Neil Jacobsen

Neil Jacobsen has spent close to two decades successfully promoting economic growth and diversification in the greater Saint John and Fundy regions of New Brunswick, having worked in a management capacity for the Saint John YMCA-YWCA Enterprise Centre, Business Development Bank of Canada, Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership and Enterprise Saint John. Through these organizations he has supported local small business start-ups, coordinated the delivery of a wide range of small business training and consulting programs, managed a growing portfolio of business relocation and investment prospects, and co-launched a nationally recognized multi-million dollar community redevelopment project on the Saint John waterfront.

Most recently, Neil served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Saint John where his operational responsibilities included a range of strategic initiatives and the City’s corporate services functions, including the launch of a dedicated internal continuous improvement program. Neil achieved green belt certification as a lean six sigma process improvement facilitator in 2017. Previous to joining the City, Neil led the team that managed energy related policy, planning and regulatory affairs activities for the Province of New Brunswick as Assistant Deputy Minister with the New Brunswick Department of Energy and Mines.

Neil’s exposure to business is deep rooted - he grew up involved in a successful family business and has owned and operated his own small businesses. He attended the State University of New York (with honors) and McGill University, where he received his Bachelor of Engineering degree. He later went on to receive his Master of Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School at Western University in London, Ontario, and has also completed a certificate in Labour Relations from the Industrial Relations Centre (IRC) at Queen’s University.

Neil has also been actively involved in a wide range of community organizations, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Fundy Trail Development Authority, Atlantica Centre for Energy, Uptown Saint John, Family Services Saint John and First Night Saint John (as founding President). Neil has also served as the Chair of Small Business Week for the Fundy Region and Co-Chair of the Saint John Board of Trade’s Business and Community Development Committee. He remains an active volunteer with the Greater Saint John YMCA.