who we are
Christopher Cawley, Director
Chris Cawley is a seasoned senior executive with over twenty years of business experience, including extensive business development responsibilities and the generation/ execution of innovative ideas to create and expand market share. Chris has a successful track record of guiding start-up companies in securing an appropriate capital structure and building profitability. He has a proven record of applying change management principals to create a productive, positive coalition of executives and staff, squarely focused on a mission. Chris has been Managing Director of Northeastern Economic Development Company of PA-CDC (NEDCO) since 2005 and President since 2011.
Under his leadership, NEDCO has been instrumental in well over $250 million of economic development activities in small market endeavors and key to continuing small business lending post 2008 financial crisis. Chris has developed a reputation within the community banking industry as an executive who is extremely qualified, possessing business acumen of proven strategies to finance commercial transactions.
Chris founded Northeast Economic Advisors (NEA) because he saw a limited number of resources available to assist borrowers, financial institutions, and government entities in structuring commercial loan transactions, project management, and grant oversight /administration. Further expanding upon NEA’s capabilities and seeing new market opportunities, Chris combined NEA with additional resources in founding Ashburn
Advisors, where he currently serves as President and Executive Director. Ashburn’s services include engaging as the intermediary for; capital raises, mergers and acquisitions engagements, third party joint venture engagements, SBA & USDA loans originations, state and municipal loans and grants, and consulting with community bank’s on commercial lending. Chris earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Scranton.
Joseph Boylan, Director of Government Services
Mr. Boylan has nearly ten years of experience in research and government-based programs. Joe began his professional career as the Research Analyst for the Institute of Public Policy and Economic Development [formerly the Joint Urban Studies Center]. At the Institute, Mr. Boylan focused on the research and analysis of indicators for regional prosperity, creating state and local government development strategies, and producing feasibility, market, and impact studies. From there, Joe transitioned to Chief of Staff, for State Representative John Yudichak. As Chief of Staff, Joe handled all state agency requests, managed the internal and external grant process, and provided oversight for the entire in-house economic development department. Mr. Boylan continued on as District Director for Senator Yudichak. While in the Senate, Joe provided leadership and management to three district offices, encompassing a three-county/fifty-six municipal wide district. Mr. Boylan’s District Director duties included providing oversight to staff on the handling of constituent issues, managing all major events held in the district, and controlling the local scheduling of the staff and Senator. Joe also focused on exploring, creating, and managing all economic development projects within the district. In addition, Joe has experience in directing political campaigns, small business management, and maintains a tremendous commitment to philanthropic efforts – including the Boylan Foundation, created by his family in 2001. Joe earned his Bachelor of Science in Business, with a concentration in Marketing and Management, from Penn State University.
Paul Colarossi, Director of Government Lending
Paul Colarossi utilizes his 13 successful years of experience in the development and execution of community and economic development projects and initiatives in low-income areas of Northeastern Pennsylvania, to serve as the Director of Government Lending for Ashburn Advisors. Prior to Ashburn, Paul served as Executive Director of Community Development for the City of Scranton, where his responsibilities included the oversight and direction of eighteen employees with expertise in land-use planning, construction, contracting, accounting, grant procurement and administration, commercial and residential real estate development, project management, federal program compliance and related activities. Other responsibilities included the oversight of several revolving loan programs designed to spur investment in low-income ares of Scranton, and/or provide employment opportunities for persons of low-income. Paul was responsible for managing the $5.1 million in US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement funds each year, including CDBG program.
Through the administration and provision of publicly-funded loans to new or expanding businesses, and/or procurement of public grants, Mr. Colarossi has assisted in the development and/or financing of many significant economic development projects initiated in Scranton, Pennsylvania since 1990. Through an array of activities on behalf of the City of Scranton, including grant writing, real estate development agreement and negotiation and management, loan program creation, implementation, oversight and day-to-day administration, Mr. Colarossi has assisted in the provision of over $13 million in loans leveraging over $70 million in private investment in Scranton over the past decade. This investment has assisted Scranton’s low-income communities by eliminating blight and providing employment opportunities for hundreds of low-income individuals. Mr. Colarossi is a graduate of Scranton Central High School, and attended the University of Scranton and Pennsylvania State University.
