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William Towns is the Managing Director of 4S Bay Partners, LLC’s Chi-Town Impact a private equity fund that invests in women and minority operating businesses and has academic appointments at the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

Over the course of his career, he has managed more than $800 million in capital that is directed at reversing economic disparities and racial discrimination across the Chicago region. He has developed multiple corporate strategic plans, directing resources to local organizations to help solve complex civic issues.

Prior to this position, he was executive director of Benefit Chicago, an investment fund created through a collaboration by The Chicago Community Trust, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Calvert Foundation.

Previous to that, he was Assistant Vice President, Neighborhood Initiatives in the Office of Civic Engagement, University of Chicago and Regional Vice President of Mercy Portfolio Services, a subsidiary of Mercy Housing Inc. whose goal is to assist municipalities in addressing the economic and housing crises through foreclosure purchase, green redevelopment, asset management, land banking, and education. He also held diverse positions with Pathway Senior Living L.L.C, in Des Plaines, Il.

Dr. Towns received his Bachelor’s in marketing from Loyola University Chicago - Quinlan School of Business, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business, and a Ph.D. in Organization Development from Benedictine University.