About
Our Mission
Tucson IDA enables strategic economic and community development by providing financing and access to capital for projects and programs that benefit a thriving Tucson.
Our Impact
Our team
BILLION
$1.2
Affordable Home Loans
Originated
Affordable Housing Bond Projects
$141
MILLION
Down Payment Assistance Provided
$11
MILLION
AVANZA
MILLION
$7.5
Small Business Loans
MILLION
$414
Single Family Home
Bond Projects
Economic Development
Bond Projects
MILLION
$32
Dre Thompson
Chief Executive Officer
Dre Thompson is an award winning social entrepreneur and public service executive. She is expert in data-driven program design and implementation for mission-driven community impact initiatives. In her current role as the CEO of the Industrial Development Authority she oversees over $7M in small business loans, a housing affordability program that has generated over $1B in mortgage loans, as well as a real estate and private activity bond portfolio that supports the mission and vision of the organization.
She is a current Board Member and Advisory Council Member of B:Side Capital Fund and Board Member of El Pueblo Development Nonprofit. She is on the Marketing Advisory Committee for Women’s Foundation, Business Advisory Committee for Pima Community College, and former Governance Chair for Tucson Young Professionals.
​Dre Thompson was named 40 Under 40 in 2020 by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber and the 2022 NextGen Leader Award by BizTucson.
Sara Lippitt
Controller
Dan Scinto
Lending Program Development
Additional Advisors
CHRISTOPHER AMBROSIO
General Counsel
Christopher Ambrosio's practice is focused in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate Law. Christopher is admitted to practice law in Arizona.
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Contact:
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SCOTT RIFFLE
Housing Finance Advisor, STIFEL
Scott Riffle is a Managing Director in Stifel's National Housing Finance group and has been working in the municipal finance field for more than 25 years.
His professional emphasis is in single-family housing. The IDA partners with Scott Riffle to design and implement award-winning housing programs.
RIANA LINSKY
CPA, Dark Horse CPAS
Riana Linsky is a Certified Public Accountant with experience in nonprofit, corporate, and governmental accounting.
TERRY FLORES
HR & Executive Solutions
Terry Flores is the Founder and Principal of Options + Resolutions. She is a JD and SPHR with decades of experience in guiding firms through complex situations and powerful policy development.
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At the IDA she supports the leadership through policy formation, training, and recruitment.
KRIS KING
Loan Portfolio Supervisor
Kristin "Kris" King is an experienced underwriter with a strong track record in the financial industry, with a specialization in alternative capital. She had over a decade of experience at Dreamspring Lending, working with underrepresented small businesses.
At the Tucson IDA she serves as a supervisor and mentor to our lending team. She reviews our policies, oversees lending decisions, and trains our team on issue spotting and successful underwriting techniques.
TOBY RITTNER
Strategic Planning
Toby Rittner is the President & CEO - Council of Development Finance Agencies. He has been featured extensively in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools.
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At the IDA he has lead strategic framework development and executive training.
Board of Directors
Tucson IDA’s Board of Directors is comprised of private, volunteer citizens appointed by the Mayor and Council of the City of Tucson, Arizona (the “City”). The Board of Directors meet monthly or as otherwise necessary. Directors serve a 6-year term.
Board members are selected based on their professional expertise and contributions to the greater Tucson region. The members of the IDA’s current Board of Directors are:
JUDY CLINCO
President, 2019 - 2025
Judy Clinco is the Founder and President of Catalina In-Home Services in Tucson, Arizona, a family owned and operated company that provides care and support to elders in the Tucson region since 1981. In 2001 Judy founded the Caregiver Training Institute, which under her leadership has built a trained, qualified direct care workforce in response to the community’s expanded need for long term care. By raising the standard of long term care through this training initiative, Judy believes that long term care can be an economic driver for the Tucson region.
MEREDITH ARONSON
Vice-President, 2021 - 2027
Meredith Aronson has over 30 years of experience across higher education, small business, corporate, and government focused on organizations, technology, and innovation. She has founded/led 2 small businesses (manufacturing and consulting), led regional economic development efforts at Penn State University and New Jersey Institute of Technology, and most recently, is leading IT product strategy for the digital experience at the University of Arizona. She is passionate about regional economic development and creating economic opportunity through growing talent, innovation, and quality places.
SANDRA BARTON
Treasurer, 2017-2023
Sandra Barton is the Tucson commercial real estate manager for Alliance Bank of Arizona. She has also held leadership positions at Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase. She serves on the board of directors of National Charity League and is also a member of the Tucson Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Executive Council, Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, Pima County Real Estate Research Council and Southern Arizona CCIM.
MIMI NOSHAY-PETRO
Secretary, 2019 - 2025
Melissa Petro, or “Mimi” as she is commonly known, practices in the areas of business transactions, real estate, and estate planning and probate. Ms. Petro represents individuals and organizations in connection with the formation, operation, and sale of their businesses to include leasing, employment, financing, and general business matters.
PATRICIA SCHWABE
2021 - 2027
Patricia Schwabe has over 20 years of experience in real estate and as a small business owner in Tucson. Her businesses include Penca Restaurant and Owls Club. She and her husband, Ron, are partners in Peach Properties, a local development, sales and leasing real estate company focusing on Tucson’s downtown and warehouse districts. She is a trustee of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and a former board member of The Loft Cinema.
SHARAYAH JIMENEZ
2021 - 2027
Sharayah Jimenez is a 5th generation Tucsonense. She graduated from the University of Arizona’s College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture in 2009. She is the Principal Designer and founder of CUADRO architectural firm. Through her work she finds sustainable solutions for the rapidly growing housing market. Shay is an active member of the local Tucson community and contributes regularly to her neighborhood association and is a member of both the City of Tucson and Pima County housing commissions.
MONIQUA LANE
2021 - 2027
A native Tucsonan, it is Moniqua Lane’s deep connection to and reverence for Tucson’s history, culture and unique geography that informs the operational and aesthetic style of Motown Development, with a focus on innovative, small scale hospitality and multi-family development strives to create meaning through place. Of MoTown’s two principals, Moniqua brings experience developing, branding, marketing, and operating independent, boutique properties, both existing and ground up. MoTown’s first project, The Downtown Clifton Hotel.
Tucson IDA of the City of Tucson, Arizona is a nonprofit corporation designated a political subdivision of the State of Arizona, created by a resolution of the Mayor & Council of the City of Tucson on January 15, 1979.
News
KOLD | 3 April 2023
Tucson creates loan program to help underrepresented businesses
Avanza Empowerment Fund will provide small businesses with support and flexible capital.​
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Arizona Daily Star | 23 February 2023
Tucson to create loan fund to help minority-owned businesses
Tucson’s small business owners belonging to underrepresented communities will soon be able to receive resources to help them grow and maintain their ventures through a new loan fund that will provide capital for operations.
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BizTucson | 20 July 2021
Tucson IDA invests in assembling downtown properties
The nonprofit Tucson Industrial Development Authority recently purchased two properties in downtown Tucson, Block 174, as part of an assemblage of three properties to deliver on its mission to assist in the rehabilitation, expansion and development of business and industry.
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