Oweesta Corporation Strengthens Executive Team With Two C-Suite Appointments
Oweesta Corporation’s appointments of Penny Wynn as Chief Programs Officer and Shannon Ward as Chief Lending Officer bring decades of strategic expertise to Oweesta and affirm its commitment to driving economic growth in Native communities.
LONGMONT, CO — Oweesta Corporation, a national Native CDFI intermediary helping to strengthen the foundation in Native communities for sustainable, equitable growth and prosperity, today announced two appointments to its executive team: Penny Wynn as Chief Programs Officer (CPO) and Shannon Ward as Chief Lending Officer (CLO).
“We are thrilled to welcome Penny as our Chief Programs Officer and Shannon as our Chief Lending Officer,” said Chrystel Cornelius, CEO and president of Oweesta Corporation. “Penny’s visionary leadership in program management and advancing capacity-building initiatives, combined with her deep commitment to serving Native American communities, will be instrumental in furthering our organizational goals and community impact. Shannon’s expertise in overseeing loan operations and managing credit risk, along with her dedication to empowering Native American communities through strategic financial solutions, will help drive Oweesta’s sustainable economic growth. We are incredibly fortunate to have Penny and Shannon as new members of our team.”
Wynn joins Oweesta from the Chickahominy Indian Tribe – Eastern Division, where she served as tribal administrator, managing governmental initiatives, policy development, daily operations, community engagement and long-term strategic planning. With over 25 years of experience, Wynn previously served in various leadership roles at Citizens & Farmers Bank, one of the premier community banks in the U.S., from 1995-2021. She is a citizen of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe in Virginia.
As CPO, Wynn will play a vital role in designing and implementing programs that address the unique needs of Native communities, ensuring they have access to the resources and support necessary for sustainable development. Her efforts will support Native CDFI organizational capacity building and workforce development initiatives, financial education trainings, and Native homeownership initiatives.
Ward joins Oweesta from Native American Bank (NAB), a national community development-focused bank and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), where she served as chief lending officer and senior vice president. With over 25 years of financial industry experience, Ward dedicated her 15 years at NAB to providing tailored lending products to sovereign Indian Tribes, leveraging her expertise in capitalizing new markets and creating tax credit deals and participation lending programs. Before NAB, Ward held key roles in the U.S. Department of Interior’s Division of Capital Investment, including regional manager and interim division chief for the Indian Loan Guaranty Program, where she led initiatives to increase access to capital for economic development to Native American tribes, tribally-owned enterprises, and Indian-owned businesses. She is a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming.
As CLO, Ward will oversee Oweesta’s lending operations, ensuring its financial products and services meet the specific needs of Native communities. Her work will be pivotal to providing access to capital for Native CDFIs, Tribes, and Native non-profits to support small businesses, entrepreneurs, homeownership, and clean energy initiatives for Native communities.
“We are excited to announce Penny and Shannon as new members of the Oweesta leadership team. Their addition underscores our commitment to delivering impactful lending products and technical services for the Native communities we serve,” said Cornelius. “Their expertise and leadership are essential to ensuring that Oweesta’s strategic initiatives not only address immediate Native CDFI’s community needs but also create pathways for collective growth and opportunity. Together, we will continue to expand our mission, providing greater access to training and lending opportunities and supporting the vibrant development of Native communities across the nation.”
About Oweesta Corporation
Oweesta Corporation is the longest-standing intermediary for Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), serving as an essential bridge between traditional lenders and underserved Native areas. By addressing historical inequities and promoting economic inclusion, Oweesta plays a vital role in fostering sustainable and equitable growth that helps to strengthen the foundations of Native communities. As the largest facilitator of capital to Indian Country, Oweesta offers financial products and services to Native CDFIs and provides expert technical assistance and training to ultimately equip Native people with the knowledge and skills to support strategic financial decision making. This empowerment is key to advancing economic growth and independence and contributes to the resilience and prosperity of Native communities. Based in Longmont, Colorado, Oweesta is a majority-Native, woman- and minority-led nonprofit organization. Since its inception in 1999, it has funded more than 4,350 Native businesses in 36 states, with its network of over 245 partners disbursing more than 26,000 loans totaling over $826 million. For more information, visit https://www.oweesta.org.
Media Contact: Michael Tebo, Gabriel Marketing Group (for Oweesta Corporation), 703-829-6089, michaelt@gabrielmarketing.com
