Rowan Richards, Managing Director

Rowan Richards is a business development and finance leader with deep experience in entrepreneurship, small business capital, and community-driven economic growth. Rowan recently launched Boulevard & Company to help source and deliver capital, services, and resources to emerging Chicago businesses with proven capabilities. The launch of the Boulevard Fund will allow Rowan and team to increase the value they can deliver to founders and partners. From 2017 - 2025, Rowan led the Business Coaching program at Allies for Community Business (A4CB), designing a multi-stage advisory model fully integrated with A4CB’s lending operations. He is a founding partner of the Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab (NEL), overseeing entrepreneur selection and the deployment of $3.3M in growth capital to cohort companies over the past eight years. Rowan also co-designed and managed A4CB’s Revenue-Based Financing program supporting emerging and established businesses. Before A4CB, Rowan founded Assemblize, an early-stage investment firm backing under-estimated founders in Chicago’s middle market. Earlier in his career, he spent nine years as a senior trader with Marquette Partners, L.P. Rowan’s entrepreneurial work includes launching and leading The Stewards Market, a social enterprise that created six community-based businesses across multiple industries, and co-founding Varsity Club, a neighborhood athletic facility. Rowan’s community engagement includes teaching Personal & Career Development at Roosevelt University and serving on boards and advisory groups at Christ the King High School, 1871, Seven Generations Ahead, Defy Ventures, MoneyThink, and Gromentum Lab. A former professional athlete, Rowan played five seasons of minor league baseball with the Texas Rangers organization and later worked in player development and scouting. He was drafted from the University of Notre Dame, where he earned All-Regional honors and served as team captain.