C-Suite
CEO
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority | Milwaukee
Elmer Moore Jr. was appointed in April 2022 by Gov. Tony Evers to lead the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. The public corporation has a $3 billion portfolio and provides low-cost financing for housing and small business development.
Previously, Moore was executive director of Scale Up Milwaukee, an initiative of the Greater Milwaukee Committee that leads accelerators and programs to grow small businesses. According to his WHEDA bio, Scale Up’s efforts created over 1,400 jobs for more than 200 Wisconsin organizations and secured more than $60 million in new capital investments, under Moore’s leadership. He led the launch of Scale Up’s SPARC accelerator, which works with entrepreneurs of color and women-owned businesses that generate under $1 million in revenue. It now has over 125 alumni companies. Moore founded and ran his own VC-based business, Milwaukee Denim Co., for several years. Earlier, he worked for Allen Edmonds Corp. as its director of business development.
Moore also serves as chairman of the board for the Social Development Commission, a $32 million organization. He is also a board member for the Milwaukee Harbor District and adjunct instructor for Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the area of entrepreneurship.
Education: Bachelor’s, Muhlenberg College; MBA, Columbia Business School