BBIF Welcomes Ray Gilley as New CEO

Marketing Department
Dec 20, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Mar 19

Ray Gilley brings decades of leadership and a commitment to economic development.

ORLANDO, FL – December 20, 2024 – BBIF is proud to announce the appointment of Ray Gilley as its new Chief Executive Officer. After an extensive search process, Ray was selected for his outstanding leadership, broad expertise, and unwavering dedication to community and economic development.

Ray brings decades of experience in business retention, growth, and attraction, as well as the development and implementation of financial tools such as Tax Incentives, Industrial Revenue Bonds, CDFI funds, Tax Allocation Districts, and New Market Tax Credits. Throughout his career, he has successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to deliver impactful programs and sustainable results across regional, state, county, and community levels.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Ray has held numerous appointed and volunteer roles across education, economic and workforce development, healthcare, business, and community development. His broad perspective and extensive network of relationships uniquely position him to lead BBIF into its next chapter of growth and impact.

“I am excited to join BBIF and build on its incredible legacy of advancing opportunities for underbanked businesses and communities,” said Ray Gilley, BBIF CEO. “This is an important time for the organization, and I am confident that, together with the talented team and our valued partners, we will continue to innovate, deliver meaningful results, and make a lasting difference.”

BBIF Board Chair, Jacqueline Barr, shared her enthusiasm about the appointment. “Ray’s wealth of experience, strategic vision, and proven ability to drive impactful results make him an ideal leader for BBIF. The board is confident in Ray’s ability to guide the organization forward, deepen our partnerships, and expand our reach in underbanked communities. We are excited for this next chapter under his leadership and look forward to the continued growth and success of BBIF.”

In the coming weeks and months, BBIF looks forward to introducing Ray to its partners, stakeholders, and community supporters. These engagements will provide opportunities to share his vision for BBIF and deepen connections with those who play a critical role in advancing the organization’s mission.

BBIF remains committed to empowering businesses, fostering equitable growth, and creating sustainable economic opportunities in underserved communities.

About BBIF:

Created in 1987, BBIF provides loan capital, financial technical assistance, and business development services to support business owners. As a mission-driven lender, BBIF helps businesses grow by offering capital solutions and specialized guidance tailored to their needs. BBIF is a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) and CDE (Community Development Enterprise) certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury CDFI Fund. The organization is also a Community Advantage and Micro Loan lender certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration, a Money Smart for Small Business collaborator certified with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and holds an AERIS rating of triple star, A.

Since its inception, BBIF has provided over 1,185 loans totaling $103.6 million and received over $200MM in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) awards, for a leveraged impact of over $625 million in NMTC investments. These efforts have created/retained over 15,000 jobs, while maintaining a historical loan loss rate of 4.08%. www.BBIF.com.