Janis L. Ware is the Executive Director of SUMMECH CDC – a position she has held since 1991. She is recognized throughout the Atlanta housing community as one of the first urban pioneers by building affordable homes for first-time homebuyers in the Mechanicsville neighborhood. Janis L. Ware has practical, hands-on and well documented experience in the field of low-and moderate-income housing and community economic development. As such, she has served the citizens of the metropolitan Atlanta area for more than 28 years. Janis Ware, a native Atlantan, graduated from historic Booker T. Washington High School and was one of the first African American females to graduate from the University of Georgia’s prestigious School of Business. She earned her MBA in Project Management from American InterContinental University in 2011. Her extraordinary business acumen is one of the many qualities that have positioned SUMMECH Community Development Corporation as one of the key entities in the revitalization of the historic Mechanicsville community and a leader in the development of low-to moderate-income, multi and single-family units. Under her leadership, she has strengthened the organization, increased its delivery of services and developed more than 1350 housing units; transforming communities by developing strong collaborations and partnerships with like-minded affordable housing and community development entities. Development efforts started with the acquisition of more than 40 parcels of land from property owners through direct mail solicitation requesting the donation of the property to SUMMECH, which included the land on which Ware Estates was developed. By contracting with Integral Group to assist SUMMECH and hiring a Project Manager during the development process, 69 townhomes were built and sold to first-time homebuyers. Rosa Burney Manor, which involved the gut renovation of 54 units of scattered-site apartments, was completed with contractors and consultants under Janis Ware’s direction. This experience has led to collaborative partnerships with for-profit developers in the development of over 1350 plus units.