ACE | Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs announced today that Jesús M. Pizarro Rodríguez of Cobb County, GA has been named its new Chief Financial Officer. Pizarro brings over 20 years’ experience in strategic, analytic, results-oriented financial leadership acumen, focused in finance, operations, auditing, and risk management. He also has a comprehensive background in fintech, sustainability reporting, trending technology, compliance, best practices, and forecasting to drive long-term growth. Pizarro will oversee the finance, accounting, and compliance departments for ACE. As a member of the management team, he will have primary day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial-related activities of the organization.
Pizarro comes to ACE from Sunrise Movement, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his role at Sunrise Movement, Pizarro served as the Vice President of Financial Innovation at the Heifer Lab leading the strategy of Heifer International’s blockchain offering for agricultural development and financial inclusion. He also represented Heifer International as Council Member of the Libra Association and a Board Member of Friends of Barefoot College USA.
As the largest community development financial institution (CDFI) serving small businesses in Georgia, ACE aims to expand its lending capabilities beyond its current 68 Georgia county footprint, which includes metro Atlanta and North Georgia. With funding provided by Truist, ACE opened its South Georgia office in Tifton earlier this year, reaching an additional 32 counties for a total of 100 counties throughout the state. Pizarro and his team will be tasked to manage risks surrounding the expansion.
Last year, ACE engaged Next Street to guide development of a new strategic growth plan to scale their impact by helping capitalize small businesses with $300 million over the next five years. “Our new CFO was recruited to augment the team leading ACE into the future of finance – making the right capital available in the shortest amount of time to underestimated entrepreneurs for growing businesses and jobs,” said Grace Fricks, president and CEO of ACE. “We are confident that we have found what we need for this ambitious goal in Jesús, and very excited to have him on our team.”
A Certified Public Accountant, Pizarro holds degrees from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, City University of New York-Baruch College, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, and an MSc in Digital Currency from the University of Nicosia. He completed executive education in Inclusive Finance at Harvard Business School and the CFO Program at Columbia Business School. In addition to his work with Sunrise Movement and Heifer International, his leadership includes roles at Puerto Rico’s Government, and Archer Daniels Midland in Puerto Rico. His book Lessons Learned from an ERP showcases his NGO-based international accounting insights. Committed to sustainability, he continues pro bono work with Sunrise Movement. Pizarro’s journey reflects his expertise in financial accounting, financial technology, and advocacy for sustainability.
Back to ACE News