After five years at the helm of small business microlender HEDCO Inc., President Fernando G. Rosa will retire at the end of December.
The Hartford-based nonprofit, which has expanded its service territory statewide over the years, made the announcement Thursday.
Rosa’s successor will be Kim B. Hawkins, who has been vice president and chief operating officer. She has been a HEDCO employee since 1998.
“We are fortunate to have someone with such knowledge of HEDCO and its mission taking the helm,” said Barbara J. Randolph, the organization’s board chair. “The board is confident that Ms. Hawkins will provide the leadership, vision and continuity of HEDCO’s legacy of service and success.”
Rosa, who lives in Newington, succeeded Samuel Hamilton as president and CEO in 2015 after serving as a HEDCO officer for more than three decades.
“I’ve been gratified to serve HEDCO’s funding partners and clients for over four decades,” Rosa said in a statement. “It’s been a rewarding experience to watch hundreds of entrepreneurs and scores of non-profit organizations grow and thrive with the help
of HEDCO’s advice, loans and encouragement.”
Randolph said Rosa “combined a solid foundation of business savvy with a high level of integrity and his ability to work with a wide variety of people.”
During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, HEDCO has underwritten zero-interest credit lines of up to $20,000 for minority- and women-owned small businesses.