Empowering Entrepreneurs,
One Story at a Time

Meet Our Founder
Hilda Kennedy

Hilda Kennedy founded AmPac in 2005 with a heartfelt mission: to empower small businesses and help them reach their full potential.

“We approach our work from an ‘It Is Possible’ mentality, knowing that with God, all things are possible. We believe we have been divinely appointed to create ‘possibilities’ for the communities who need it most through entrepreneurship, small business formation, job creation, and building generational wealth.”
– Hilda Kennedy speaking to the Senate Small Business Committee

Hilda Kennedy is a visionary leader dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and transforming communities through equitable access to capital. As the founder and president of AmPac Business Capital, she has built the nation’s faith-based mission-driven SBA lending group, rooted in faith, integrity, and a relentless commitment to small business success.​

Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Hilda understands the barriers many face in building generational wealth. Her early career in economic development revealed the systemic challenges that minority and women entrepreneurs encounter when seeking funding. This insight inspired her to launch AmPac in 2005, with a mission to finance and foster business success at all stages of growth. Under her leadership, AmPac became the first faith-based SBA 504 lender in the country, deploying over $2 billion in capital and supporting the creation of thousands of jobs across California.​

Hilda’s approach blends business acumen with compassion. Through initiatives like the “It Is Possible” down payment assistance program and the Entrepreneur Ecosystem resource center, she ensures that underserved and first generation entrepreneurs receive not just funding, but also the tools and support to thrive.​

Her work has earned national recognition, including being named NAWBO California’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, the Mary Anne Fox Top Female Entrepreneur award for 2024. Kennedy serves on the Board of NADCO, Adelfi Credit Union, CAMEO, and AAA CDFI Alliance; is Past President of NAWBO-California and Inland Empire Chapters, and is an Executive Fellow for the University of California School of Business.

Beyond business, Hilda is a devoted wife, mother of four, Bible study teacher, and community mentor. Her journey is rooted in faith and a deep belief that every entrepreneur, regardless of background, deserves a chance to succeed.