Maysee Herr, Ph.D., was hired as executive director of the Milwaukee-based Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce (HWCC) in December 2019 and has brought her experience with nonprofits, education and sustainability to the organization.
Since then, Herr has developed new programs, created new and lasting partnerships, and represents HWCC, a community development financial institution, across the state.
Just as she began her new role, four months into her new position, the country was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic. This greatly changed how the chamber operated.
The chamber remained open, but for the safety of the staff everyone worked remotely and hosted meetings via online platforms.
Herr adapted to these changes, and she oversaw the creation of one of the first COVID-19 small emergency loan funds in Wisconsin to help businesses stay open during the pandemic.
Even during these difficult times, Herr and her team continue to offer standard lending options for small businesses and in 2020, the chamber handled the largest loan volume since its inception.
Herr continues to create partnerships with many new organizations to increase the chamber’s growth, outreach and advocacy to underserved businesses and communities.
