By Kristin Boza
Anna Fratto is the latest addition to the BAPA team in the newly created role of Director of Economic Development. Beverly/Morgan Park current and potential small business owners have a dedicated resource to assist them with their opportunities and needs.
Fratto began working for BAPA in November, just in time to assist in BAPA’s Holiday Cookie Crawl and the matching grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust. She previously worked as the executive director for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and as the public affairs and community relations coordinator for CITGO Petroleum Corporation.
Fratto’s work in both the non-profit and corporate industries gives her the knowledge to assist local small business owners with strengthening their businesses and to advocate for small business recruitment.
Her depth of experience in developing and implementing marketing and fundraising campaigns and coordinating special events is a perfect complement to BAPA’s goals. Within her corporate experience, Fratto learned to manage volunteers, develop communication strategies, and foster relationships with schools and government organizations.
“I was so excited to see the tremendous support from the community for the Cookie Crawl and to see the generosity of residents and businesses to help us reach and surpass our goal through the Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust matching grant program at the end of the year,” Fratto said. “I look forward to growing the community and business participation in our events and building support for BAPA. By engaging more businesses in BAPA, we can work hand-in-hand to ultimately make them more successful and bring some new ideas to the table.”
To connect with Fratto, email her at afratto@bapa.org.
