 He was the de facto Chief Operating Officer of JVL from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s working side by side with Macler Shepard the longtime leader and founder of the organization.JVL was a community development organization working in the north city area bounded by Jefferson, Vandeventer and St. Louis Avenues.JVL was a leader in the region in that it was run by local residents and produced affordable housing for both families and seniors, created an innovative partnership with Brown Shoe Company that led to a production plant in the neighborhood, opened a coffee shop and day care center.