Accountability, Growth, and Building Forward.

Over the past year, I’ve gone through one of the most difficult and defining periods of my life.

During my time serving as Board Chairman, President, and Executive Director of Alberta Main Street, a nonprofit organization focused on keeping the community vibrant, creative and equitable, serious issues occurred related to financial management and organizational oversight.

That situation led to legal consequences and more importantly, it impacted a community, stakeholders, and people who trusted the leadership in place.

I was in a position of responsibility.

And that matters.

While there were multiple factors involved, I’ve had to take a hard and honest look at my role as a leader where stronger oversight, structure, and discipline were required.

Accountability, for me, has meant more than acknowledging what happened. It has meant sitting with it, learning from it, and understanding how leadership must show up not just in vision but in execution, systems, and governance.

What I have done to make it right

Accountability for me has meant more than acknowledging what happened. It has meant doing the work the court ordered, on the schedule the court set, and finishing it.

• Restitution paid in full. The court ordered restitution of $85,080.95 to the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods. The final payment was delivered on May 20, 2025 — within 22 days of the final restitution order. NECN's Executive Director confirmed receipt.

• Community service completed. The court ordered 240 hours. I completed 248 hours across five organizations, finishing on April 8, 2025. Most of that work focused on education and food security: 100 hours mentoring 11th- and 12th-graders through the college application process with the UNCF Portfolio Project in Seattle (work I began in August 2024, before the plea); 100 hours at the Oregon Food Bank in Portland; 31 hours at the University District Food Bank in Seattle; 12 hours reviewing scholarship applications for the Seattle Colleges Foundation; and 5 hours volunteering at a Black History Month family night at Meany Middle School. Verification letters from each organization are on file.

I share these facts not to ask for credit for meeting legal obligations. I share them because the public record, as it exists in news coverage, does not show that these milestones have been met and people who engage with me professionally deserve to know.

This experience fundamentally changed how I think about leadership.

I’ve learned that:

• Good intentions are not a substitute for strong systems

• Trust is built through transparency, structure, and consistency

• Financial oversight and governance are non-negotiable responsibilities

• Leadership requires not just direction but discipline and controls

I’ve also taken time to reflect on the broader impact.

Organizations like Alberta Main Street exist to support small businesses, creatives, and communities. When leadership falls short, the effects extend beyond internal operations they affect real people, real businesses, and real trust.

That is something I take seriously.

Since that time, I’ve been focused on doing the work both professionally and personally.

That includes:

• Continuing to strengthen my understanding of financial oversight, governance, and operational discipline

• Taking responsibility where I can

• Being intentional about how I lead and operate moving forward

It hasn’t been easy. But it’s been necessary.

And it’s been clarifying.

Today, I’m focused on building forward with purpose.

My work continues in business strategy, advising, and supporting entrepreneurs, particularly Black-owned businesses, where structure, discipline, and access can make a lasting difference.

I’m committed to helping founders build strong, sustainable businesses from the start; grounded not just in vision, but in systems that support long-term success.

I don’t expect to rewrite the past.

But I do take full ownership of how I move forward.

And I’m committed to doing that with integrity, clarity, and growth at the center of everything I build next.

About Devon Horace
Devon Horace is a business strategist, angel investor, and real estate investor focused on helping entrepreneurs and communities build long-term wealth through ownership, strategy, and disciplined growth.