“Chester A. McPherson is the Chief Operating Officer of Community Development Investors (CDI), an initiative of the Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC), where he helps lead efforts to expand economic opportunity, business ownership, and wealth creation in underserved communities across the United States. Through CDI, he works to advance Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and Employee Ownership (EO) as pathways for entrepreneurs, workers, and communities to build long-term wealth, preserve local businesses, and strengthen economic resilience.

Prior to joining EOC and CDI, Mr. McPherson built a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years in financial services, law, public policy, and regulation. He has held senior leadership positions in federal, state, and private-sector organizations, with responsibilities ranging from financial regulation and market oversight to governance, compliance, and consumer protection.

Mr. McPherson has served on numerous District of Columbia boards and commissions and currently serves as a Trustee of the District of Columbia Retirement Board (DCRB), where he helps oversee retirement assets on behalf of public employees and retirees.

He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, magna cum laude, from Baruch College (City University of New York), and both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation, with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center.”