Skip to Content

Media Release Archive


Jane Hatley retires after nearly two-decades with Self-Help

May 20, 2021

[Asheville, North Carolina | May 18, 2021] — After a tenure than spans almost 20 years, Jane Hatley is stepping down from her leadership role with the Self-Help Credit Union venture’s fund. Jane is retiring to “spend more time with my grandchildren.”

Jane started her career at Self-Help in 2001 as a commercial loan officer, then went on to serve as a business development officer with a focus on child care and environmentally and socially conscious, or Green lending. Since 2011, Jane has directed the Self-Help Venture Fund for western North Carolina, a nonprofit fund that expands Self-Help’s financing capabilities to take on a wider range of business, charter school, and secondary mortgage market lending.

“Jane leaves an impressive legacy of community engagement and impact,” says Martin Eakes, Self-Help CEO.  “She is a tremendously effective advocate for Western North Carolina and all of its residents.  She wlll be sorely missed.”

In her ten years serving in that capacity, she has fostered many new initiatives, including Self-Help’s first Go Local term certificate, a collaboration with the Ashville Grown Business Alliance that focuses on financing for eco-friendly businesses, women and minority home buyers and WNC economic development projects; the Bringing it Home Conference, an effort of Self-Help and the New Economy Coalition committed to ending homelessness in North Carolina; the Mountain Community Capital Fund, a small business loan guarantee fund that is a collaboration between Self-Help and Carolina Small Business Development Fund, Mountain BizWorks, The City of Asheville and Buncombe County; and, most recently, the Community Equity Fund, a collaboration of local organizations and individuals, led by Eagle Market Streets Development that is aimed at providing patient capital to businesses owned by people of color who struggling during the pandemic.

Jane is most excited about the recent launch of two new programs at the YMI Cultural Center led by Self-Help’s Dewana Little: The Black Home Ownership Project and Successful Transitions. The programs work one-on-one with individuals to help them build wealth, attain financial empowerment, or walk successfully down the path to homeownership.  Generous funding for both programs were made possible through the Dogwood Health Trust, the WNC Community Foundation, All Souls Cathedral, and individual donors. 

Before coming to Self-Help, Jane was CEO of SkyRunner, one of the country’s first wireless internet start-ups that was among the first to offer fixed wireless technology. Founded by Don Davis, the company secured early support from Public Interest Projects, the socially-conscious investing company founded by well-known North Carolina philanthropist Julian Price and Pat Whalen.

Jane holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, a Masters in English from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a BA in English from Randolph-Macon Woman's College (now Randolph College).  She was the 2018 NC Financial Services Advocate of the Year from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the recipient of the Asheville Chamber’s 2019 Woman Up award for Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership. She is a published author of short stories and poems, married to environmentalist and historian Tom Hatley.  They have four children:  Lizzie, Parker, Becky, and Josie. 

Jane will continue at Self-Help on a part-time basis through December to see several current projects through to completion. A recognition event will be held later in the year. 

A search is now underway for a successor. Anyone interested in applying should visit our website at self-help.org/careers.

About Self-Help 

Self-Help, headquartered in Durham, NC, is one of the largest community development financial institutions in the nation.  Since 1980, Self-Help has provided more than $9.3 billion in financing to over 175,700 families, families, individuals and businesses. We help drive economic development and strengthen communities by providing responsible financial services; lending to individuals, small businesses and nonprofits; developing real estate; and promoting fair financial practices across the nation. Through our credit union network, Self-Help serves more than 167,000 people in California, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. 

The nonprofit Center for Community Self-Help is the umbrella organization for the Self-Help family of nonprofit organizations, which includes Self-Help Credit Union, Self-Help Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Ventures Fund and the Center for Responsible Lending. Learn more at www.self-help.org, www.self-helpfcu.org and www.responsiblelending.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

For More Information, Contact: 

Jenny Shields, Director of Media Relations, Self-Help Credit Union                              Direct Line: 919.794.6798  Cell: 919.695.2037 Email: Jenny.Shields@self-help.org

     

About Self-Help

Self-Help is a leading national community development financial institution headquartered in Durham, NC. Since 1980, Self-Help has provided over $8.5 billion in financing to 150,000 families, individuals and businesses. It helps drive economic development and strengthen communities by providing responsible financial services; lending to individuals, small businesses and nonprofits; developing real estate; and promoting fair financial practices across the nation. Through its credit union network, Self-Help serves over 150,000 people in California, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The nonprofit Center for Community Self-Help is the umbrella organization for the Self-Help family of nonprofit organizations, which includes Self-Help Credit Union, Self-Help Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Ventures Fund and the Center for Responsible Lending.