Ismael Guerrero has been named the next president and CEO of Mercy Housing, one of the nation’s largest owners and developers of affordable housing.
He will take over the Denver-based nonprofit on July 1 from Jane Graf, who is retiring after 33 years with the organization.
Mercy Housing develops, finances, and operates program-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs in 41 states.
Guerrero joins Mercy Housing from the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver (DHA), where he has served as executive director for more than 12 years. Under his direction, DHA became a nationally recognized leader in creative affordable housing development, neighborhood transformation initiatives, and entrepreneurial approaches to resident economic empowerment, said Mercy Housing leaders.
Prior to DHA, Guerrero helped develop affordable multifamily housing throughout the West as a business development officer with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corp. He also spent close to three years as vice president and director of real estate development with Mercy Housing’s Mountain Plains regional office.
“My career has been dedicated to creating housing solutions, empowering residents, and building healthy communities,” Guerrero said. “I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity to lead Mercy Housing and to do so with a team that has consistently demonstrated a deep passion for and commitment to bringing hope and opportunity to individuals and families across the country.”
Guerrero, who was selected after a nationwide search, joins Mercy Housing at a time when the organization is rolling out a new five-year strategic plan. The fourth CEO in Mercy Housing's history, he will be responsible for overseeing the successful implementation of that plan, which includes five priority areas:
• Inspire dreams through a refined resident impact model
• Create and preserve homes for impact and efficiency
• Proactively pursue strategic partnerships
• Strengthen fundraising capabilities
• Approach all of Mercy Housing’s work with racial equity, community partnerships, continuous improvement and guiding values in mind
“Ismael Guerrero truly embodies Mercy Housing’s core values of respect, justice, and mercy,” said Sister Linda Werthmann, RSM, chair of the Mercy Housing board of trustees. “We cannot think of a better individual to lead us forward under our new strategic plan, and we have every confidence that he will have a substantial and lasting impact on both the organization and the affordable housing industry as a whole.”
Guerrero serves on a number of affordable housing-related boards and committees, including the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, the National Housing Trust, and the Colorado Health Foundation.
He was appointed by Mayor Michael Hancock to serve on the City and County of Denver Housing Advisory Committee, and he is the board chair of Denver Human Services. He received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and his MBA from the University of Chicago.
