After many years of dedicated service to the Academy and its mission, Robert Heyn has announced his plans to retire as Executive Director at the end of 2026. We are deeply grateful for his commitment, vision, and many years of service to the Academy and the thousands of lives touched through its programs.
As part of this planned transition, the Academy is pleased to announce Eric Loudon as its incoming Executive Director. Eric brings a strong combination of entrepreneurial experience, operational leadership, strategic vision, and a longstanding commitment to the Academy’s mission. During this transition, Eric will serve as Executive Director with the support of Robert until Robert’s retirement at the end of the year. We look forward to them collaborating and serving together alongside President Cam Crowther.
A message from Eric:
Dear Friends,
I am incredibly honored and excited to take the helm as Executive Director of The Academy for Creating Enterprise. My own entrepreneurial journey began more than two decades ago while I was living abroad in Brazil, where I started my first company. That business eventually grew significantly and was sold, and from that point forward I found myself looking for meaningful ways to give back.
When I discovered the Academy nearly seven years ago, I immediately fell in love with its mission and vision. Since then, I have had the privilege of traveling around the world as a volunteer, serving on the Board of Directors, and working directly with hundreds of Academy students in their businesses. Those experiences have convinced me that business creation is one of the most powerful tools available to help God’s children rise out of poverty, especially in places where jobs are scarce and opportunities for upward economic mobility are limited.
There is nothing more rewarding to me than watching someone arrive at their first Academy class with very little and leave with a new sense of possibility, an abundant mindset, and the beginnings of an income-generating activity.
The real impact happens as we mentor our students to become self-reliant, grow their businesses, and begin creating employment for others in their communities. We often say that rather than simply giving someone a fish, we teach them how to fish. I would take that one step further: we mentor them on how to market the fish, sell the fish, build a business around the fish, and eventually hire others to fish with them.
For 26 years, extraordinary leaders, donors, volunteers, and staff have built the Academy into an organization that now operates in 18 countries and serves nearly 29,000 students each month. Having served on the Board of Directors for the past five years, most recently as Board Chair, I have developed a tremendous appreciation for those who have stayed true to the Academy’s mission and built the foundation we now have the privilege to build upon. I am especially grateful for leaders such as Robert Heyn and so many others whose years of service have positioned the Academy for this next generation of growth.
I am humbled by the continued support of our incredible donors who make it possible to mentor and support thousands of individuals and families on their journey to self-reliance. Thank you for your continued support! I am excited that together we can reach further and impact even more individuals and families as we help them move from poverty to prosperity through education, self-reliance, and a community of support.
With warm regards to all of our friends at the Academy,
Eric