Maurice Williams

Vice President of Economic Development

(312) 788-2490


Maurice Williams joined CCLF as Vice President of Economic Development with over 27 years of experience in community economic development and consulting.  He has provided leadership in a variety of community development initiatives, strategic financial management activities, and business development projects that required active community outreach and on-going public participation.

Maurice has vast experience in the fields of business administration, planning and development, personnel management, financial management, capital fundraising, public relations, and business and strategic planning.  He has planned, developed, financed and constructed over $220 million and 1.9 million square feet of big box commercial retail and industrial throughout Chicagoland including Whole Foods Midwest Distribution Center, Walmart Supercenter, Method Soap Industrial Plant, Ross Dress for Less, Planet Fitness, Meijer Supercenter, and has completed more than 220 projects ranging from affordable housing to Brownfield redevelopment to hospitals and institutional facilities.

Maurice developed the comprehensive plan for the redevelopment of Michigan Avenue, served as chairman of the Roseland Redevelopment Planning Board, coordinated and managed the first community loan production office of the First National Bank of Evergreen Park and the Old Kent Bank (acquired by Fifth Third Bank).  For several years, Maurice served as an adjunct professor at Trinity Christian College and was an instructor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) teaching in the Urban Developers Program and the Certificate of Non-Profit Management Program.  He currently instructs in the Chicago Rehab Network’s Community Development Empowerment Series.

Maurice is an astute business manager and critical thinker with an outstanding ability to build dynamic teams and generate strong sustainable results. His expertise includes crafting solutions to generate economic development while matching the needs of communities with the strategic objectives of corporate and local developers seeking investment opportunities. Maurice specializes in syndicated financing including debt, equity, New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) and other leveraged capital.

He has served as a director and advisor on many nonprofit boards.  Maurice holds an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management – Chicago and a B.A. in Business/Sociology from Calvin College – Grand Rapids, Michigan.

On April 4, 2017, Maurice was pinned by the CCIM Institute as a Certified Commercial Investment Member Designee.

About CCIM:

The Designation

CCIM stands for Certified Commercial Investment Member. The CCIM lapel pin denotes that the wearer has completed advanced coursework in financial and market analysis, and demonstrated extensive experience in the commercial real estate industry. CCIM designees are recognized as leading experts in commercial investment real estate.

Investment Expertise

Above all, the CCIM designation represents proven expertise in financial, market, and investment analysis, in addition to negotiation. Courses in these core competencies are taught by industry professionals, ensuring all material reflects the state of the industry. With this real-world education, CCIM designees are able to help their clients:

  • Minimize risk
  • Enhance credibility
  • Make informed decisions
  • Close more deals