About Us
Meet Our Board
Rashad Morris
Board Chair
Rashad Morris is a Program Officer with the Bullitt Foundation in Seattle where he works with nonprofits in the areas of climate, toxics, urban sustainability, and renewable energy. He is deeply committed to integrating social justice with environmental sustainability and economic development. Rashad holds a Juris Doctor from the UC Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelors in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.
Ken Takahashi
Vice Chair
Ken Takahashi is the Development Finance Advisor at the City of Seattle – Office of Economic Development with over 18 years of economic development experience. He is the lead manager for the City’s economic development financing programs including the New Markets Tax Credit program, SBA 7a loan program (in partnership with CDFI Grow America
Fund) and HUD Section 108 loan program.
Prior to working for the City of Seattle, Ken worked as a real estate attorney. Ken holds a Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law and Bachelors in Political Science from the University of Rochester.
Jack Brummel
Past Chair
Jack Brummel was the Executive Director of Northwest Access Fund and continues in a consulting role with the organization. He joined the Access Fund in the summer of 2013 after spending 26 years with the Washington State Senate, primarily as lead staff for committees addressing economic development, financial institutions, commerce, labor, and workforce development issues.
While with the Senate Jack developed legislation relating to employment of people with disabilities, creating individual development accounts, and supporting micro-enterprise development. Prior to work with the Senate, Jack was the Administrator for the Northwest Intertribal Court System and the National Director of the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council. Jack’s education includes a BA in Political Science from Washington State University, a JD from the University of Washington, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
Howard Barkhoff
Howard Barkhoff is an IRS Enrolled Agent at Viridian Tax and Accounting in Seattle, WA who received a Master’s of Science in Taxation from Golden Gate University in 1993. In 1980 he co-founded and was the first President of Evergreen Business Capital. Mr. Barkhoff served on the Board of Directors of Cascadia Revolving Loan Fund which was honored by President Clinton as a Community Development Financial Institution.
Virginia Calvin
Virginia Calvin is an entrepreneur who owned a children’s apparel design and manufacturing company for 13 years in Seattle, WA. Originally outsourcing the product manufacture to Hong Kong and British Columbia, she eventually shifted production to her family-owned factory in Seattle. She joined the Board of Directors of Evergreen in 1996 and has always
found it fascinating to see what other small businesses are doing, what goals and opportunities they perceive, and how they make their financial decisions. In 2001 she sold her business to a New Jersey firm and has since worked as a residential real estate broker for Windermere Real Estate. Virginia is bilingual in Spanish and English, with a BA from University of Colorado and an MA from the University of Michigan. She lives in South Seattle.
Rosario Arias De Carroll
Rosario brings many years of experience in SBA 7a and 504 lending. She started her banking career at Peoples Bank becoming a credit analyst in 1985. She advanced to Vice President, Commercial Lending at City Bank in 1996. Rosario spent two years with Key Bank as VP, SBA Loan Officer, until March of 2006 when she joined Plaza Bank,
now First Interstate Bank as VP and Commercial Lending Officer. Later she was promoted to Senior VP and Director of Diversity Banking in which she is responsible to developing and implementing a holistic approach to assisting the minority business owner to enhance their financial acumen and developing minority clients as bank customers. Rosario is bi-lingual and the 2014 SBA Financial Services Champion of the Year, a lifetime award for her many years of community involvement.
Tina Houston
Tina Houston is the Principal of Houston Consulting & Associates (HCA). She has 17 years’ experience working in the private and public sectors. Prior to forming HCA, she led the implementation of the Northwest’s, first-of-its-kind Financial Empowerment Center, providing free financial counseling and education services to low-income populations.
Tina has a strong commitment to economic justice and workforce development and continues to partner with nonprofit organizations such as Seattle Goodwill Industries and Shift Community Resources to improve the financial capabilities of low-income families in King and Pierce Counties. She has served on numerous committees to improve the economic equity of women, immigrant and minority populations in the Northwest. Tina holds Financial Counseling certifications from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) and Central New Mexico Community College (CNE). She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration.
Phil Jones
Phil Jones was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Harborstone Credit Union in January 2009. Harborstone Credit Union, headquartered in Lakewood, WA, is a state-chartered and federally-insured credit union with sixteen branches located throughout King, Pierce, and Thurston counties in Washington State. Phil is active in several credit union industry associations and local community service organizations.
He also served as a Board member of the South Sound YMCA and the Olympia Symphony Orchestra. He further served as Chair of the Board of the Northewst Credit Union Association for a period of seven years and currently, serves as Chair of the Board of Business Impact Northwest.
Phil earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s Degree in Finance from the American University in Washington, DC.
Thomas Kuljam
Thomas Kuljam is a graduate of Washington State University, and he currently serves as the Director of Veterans Incubator for Better Entrepreneurship (VIBE) and teaches for the University of Washington – Tacoma. As a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a successful entrepreneur, Thomas joins Evergreen Business Capital’s Board of Directors with
25 years of commercial banking experience, including SBA lending, commercial lending, portfolio management, and marketing and business development. Thomas’ entrepreneurial aspirations have also led to the startup of multiple businesses around the Puget Sound Region, including a business consulting firm working for Los Angeles County, and the City of Tacoma and has helped many local businesses make an impact in their community. Thomas also devotes a great deal of time and energy to other local boards and organizations, including the Pierce County Veterans Advisory Board, YMCA, and International Community Health Services.
Beto Yarce
Beto Yarce is the Executive Director for Ventures Nonprofit, an organization with the mission of empowering individuals with limited resources and unlimited potential to improve their lives through small business ownership. Beto started his first business at the age of eight years old selling candy and continued over the years, selling all kind of products from bags
to magazines, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a family business of jewelry and folk art. Beto received a degree in International Business from the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and a certificate in Non-profit/Public/Organizational Management from the University of Washington. Beto received the Small Business Administration (SBA) Director Excellence Award in 2016, Nonprofit of the Year by GSBA in 2016, Innovation Award by Puget Sound Business Journal, City of Seattle Emerging Leader Pride Award, Crosscut Business Courage Award in 2018 and Outstanding LGBTQ Business Leaders award for Puget Sound Business Journal 2019.
Rashad Morris
Board Chair
Rashad Morris is a Program Officer with the Bullitt Foundation in Seattle where he works with nonprofits in the areas of climate, toxics, urban sustainability, and renewable energy. He is deeply committed to integrating social justice with environmental sustainability and economic development.
Rashad holds a Juris Doctor from the UC Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelors in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.
Ken Takahashi
Vice Chair
Ken Takahashi is the Development Finance Advisor at the City of Seattle – Office of Economic Development with over 18 years of economic development experience. He is the lead manager for the City’s economic development financing programs including the New Markets Tax Credit program, SBA 7a loan program (in partnership with CDFI Grow America
Fund) and HUD Section 108 loan program. Prior to working for the City of Seattle, Ken worked as a real estate attorney. Ken holds a Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law and Bachelors in Political Science from the University of Rochester.
Jack Brummel
Past Chair
Jack Brummel was the Executive Director of Northwest Access Fund and continues in a consulting role with the organization. He joined the Access Fund in the summer of 2013 after spending 26 years with the Washington State Senate, primarily as lead staff for committees addressing economic development, financial institutions, commerce, labor, and workforce
development issues. While with the Senate Jack developed legislation relating to employment of people with disabilities, creating individual development accounts, and supporting micro-enterprise development. Prior to work with the Senate, Jack was the Administrator for the Northwest Intertribal Court System and the National Director of the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council. Jack’s education includes a BA in Political Science from Washington State University, a JD from the University of Washington, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
Howard Barkhoff
Howard Barkhoff is an IRS Enrolled Agent at Viridian Tax and Accounting in Seattle, WA who received a Master’s of Science in Taxation from Golden Gate University in 1993. In 1980 he co-founded and was the first President of Evergreen Business Capital. Mr. Barkhoff served on the Board of Directors of Cascadia Revolving Loan Fund which was honored by President Clinton as a Community Development Financial Institution.
Virginia Calvin
Virginia Calvin is an entrepreneur who owned a children’s apparel design and manufacturing company for 13 years in Seattle, WA. Originally outsourcing the product manufacture to Hong Kong and British Columbia, she eventually shifted production to her family-owned factory in Seattle. She joined the Board of Directors of Evergreen in 1996 and has always found it
fascinating to see what other small businesses are doing, what goals and opportunities they perceive, and how they make their financial decisions. In 2001 she sold her business to a New Jersey firm and has since worked as a residential real estate broker for Windermere Real Estate. Virginia is bilingual in Spanish and English, with a BA from University of Colorado and an MA from the University of Michigan. She lives in South Seattle.
Rosario Arias De Carroll
Rosario brings many years of experience in SBA 7a and 504 lending. She started her banking career at Peoples Bank becoming a credit analyst in 1985. She advanced to Vice President, Commercial Lending at City Bank in 1996. Rosario spent two years with Key Bank as VP, SBA Loan Officer, until March of 2006 when she joined Plaza Bank, now First Interstate Bank as
VP and Commercial Lending Officer. Later she was promoted to Senior VP and Director of Diversity Banking in which she is responsible to developing and implementing a holistic approach to assisting the minority business owner to enhance their financial acumen and developing minority clients as bank customers. Rosario is bi-lingual and the 2014 SBA Financial Services Champion of the Year, a lifetime award for her many years of community involvement.
Tina Houston
Tina Houston is the Principal of Houston Consulting & Associates (HCA). She has 17 years’ experience working in the private and public sectors. Prior to forming HCA, she led the implementation of the Northwest’s, first-of-its-kind Financial Empowerment Center, providing free financial counseling and education services to low-income populations.
Tina has a strong commitment to economic justice and workforce development and continues to partner with nonprofit organizations such as Seattle Goodwill Industries and Shift Community Resources to improve the financial capabilities of low-income families in King and Pierce Counties. She has served on numerous committees to improve the economic equity of women, immigrant and minority populations in the Northwest. Tina holds Financial Counseling certifications from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) and Central New Mexico Community College (CNE). She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration.
Phil Jones
Phil Jones was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Harborstone Credit Union in January 2009. Harborstone Credit Union, headquartered in Lakewood, WA, is a state-chartered and federally-insured credit union with sixteen branches located throughout King, Pierce, and Thurston counties in Washington State. Phil is active in several credit union industry associations and local community service organizations.
He also served as a Board member of the South Sound YMCA and the Olympia Symphony Orchestra. He further served as Chair of the Board of the Northewst Credit Union Association for a period of seven years and currently, serves as Chair of the Board of Business Impact Northwest.
Phil earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s Degree in Finance from the American University in Washington, DC.
Thomas Kuljam
Thomas Kuljam is a graduate of Washington State University, and he currently serves as the Director of Veterans Incubator for Better Entrepreneurship (VIBE) and teaches for the University of Washington – Tacoma. As a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a successful entrepreneur, Thomas joins Evergreen Business Capital’s Board of Directors with 25 years of commercial banking experience, including
SBA lending, commercial lending, portfolio management, and marketing and business development. Thomas’ entrepreneurial aspirations have also led to the startup of multiple businesses around the Puget Sound Region, including a business consulting firm working for Los Angeles County, and the City of Tacoma and has helped many local businesses make an impact in their community. Thomas also devotes a great deal of time and energy to other local boards and organizations, including the Pierce County Veterans Advisory Board, YMCA, and International Community Health Services.
Beto Yarce
Beto Yarce is the Executive Director for Ventures Nonprofit, an organization with the mission of empowering individuals with limited resources and unlimited potential to improve their lives through small business ownership. Beto started his first business at the age of eight years old selling candy and continued over the years, selling all kind of products from bags to
magazines, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a family business of jewelry and folk art. Beto received a degree in International Business from the Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and a certificate in Non-profit/Public/Organizational Management from the University of Washington. Beto received the Small Business Administration (SBA) Director Excellence Award in 2016, Nonprofit of the Year by GSBA in 2016, Innovation Award by Puget Sound Business Journal, City of Seattle Emerging Leader Pride Award, Crosscut Business Courage Award in 2018 and Outstanding LGBTQ Business Leaders award for Puget Sound Business Journal 2019.
