What are Regional Councils?

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity’s (AEO) Regional Councils unite local champions from diverse sectors—government, private industry, foundations, and non-profits—to address and elevate the critical issues facing underserved businesses via ten regions of the United States. By bringing together these key ecosystem stakeholders, we aim to address the most pressing challenges within our communities collaboratively. Our mission is to deliver localized solutions to regional issues through strategic virtual and in-person events throughout the year.  

The AEO Regional Councils are designed to drive action, not just dialogue. Their key activities include:

In-Person Convenings:

Each region will host events, including roadshow stops, to tackle region-specific challenges. These events will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive workshops focused on collective action and community-driven solutions. 

Webinars and Virtual Events:

To ensure broad participation, the Councils will also offer webinars on critical topics such as access to capital, policy advocacy, and digital transformation, providing ongoing learning and collaboration opportunities. 

Strategic Partnership:

The Councils will form strategic partnerships with government agencies, private enterprises, foundations, and nonprofits, offering small businesses access to the tools and networks they need to succeed. 

Advocacy and Policy Development:

The Councils will champion policies that support underrepresented small businesses, ensuring that their perspectives are reflected in local, state, and federal decision-making processes. 

AEO Announces Regional Council National Convenings

AEO is excited to build on the success of our Leveraging Regionalism to Empower Small Businesses Summit, held May 2, 2024, which explored regional economic development strategies to bolster small business growth, focusing on equitable access, innovative financing, and leveraging technology to foster collaboration between stakeholders.  Exciting News! AEO is proud to announce the launch of our Regional Councils with national ecosystem convenings – Leveraging Regionalism to Support Small Business – across ten key markets hosted at selected Federal Reserve Banks!  These councils are designed to strengthen the local ecosystems that support small business growth, ensuring more equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs nationwide. Through these convenings, we’re bringing together key stakeholders to develop innovative solutions, share best practices, and drive impactful change for small business owners and the eco-system organizations that support them.

Please join us at selected Federal Reserve Bank across the country. Dates, times and locations of regionalism convenings are listed below in chronologic order:

Upcoming Events

Mid-Atlantic: July 16, 2025

Richmond host FRB of Richmond
Register Today

Northeast: October 9, 2025

Boston host FRB of Boston
Coming Soon

West: TBA

San Francisco host FRB of Francisco
Coming Soon

Previously Hosted

Central: April 8, 2025

Dallas host FRB of Dallas
Recap

Midwest: November 20, 2024

Chicago host FRB of Chicago
Recap

South: October 15, 2024

Atlanta host FRB of Atlanta
Recap

Schedule of Programming (by Region)

Become a Partner

Are you interested in partnering with AEO’s Regional Councils? To learn more, please complete the form below. A member of our team will promptly reach out to discuss your participation and guide you through the next steps.

The Regions

AEO is committed to supporting small businesses across the United States by addressing regional challenges through localized solutions. To better serve diverse communities and economic landscapes, AEO has established  ten regions. Each region is designed to unite local champions from various sectors—government, private industry, foundations, non-profits, trade associations, think tanks, NGOs, CDFIs, traditional financial institutions, and fintech institutions—to collaboratively tackle the unique issues facing small businesses in their area. By fostering regional councils, AEO aims to highlight best practices, develop innovative strategies, and advocate for essential interventions that drive positive change and economic equity nationwide.

Meet the AEO Regional Council Leadership

Renée Johnson

Senior Director

Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)

Carolina Glackin

Southeast
Entrepreneurship Educator

Thomas Family Distinguished Professor Of Entrepreneurship

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Hal Bowling

Southeast
Co-Founder & Executive Director

LAUNCH Chattanooga

Elizabeth Wilson

Southeast
Executive Director 
Georgia Micro Enterprise Network, Inc.

Darrel Byers

New England
CEO
Interise

Ray Pennie

South
Chief of Business Advisory Services |
Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE)

Gustavo Lasala

Central
President & Chief Executive Officer |
PeopleFund

VR Small

Southcentral
President and CEO
Veteran Women’s Enterprise Centers

Meet the AEO Regional Council Leadership

Carolina Glackin

Southeast
Entrepreneurship Educator

Thomas Family Distinguished Professor Of Entrepreneurship

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Hal Bowling

Southeast
Co-Founder & Executive Director

LAUNCH Chattanooga

Elizabeth Wilson

Southeast
Executive Director 
Georgia Micro Enterprise Network, Inc.

Darrel Byers

New England
CEO
Interise

Ray Pennie

South
Chief of Business Advisory Services |
Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE)

Gustavo Lasala

Central
President & Chief Executive Officer |
PeopleFund

VR Small

Southcentral
President and CEO
Veteran Women’s Enterprise Centers

Have questions?