Chamber Appoints Director for Women’s Business Center

(photo courtesy of Downtown Indy Inc.)

The Indy Chamber has announced that Julianne Carson will serve as its new director of the Central Indiana Women’s Business Center. The organization says Carson will manage financial education, technical assistance, and micro-lending programs to support the development and growth of businesses by women entrepreneurs in the nine-county Indianapolis region.

The CIWBC is a cooperative program with the U.S. Small Business Administration focused on supporting women-owned enterprises.

“As we rebuild our economy from the COVID pandemic, we need our best team on the field supporting local businesses,” said Michael Huber, president of Indy Chamber. “Julianne is a difference-making addition to our team in a crucial role at the helm of the CIWBC.

The chamber says Carson previously served as vice president small business banking business development at Busey Bank. She also worked in retail and commercial banking at JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.

“Women are underrepresented as entrepreneurs and business owners, but we’re working to change that as part of our vision for a more inclusive economy,” Huber added. “Access to capital can be a daunting hurdle, and Julianna’s experience in small business gives her unique insight and experience to tackle these challenges.”

Leading the CIWBC, the chamber says she contributes to a BOI structure that annually offers more than 10,000 hours of free one-on-one business coaching, classes, microlending and other capital resources to area businesses.