New Brunswick, NJ (October 4, 2017) – New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC) has appointed Jorge Cruz as the organization’s first Chief External Affairs Officer. Cruz brings more than 20 years of experience to NJCC, including an extensive background working with nonprofits, resource development, grant writing, fundraising, neighborhood planning and development, and real estate development.
Cruz will oversee resource development, investor relations, government relations, communications, and impact reporting for NJCC, and report to NJCC President Wayne T. Meyer.
“Jorge’s extensive experience in community development and dedication to supporting New Jersey communities makes him an exceptional asset to our team,” said Meyer. “As our organization grows and our reach expands, I know NJCC is in incredibly capable hands with Jorge.”
“I consider myself incredibly blessed to join the NJCC family and what I believe to be one of the State and regional leaders in community and economic development,” said Cruz. “I hope to do my part in contributing to the growth of NJCC’s mission in and beyond New Jersey.”
Cruz, a seasoned development executive with more than 20 years of experience, comes to NJCC from the Jewish Renaissance Foundation, a Middlesex County-based nonprofit dedicated to helping people in low-income households attain self-sufficiency, where he served as Chief Strategy Officer. In his 11 years at the Jewish Renaissance Foundation, Cruz was instrumental in expanding the organization’s capacity nearly threefold. Cruz was Chief Executive Officer of Episcopal Community Development Center (ECDC) in Jersey City, where he increased the organization’s housing and service capacity threefold, and driving ECDC to serve as the lead organization for two separate neighborhood-based redevelopment initiatives. At the Bruno Group, a Clifton-based public/non-profit sector management consulting firm, where he served as President, Cruz oversaw a wide range of professional services for over 40 active contracts in multiple states. Before joining the Bruno Group, Cruz served as Aide to the Mayor of the City of Perth Amboy, where he coordinated the internal and external activities of the Mayor’s office, served as the Mayor’s spokesperson and the City’s grants coordinator. Cruz serves on many boards including the Center for Nonprofits, and received gubernatorial appointments to the Governor’s Juvenile Justice and Prevention Advisory Council and New Jersey Policy Academy to End Homelessness. He is also a Founding Board Member of the Academy for Urban Leadership (AUL), a Perth Amboy-based charter school.
About New Jersey Community Capital
New Jersey Community Capital is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides innovative financing and technical assistance to support the preservation and development of affordable housing and sustainable community development ventures that increase jobs, improve education, and strengthen neighborhoods. Founded in 1987, NJCC has invested over $630 million in New Jersey communities, resulting in over 8,800 housing units, 7,300 early care slots, 16,500 education seats, and 9,600 jobs. For more information, visit: www.newjerseycommunitycapital.org.