Pursuit is pleased to announce that Rachel Van Tosh has joined its team as Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer. Rachel will also serve as Chief Operating Officer for Pursuit Community Finance.
In her role, Rachel will focus on developing strategies, partnerships and programs that increase Pursuit’s impact in serving businesses owners that most typically lack access to bank credit, including women, minorities, and veterans. She will also assume day-to-day responsibility for lending and business development and advisory service operations at Pursuit Community Finance.
“Rachel’s work will greatly enhance our longstanding mission of ensuring that diverse business owners have access to fair and affordable business loans and support,” said Pat MacKrell, Pursuit’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are thrilled to have Rachel join our team and deepen our work in the communities we serve.”
“Pursuit Community Finance continues to expand its programming and lending throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Rachel brings the management experience required to enhance the success of these programs and our focus on creating opportunity for underserved markets,” added Steve Cohen, President of Pursuit Community Finance.
Previously, Rachel was a Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS). In that role, Rachel led a team that provided 20,000 entrepreneurs a year with a host of support services. During her tenure at SBS, Rachel launched innovative new programs that supported business resiliency and disaster recovery, strengthened women and low-income entrepreneurs, and grew neighborhood businesses. She also led capital access and advisory programs that connected companies to nearly $300 million in financing.
Prior to her position at SBS, Rachel worked at the New York City Economic Development Corporation in the Strategic Investments Group. There, she managed a multi-million dollar portfolio of tax and bond financing deals. Rachel holds a B.A. in Political Science from Haverford College and a M.A. in City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania.
About Pursuit
At Pursuit (formerly New York Business Development Corporation), our mission is simple: to provide businesses with affordable loans and resources so that they can reach higher, transform and grow. Pursuit is a community-focused lender where businesses can access more than 15 loan programs that provide financing from $10,000 to $5.5 million with affordable rates and terms. Last year alone, Pursuit provided more than $234 million in funding through 488 business loans, creating more than 2,900 jobs. Pursuit is a nationally recognized organization that focuses on serving businesses and lending partners in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Pursuit Community Finance is Pursuit’s nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution. Learn more at pursuitlending.com.
