LaForce Baker, is currently a Principal at Baker Enterprises, a retail commercial real estate growth advisory firm for national retailers. LaForce is also an emerging real estate developer that builds and manages market rate apartment buildings. LaForce has been featured in Forbes, Success Magazine, Crain’s Chicago Business and Black Enterprise for his efforts.

LaForce formerly served as the Vice President of Community Impact at World Business Chicago (WBC), the esteemed economic development agency of America’s 3rd largest city. There he led a dedicated team aimed at fostering $1.4 billion dollars in mixed-use commercial real estate development projects, while attracting national retailers and facilitating the growth of established minority owned small businesses on the South and West sides of Chicago.

With a rich background rooted in entrepreneurship, LaForce brings invaluable insights to his work, having previously founded and led Moon Meals, one of the top selling minority-owned plant based CPG brands in national grocery retailers like Whole Foods Market (Amazon), Kroger (Marianos) and Albertsons (Jewel Osco) for almost a decade with a roadmap to $10 million in sales prior to the pandemic.

Prior to founding Moon Meals in 2012, he helped bring to market new concepts & reposition established billion dollar brand portfolios for multinational companies like Kraft-Heinz, Conagra and Nestle in various national big box retailers for the global agency: Landor Associates.

Originally from the Southside of Chicago, LaForce's deep connection to the community fuels his passion for creating opportunities for all. He holds a bachelor's degree in Communication from Denison University.