For Immediate Release
Contact: Toni Robin, tr@trprsandiego.com, seryyfhdts
858.483.3918
Photos available upon request

San Diego – October 28, 2013 – In 1995, Joe Jacobs had a vision that his family foundation would partner with residents to revitalize a community in southeastern San Diego. By creating the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (JCNI) as a branch of the Jacobs Family Foundation, the vision was put in motion on the principle of resident ownership of neighborhood change. Resident-led development planning for The Village at Market Creek began through a collective visioning process, and one of the initial results of that work was Market Creek Plaza, a shopping center providing national and local outlets. Building on this strong foundation that now includes a community center and social enterprise Market Creek Events and Venues, future plans include housing, retail and commercial developments as well as resident-led education, arts and culture programs.

Now, 15 years since the Jacobs family and area residents began partnering in the work to revitalize the community, the third generation of board leadership begins. Just elected, the grandson of Joe and Vi Jacobs, Andrew Hapke will take the helm of the foundation as Chairman of the Board. Grandson of the founders and son of Valerie and Norm, Andrew Hapke is the first in the new generation to chair the boards of the Jacobs Family Foundation and JCNI. He is a young dynamic leader with experience in entrepreneurship, technology and social enterprise. He currently works for American Express as a digital marketing strategist.

Born and raised in San Diego, the 30 year-old Hapke now resides in Brooklyn, New York. “I am thrilled that our son Andrew is taking the helm at our foundation. It is a true validation of the contribution that our third generation board members can make. Andrew has extensive experience in the for-profit and non-profit fields as well as deep knowledge of and passion for internet technology and its place in the philanthropic environment as a tool to expand impact. He is the perfect leader to bring us to the next stage in our development as a foundation” said his proud mother Valerie Jacobs Hapke. I am excited to see where his leadership will take us.”

Reginald Jones, President and CEO of JCNI, expressed his excitement in the new Board leadership, saying “Andrew shares the vision of his grandfather for resident-led neighborhood revitalization and a passion for ensuring residents are actively engaged in creating the positive change they want for their neighborhood. He brings strong, innovative ideas for ways to more actively connect with residents and for promoting investment in our neighborhood revitalization in southeastern San Diego.”

Andrew’s work has focused on identifying innovations in the private and social sectors, and translating them into viable solutions to entrenched problems. After graduating from college, he spent a year in an Americorps volunteer role with ACCION San Diego, a non-profit organization that assists underserved entrepreneurs through micro-lending. Andrew also worked in India with a social enterprise that connects rural villages with mainstream markets. Specifically, he helped conceptualize, pilot, and launch an innovative micro-finance program that supports budding entrepreneurs in villages across Northern India. After completing a Masters in Business Administration at the Yale School of Management, Andrew founded a crowd funding technology start up in New York City.

“I want to focus on how we can use the concept of collective impact to further enhance our philanthropic strategies,” explained Hapke. “We are just scratching the surface of what is possible when communities utilize social media and internet technology as tools for collaboration, decision-making and action.”

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The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (JCNI) is partnering with resident teams in southeastern San Diego to transform 60 acres into The Village at Market Creek, a LEED-certified neighborhood and vibrant cultural destination. Through a network of nonprofit and for-profit partners, locally-owned businesses and national tenants, a community and conference center, and a portfolio of social enterprise projects, JCNI is creating assets that will become economic engines for the community when the foundation sunsets in 2030. Under the banner of “Resident Ownership of Neighborhood Change,” the people who live and work in the community create the vision, lead the implementation and own the change in their community. Learn more at www.jacobscenter.org