An executive from the Pacific Northwest with expansive international economic experience, including in semiconductors, will lead San José’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, replacing former Director Nanci Klein, who retired three months ago.
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City Manager Jennifer Maguire has announced the selection of Jen Baker, who most recently served as the president and CEO of the Columbia River Economic Development Council in Vancouver, Washington, to head the department at a critical juncture with major sporting events coming to the region next year and the city looking to bolster its position as a hub for artificial intelligence.
“Jen’s proven track record and ability to coalesce thought leaders’ interests, develop policy, and interpret complex economic issues will help attract, retain, and grow artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, data centers and sustainable industries that will drive revenue and jobs to our city,” Maguire said in a news release. “Additionally, her dynamic skills will help foster small business success and contribute to the support of business districts throughout the City and the vitality of a thriving downtown, including developing a sports, arts and entertainment district.”
Communications Director Carolina Camarena said Baker was one of 65 applicants for the director’s position. Assistant City Manager Lee Wilcox had served as the acting director of the department during the recruitment process.
Baker will receive an annual salary of $295,000 with approximately 5% non-pensionable pay, bringing her compensation to $309,750. In the city’s recruitment brochure, the salary range for the position was advertised as between $204,437 and $341,149.
Baker began her career as a trade policy expert at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she negotiated bilateral and multilateral trade agreements before moving on to serve as the trade capacity building director at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
She also worked at the U.S. Small Business Administration in Portland from 2011 to 2018, where she rose through the ranks from economic development manager to acting director of the agency. During her tenure at the agency, its lending portfolio increased from $220 million to $609 million, representing a 275% rise.
Under her leadership at the Columbia River Economic Development Council, Clark County added $1.69 billion and 3,926 jobs from 2021 to 2024. She also was appointed as a member of the Washington State Commerce Department’s CHIPS and Science Act Working Group.
“Helping community members, industry, businesses, and individuals to optimize competitive advantages for a strong economy is what motivates me,” Baker said in a statement. “San José’s tech and small business ecosystems share strong parallels with my experience from the Pacific Northwest, and I am excited to meet City team members and peers to drive visibility and investment in the City of San José.”
Baker’s selection is one of several changes to top-line management at the city in this calendar year. Maguire named Aram Kouyoumjian director of the Human Resources Department and Office of Employee Relations, while appointing Jeff Provenzano as director of the Environmental Services Department earlier this year.
More recently, Maguire also selected Manuel Pineda, who previously served as Chief Electric Utility Officer at the city of Santa Clara, to serve as a deputy city manager, with Kip Harkness vacating the position in March.
At the city, Baker will oversee a department of 61 positions and an annual operating budget of approximately $67 million.
Along with the region welcoming Super Bowl LX, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and World Cup matches in 2026, which combined could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity, city officials have targeted several strategic initiatives in the budget to turn San José into a top-notch destination for sports, entertainment, shopping, and business creation.
These included planning efforts to create a future sports and entertainment district in downtown, support for business association expansion in commercial corridors and furthering the push for data center investment.
“San José needs a strong economic development leader to help us realize our tremendous growth potential,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement. “Jen Baker has the skills and experience to help San José attract new investment to make our Downtown Silicon Valley’s true urban center, build the housing we need for future generations, and grow the tax base to fund city services for all of our neighborhoods.”