Evan S. Weiss
Evan Weiss is the President and CEO of the Newark Alliance. He assumed the role in December 2021. The Newark Alliance, through the combined strength and collaboration of its Members, drives inclusive economic growth for all of Newark, New Jersey. The Alliance’s Members comprise Newark's premier businesses, anchor institutions, and community partners, including Fortune 100 & 500 companies and several of the country's top universities, hospitals, and arts institutions. United by a shared vision, the Alliance and its Members work collaboratively to cement Newark’s status as one of America's most diverse, prosperous, exciting, and equitable cities.
Previously, he was Senior Advisor for Finance and Major Projects to Governor Phil Murphy. He focused on finding creative solutions to New Jersey’s most pressing economic and community development problems, including managing the fiscal response to COVID-19, establishing New Jersey as the base of the US offshore wind industry, and financing affordable housing, transit, and water infrastructure projects. He was also the administration's point person for key city initiatives in Newark, Trenton, and Atlantic City. Most recently, he helped craft the legislation to reform the Urban Enterprise Zone program and the $14+ billion suite of Economic Development Authority tax credit programs, as well as lead the Governor’s Office financial review of the Gateway Project, the largest infrastructure project in the United States.
Prior to entering the Governor’s administration, Mr. Weiss was Director at the Pennsylvania Economy League and HJA Strategies, where he specialized in developing and implementing turnaround strategies for distressed cities and school districts, including for the City of Newark, Newark Public Schools, Scranton, Atlantic City, and Trenton.
In addition to his role as a Member of the Board of Directors of NJ TRANSIT, he is a Member of the Board of New Jersey Community Capital, the largest Community Development Financial Institution in New Jersey, and the Newark Workforce Development Board. He has published several articles on economic development, tax policy, and corporate social responsibility. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago.