Jaime Cruz

Jaime Cruz serves as Executive Director for Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada’s Local Workforce Development Board. Before his appointment as Executive Director in October 2017, Jaime served as Chief Strategy Officer for eight years and was instrumental in partnering with local libraries to expand the public workforce development system. Jaime understands firsthand the barriers many face when trying to improve their careers. As a young man who immigrated to the United States, Jaime initially worked as a dishwasher despite a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Escuela Nacional De Marina Mercante in Lima, Peru. By improving his command of the English language and capitalizing on the growth opportunities he was presented, Jaime was able to successfully return to the engineering field and later transition to the public sector.

Prior to his career at Workforce Connections, Jaime worked on sustainability initiatives for major hotel‐casino companies in Las Vegas. One of his last projects on the Las Vegas Strip was overseeing the planning and implementation of the energy management and building automation systems at MGM Resorts International’s CityCenter complex. At the time, CityCenter was the largest LEED Gold Certified complex in the world. Jaime is a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Sustainable Development Professional by the Association of Energy Engineers, as well as a Certified Public Manager by the State of Nevada. Jaime immigrated to the U.S. in 1987, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1994 and has lived in Southern Nevada for thirty‐two years. Jaime’s proudest achievement are his two adult children, Samuel and Sofia.