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Maurice L. Coleman, 39

New York Market Executive

Bank of America

While attending high school in a tough neighborhood in Trenton, N.J., Maurice Coleman picked up his graded tests and papers after class because he was embarrassed by his high marks.

"I pretended to be just a basketball player," says Mr. Coleman, who went on to play basketball and earn two degrees at Columbia University. "The peer pressure was too great."

Today, as New York City market executive at Bank of America, he works to close the divide between being street-smart and book-smart--and between the poor and the rich.

His work includes managing nearly $400 million that Bank of America invests in affordable housing, community development and small businesses in low-income areas. The figure is up about 25% in the last year.

"Bank of America is moving very rapidly under Maurice Coleman's leadership to being a major player in community development in New York City," says William Grinker, chief executive of Seedco Financial Services, a national community development organization.

Through Mr. Coleman's leadership, for example, Bank of America is lending $15.5 million for the renovation of the dilapidated Francis Ennis Homes, a 231-unit, low-income apartment complex in Harlem. The bank is working on the project with community groups such as the Abyssinian Development Corp., which Mr. Coleman serves as vice chairman.

Mr. Coleman also belongs to the Harlem Education Activities Fund, which teaches kids that they can do well in school and still be cool.

"It became clear to me growing up that just because you start out in poverty doesn't mean you have to end up there," he says.

- Tom Frederickson

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