Former newspaper executive and veteran fundraiser Bob Balzer has been named vice president of marketing and fund development for National Community Renaissance, the third-largest national nonprofit developer of affordable housing.

Balzer, most recently executive director of the Campaign for Cal Poly Pomona, spent three decades

in the newspaper business, including 11 years as publisher of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and seven years as chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group’s Inland Empire Group.

He has worked closely with some of Southern California’s highest-profile nonprofit organizations – including the Red Cross, United Way and Casa Colina Rehabilitation Hospital – and is a past board chairman of the Children’s Fund of San County.

“Bob’s commitment to community, his sales and marketing background, and his understanding of the financial challenges nonprofits face make him the ideal choice to lead our marketing and fund-development efforts,” said Steve PonTell, National CORE’s chief executive officer.

National voice The Rancho Cucamonga-based company manages 8,800 units in California, Arkansas, Texas and Florida. Through its Hope through Housing subsidiary, it has provided more than 2 million hours in supportive services to enhance quality of life, including preschool, afterschool and senior wellness programs.

In addition to developing and managing affordable housing projects, CORE has emerged as a national voice on community revitalization. Southern California alone is 600,000 housing units short of meeting demand, and the loss of redevelopment financing has eliminated one of the major funding sources for low-income housing.