As a fourth-generation Colorado native with a career spanning more than 35 years in the financial services and affordable housing sectors, Shelly Marquez has deep insight into the region’s economy and how it impacts people from all walks of life.
Marquez, president of Mercy Housing Mountain Plains in Denver, has shared that insight in recent years as a member of the Tenth District’s Community Development Advisory Council. Now, as a member of the Kansas City Fed’s Denver Branch Board of Directors, she is eager to continue helping the Reserve Bank and the general public gain a better understanding of why affordable housing is an important part of the economic picture.
Mercy Housing Mountain Plains is an affiliate of Mercy Housing, the country’s largest affordable housing nonprofit organization. It operates more than 40 developments across six states—Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Utah—with plans to expand into Arkansas and Oklahoma.
“Our mission is to create stable, vibrant housing communities by developing, financing and operating affordable, program-enriched housing for families, seniors and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities,” Marquez said. “My responsibility is to look at where we have opportunities to develop affordable housing across the region and how we are partnering and collaborating with for-profit and nonprofit organizations and community members to address housing needs.”
Before working in the affordable housing space, Marquez worked 29 years in the banking industry. She said that her professional and personal backgrounds allow her to provide viewpoints to the Board that can “bridge worlds” in terms of understanding Tenth District communities.
“I grew up in a low-income community, and I’ve really seen first-hand how important it was for my family to purchase a home,” Marquez said. “I understand the world of banking and how it bridges with the communities we serve. That’s what excited me about serving as a director, bringing that on-the-ground experience but also the banking experience.”
That combination is important, she said, because “The Federal Reserve has access to so much economic data, and sometimes that data is not real-time. We are the eyes and ears on the ground, so what I can bring to the Board is the perspective of real people, real communities, in real time.”
Exchanging ideas with leaders from other sectors of the economy also will be beneficial as part of service on the Board, Marquez said.
“It’s really about building relationships and understanding the needs of our communities,” she said. “Whether you’re in the retail industry, agriculture or banking, it’s an opportunity to ensure that we’re not so near-sighted and understand all of the needs and how they intersect, and finding ways to collaborate and be that partner with the business community in a way that is supporting one another.”
Learn more about Ms. Marquez here.
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City or the Federal Reserve System.