Paul A. McCraven

Paul A. McCraven is the President & CEO of ConnCORP (Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program) a community economic development corporation focusing on community revitalization and wealth creation in low-income communities. The company helps stimulate economic activity through real estate development, food businesses and community-based business development.  It was formed by Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT).

Previously, Paul McCraven was senior vice president of Community Development at First Niagara Financial Group. He joined the former New Haven Savings Bank, which later became NewAlliance Bank, in 1997 as vice president of Community Relations. He was responsible for all aspects of community development and affordable lending activities across First Niagara’s entire footprint.  He also served as president of First Niagara Bank Community Development Corporation and as a board member of the First Niagara Bank Foundation.

McCraven serves on numerous other nonprofit boards, including the Amistad School, AAA of Southern New England, the Hartford Economic Development Corporation, and the NewAlliance Foundation. He is a former member of the National MS Society’s Connecticut Chapter, which honored him with a 2011 Connecticut Executive Choice Award.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Hampshire College and holds an MBA from the Columbia University School of Business. He also is an associate fellow at Yale University’s Berkeley College.