February 2024:  Ixonia Bank is elated to share it has secured a $25,000 Community First Accelerate Grant to Melissa Nicole Allen of Maures Development Group, LLC (MDG).

This grant, facilitated through a collaboration with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago), will mark a significant investment in an underserved and underdeveloped area of Milwaukee.

Dollars from this grant will be utilized for technological upgrades, and act as an investment in rehabbing a storefront business with a visible, front-facing location on Martin Luther King Drive, a Main Street in Milwaukee and adjacent to the Milwaukee’s historical Bronzeville Neighborhood.

“Partnerships are very important to success,” shares Melissa Nicole Allen. “I appreciate the support and relationships with both Ixonia Bank and FHLB of Chicago.  The shared belief in people and community has created lasting impact and strides toward the vibrancy we all desire.” Learn more by viewing Melissa’s interview with Patrick Lubar on the Ixonia Bank YouTube channel.

MDG is one of the first for-profit, minority, and woman-owned real estate development firms in the State of Wisconsin. It has been serving urban communities for nearly 18 years, with over $100 million of intentional and transformational work invested in Milwaukee to create thriving spaces and places that generate beauty and pride.

Maures Development’s integrated approach to development is mindful of community needs, favorable to the environment, exhibits excellent craftsmanship, and sustainability.  In identifying projects, sites are selected based on the ability to create critical mass.  Critical mass is a means of stabilizing a community by undertaking multiple projects and/or completing a project where multiple projects are being fulfilled.  The developments redefine traditional urban development and create a new model for renewal.

Ixonia Bank, inspired by MDG’s mission, has decided to contribute an additional $2,500 to MDG’s efforts in Bronzeville.

“Melissa has been a strong advocate and catalyst for development in the Bronzeville neighborhood for years. Her investment of time and resources will bring meaningful value to the community while providing an affordable housing option for families,” states Patrick Lubar, Vice President of Commercial Banking at Ixonia Bank. “We are proud to partner with Melissa on this, as well as many other projects that are making Milwaukee a better place to live.”

Ixonia Bank has been a strong champion of local economic development, playing a significant role in the grant application process, which demonstrates its dedication to nurturing a thriving and prosperous community. The bank acknowledges the vital role that businesses, especially minority-owned, play in enhancing and driving economic growth in the region.

While celebrating this milestone, Ixonia Bank continues to be committed to identifying and facilitating further opportunities for financial support and growth for businesses of all sizes throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

View a conversation between Patrick Lubar and Melissa Nicole Allen by watching the video below:

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