Executive-in-Residence
Mecklenburg County’s Department of Social Services (DSS) Director Richard “Jake” Jacobsen, Jr. joined the Institute for Social Capital on January 2, 2008 as its first Executive-In-Residence.
Richard "Jake" Jacobsen began his tenure as the Director of the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services in January, 1994, serving in that capacity through December, 2007. As Director of one of the County's largest departments for nearly thirteen years, Jake guided the transformation of the Department of Social Services (DSS), re-imagining and refining how the agency does business and how it works with its customers. Under Jake's direction, DSS partnered with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce to introduce Work First customers to the business community. This unique partnership has resulted in over 24,000 Work First participants becoming employed by over 3,000 companies and brought President George W. Bush to Charlotte to applaud his effort.
Jake oversaw the establishment of the "Tot Lot" in the Wallace H. Kuralt Centre. The Tot Lot allows children of the agency's customers to be in a stimulating and supervised environment while their parents conduct agency-related business. Jake visited often and read stories to an attentive young audience. The Tot Lot is the first of its kind in any social services setting in North Carolina.
Jake came to Charlotte from San Diego, where he was Director of San Diego County's Department of Social Services for five years. He also served as Director of the Department of Substance Abuse, Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, and Assistant Drirector of Social Services. In San Diego, Jake conceived a fund-raising strategy to pay for otherwise unfunded citizens' needs by selling teddy bears, t-shirts, and related accessories featuring the image of the teddy bear. Teddy bears became a symbolic representation of Jake's passion for these issues he began receiving the as gifts from across the USA, as well as from other countries.
Jake received his education at the University of Southern California's undergraduate and UCLA's MBA graduate programs. He worked in Washington, DC, in the Justice Department's Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, and in Executive Office of The President of the United States as Project Manager of the Treatment Alternatives to Street Crimes (TASC) Program. He is the recipient of the Bronze Star with combat V for his service in Vietnam with the United States Navy, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Office of the President of the United States. He continues to serve the citizens of Mecklenburg County at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Institute for Social Capital.
The new assignment will allow Jacobsen to provide the Institute for Social Capital with his unique expertise and experience in understanding social equity and social services, especially in this community. Jacobsen has been a key person in the formation of the Institute and one of its strongest advocates in the region.
“Jake has been a champion of the Institute since its inception, and I’m thrilled to have him here as we launch it to the next level,” said Sharon Portwood, Executive Director.
“Jake has been an innovator throughout his career with Mecklenburg County,” said County Manager Harry Jones. “He is a recognized expert in his field, and his work with the Institute will continue to provide considerable value to this community.”
“I had always planned on moving into teaching and consulting after my retirement from Mecklenburg County,” said Jacobsen. “This new assignment provides me the opportunity to jump-start that new career while also helping ensure the County’s Department of Social Services continues to be the best it can be.”