Ernest (Ernie) Mahaffey founded DI Group, an export sales and marketing company, and was its owner and Managing Director from 1989 to 2002. DI Group distributed upscale American retail food products to premier retailers in developed countries around the world.

Prior to leading DI Group, Ernie was Vice President with Chase Manhattan Bank where, for 16 years, he financed Japanese and Korean Trading Companies; managed relationships with Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese banks; and led Chase's international trade finance and consulting businesses with Fortune 500 Companies in the Midwest.

Since 2002, Ernie has pursued leadership and philanthropic activities  with the theme "engaging the world in urban communities". Current projects include productively engaging older adults in communities, and stimulating innovation and economic growth in cities, hence "Community Initiatives".

Ernie is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is on the Executive Committee of the Global Chicago Center and was a member of two task forces: A Shared Future: Economic Engagement of Chicago's Mexican Community, 2006 and The Global Edge: An Agenda for Chicago's Future, 2007. He is also a member of the American Society on Aging, Generations United and the International Consortium of Intergenerational Programmes. 

 

He was a member of the European Commission sponsored ENGIME project and is currently part of their SUSDIV project, studying ethnic diversity and innovation and economic growth in urban settings. 

Ernie lives in Geneva, Illinois, where he is a past member of the city’s Strategic Plan Advisory Committee and is currently leading an initiative to engage similar communities overseas in educational and cultural exchange partnerships (The International Cultural Exchange Committee). He has served on the boards of Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Founding Member) and Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley.

Ernie graduated from Florida State University and Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management with specialties in Asian History and Languages, Business and International Finance. He also attended Eckerd College (1964-68), where he is now a member of the Academy of Senior Professionals ASPEC.