Alan Jacobson, President/Founder of ex;it
Alan Jacobson, President
John Doyle
John Doyle is the co-owner of John and Kira’s Chocolates, a socially progressive manufacturer and retailer of gourmet chocolates in Philadelphia since 2002. His creations have graced the pages of many national magazines, such as the New York Times and Wine Spectator, and were declared by Ruth Reichel at Gourmet Magazine as her “favorite chocolates”. The company is known for it’s mix of business and social programs, such as Project mintpatch, where urban student gardeners in Philadelphia and Washington DC grow mint and other herbs that are then used to create the companies line of Urban Garden Chocolate Bars.
Saul Behar
Saul Behar serves as Vice President and General Counsel at the University City Science Center, where he oversees all legal and government relations matters. The Science Center is a 50-year old nonprofit research park, business incubator and economic development organization located in West Philadelphia.
Saul has over 25 years of experience as an attorney, senior executive and strategic advisor, managing sophisticated corporate, real estate and securities transactions for both early-stage and established companies in diverse fields.
In addition to serving on The Village’s Board, Saul serves as Board Chairman of the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund, which provides need-based scholarship aid for graduates of public high schools in Lower Merion. He also serves on the Community Facilities and Business Loan Committee of The Reinvestment Fund, a Philadelphia-based community investment and neighborhood revitalization organization.
Mindy Watts
Mindy Watts, AICP, PP is a Senior Associate at Interface Studio, a city planning and urban design practice based in Philadelphia that has won National Awards from the American Planning Association for Excellence in Grassroots Initiatives and Public Outreach. Mindy has worked extensively in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, addressing the polar challenges of managing growth in robust markets and fostering revitalization in those facing continued decline and abandonment. She recently completed The Economic Development Strategic Plan for Germantown and Lehigh, commissioned by the Philadelphia Department of Commerce and Philadelphia City Planning Commission, which focused on the commercial corridor located at The Village’s front door.
Mindy teaches a Planning Workshop for first-year graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. Her background is in Fine Arts, and she still dabbles in printmaking as time and space allow.
