opportunities
• Expand our successful Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) model
• Build community knowledge capital
• Aid in the creation of real wealth in target areas 
• Measure jobs created and or retained by Fortis Capital's operations 
• Aid in the creation of enhanced business knowledge transfer models 
• Leverage Fortis Capital funds with lending partners to maximize financial impact 
• Capitalize on lessons learned to replicate successes in other areas  

The Fortis Capital Participation Loan is similar to the City of Minneapolis Participation Loan model where the partner lender will approve the potential credit for participation loans, based on their own standard banking analysis: capacity to pay, credit history, conditions, etc. Fortis Capital will then complete its own review of the credit request. Fortis Capital will reach borrowers that would not qualify otherwise, based on its higher participation percentage and the risk mitigation factor from the bank partner’s point of view. Fortis Capital will also reach borrowers that would not qualify for other financing, given its much higher maximum loan level, currently $400,000.

Fortis Capital will serve businesses who need higher loan participation based on collateral deficiencies or credit deficiencies. Fortis Capital will purchase up to a 75% participation in partner approved loans.

Brian brings more than 30 years of professional experience in the  public and private sectors to Fortis Capital. His background includes work in nonprofit management, county government, for-profit business development, policy consultation, fundraising, lobbying and reform efforts in juvenile justice, human services, health, transportation, and education. 

Brian graduated from St. John’s University  in 1993 with a degree in Political Science and a Minor in History. Prior to co-founding Fortis Capital in 2019, Brian served as the Director of the Department of Performance Management and Innovation for the City of Minneapolis. He also served as the Owner and President of the Institute on Culture and Policy, a policy consulting firm dedicated to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in through systems change and community  engagement.

Brian has served on many boards and commissions over the past 25+ years. He was recently appointed by the Hennepin County Chief Judge, to the Charter Commission in Brooklyn Center, MN where he resides. He has been the recipient of over ten local, national, and international awards for the work he has done with resolute staff and community members throughout his career. His work with and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Living Cities, resolute  residents and others, is what led him to co-creating Fortis Capital.

In his free time Brian loves to spend time with family, traveling, reading, fishing, hunting, and attempting to stay in shape.  

Jim has over 40 years of professional experience in banking and economic development. His background includes 12 years with Wells Fargo in various roles, leaving the bank as Vice President of Diversity Sourcing. 

Jim received his Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) / Certified Industrial Developer (CID) designation in 1988, during his years serving as Director of Economic Development for the Saint Paul Port Authority. His experience includes revenue bond financing, commercial & consumer lending, SBA lending, business plan authoring, and seed capital financing. 

Jim is a graduate of the Pratt Institute Internship in Community Economic Development and a member of the inaugural Minnesota Chapter of the Society of International Business Fellows. He is also a Rose Center Equitable Economic Development Fellow. He has served on numerous boards, including being a founding board member of the Minneapolis/Saint Paul/Bloomington Foreign Trade Zone and having served on the board of the nationally known Summit Brewing Company.

Jim is the past Chair of the Board of the Amplio Economic Development Company.  He is the creator of the City of Minneapolis Commercial Property Development Fund (CPDF).

Shawn serves as the Director of Project Development for Premier Housing Management and Development. He implements the Company’s development strategy which entails the acquisition, rehabilitation, and repositioning of affordable housing assets in the upper Midwest. He also identifies new development opportunities that contribute to community growth and respond to emerging housing trends. 

Prior to joining Premier, Mr. Huckleby worked for the Department of Housing and Urban Development as the Director of Community Planning and Development and Deputy Field Office Director of the Minnesota HUD Office. He also directed a state-wide initiative that addressed home ownership disparities for emerging markets and served as the Vice President of the Twin Cities Community Land Bank. 

Andrea  is a dynamic multi-sector leader with experience leading teams,  strategy, analysis, and management operations in Fortune 50  corporations, large, complex city governments, fast-growing startups and  non-profit organizations. She has a track record of successfully  increasing organizational effectiveness by leveraging data to make  strategic decisions and designing for optimal implementation. Andrea is  known as a results-driven, authentic, and inclusive leader with a  relentless focus on creating innovative solutions to our community’s  biggest challenges. 

Andrea  earned her B.A. in Psychology and Scandinavian Studies with a minor in  Business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received her  Master’s in Public Policy with a focus on public and nonprofit  leadership and management from the University of Minnesota.

In  her free time, Andrea enjoys doing just about anything outdoors,  spending time with friends and family as a super-extrovert, and cooking  and eating all kinds of food. 

How Can You Help? 

Please consider making a donation to assist Fortis Capital grow and help more businesses in the Greater Minneapolis – Saint Paul area.  

Fortis Capital is initially seeking growth in two phases: 

• $1,000,000 in grants, forgivable loans and private philanthropy for infrastructure (staffing, overhead, etc.) to attract and retain qualified portfolio management and loan servicing staff. 

• $10M - $20M in grants and low-interest loans (Program Related Investments, EQ2 loans, etc.) to increase capacity – including expanding to serve the greater Twin Cities area. 

Here’s how you can help with our goals . . . 

• Send a check to: Fortis Capital, 333 Washington Avenue N - Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401 
• Donate on GiveMN.org
• Donate on PayPal
• Make a planned gift
• Donate stock or directly through an IRA

Please contact Jim Terrell to learn how we can accept these additional types of gifts: jim@fortiscap.org or (612) 389-1800.

Fortis Capital is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Fortis Capital’s EIN (tax ID) is # 84-2716465.