Brian Holst has served as Executive Director of the Juneau Economic Development Council (JEDC) since 2008, having worked in community and economic development for more than thirty years. He has extensive experience managing governmental grants and contracts, including individual federal awards in excess of $40 million, from the Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department Housing and Urban Development and the United States Agency for International Development. Programs he has managed include micro-finance, small business assistance, value chain development, regional economic planning, and conflict prevention/mitigation. He has also served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in small business development and worked as an international consultant and small business owner.
At JEDC, Brian has implemented a wide range of local, regional, and statewide economic development initiatives supporting technology transfer, STEM education, affordable housing, eldercare workforce development, downtown and Aak’w Village District development, and Industry Cluster Working Groups, among others. He is committed to the prosperity of Juneau and the wellbeing of Alaskans. He serves Juneau and Alaska in numerous capacities, including on the Alaska State Committee on Research, the University of Alaska Southeast Campus Advisory Council, and the Alaska Committee, as well as being active in service groups. He is a staunch advocate for developing talent early and serves on the Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating Council and is a former member of the Juneau Board of Education. He is a graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School and the University of Notre Dame where he completed an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from the Mendoza Graduate School of Business.
Born and raised in Alaska’s Capital City, Brian worked out of the state and overseas for many years before returning to live and work in Juneau with his family, including his wife Estela and four children.