Meet Jed JohnHope

Background

A True Son of St. Croix

Jed JohnHope was born and raised on St. Croix — one of our own in every sense. He attended Good Hope Country Day School, where he developed the intellectual curiosity and competitive drive that would take him to some of the world's finest institutions of higher learning.

After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware, Jed pursued advanced studies at London Business School and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University — one of the most prestigious business programs in the world. Alongside his business credentials, Jed developed expertise as a professional engineer, with a particular focus on environmental issues, giving him a uniquely multi-disciplinary perspective on the challenges facing the Virgin Islands.

But no matter how far his education and career took him, Jed's heart and vision were always rooted in his home islands. He has consistently returned his talents, energy, and capital to the USVI — because he believes deeply in what these islands can become.

Professional Career

Wall Street Experience. Virgin Islands Heart.

Named by BET as one of "Blacks on the Brink of Greatness," Jed has built an extraordinary career spanning investment banking, engineering, and venture capital. His former employers read like a who's-who of American industry: Morgan Stanley, the Hess Corporation, Liberty Mutual, and ARCADIS — a global engineering and management consulting firm.

Over more than two decades, Jed developed deep expertise in the Energy, Manufacturing, Financial Services, and Oil & Gas sectors — with significant, hands-on work within the USVI itself. He understands the intersection of infrastructure, finance, and policy in ways few others can, and he has consistently applied that knowledge to building a stronger territory.

In 2018, Jed co-founded Twin City Capital alongside Michael DelGiacco — the USVI's first domestic-focused venture fund. Twin City Capital's mission is straightforward: invest in USVI businesses, grow local jobs, and improve the quality of life for Virgin Islanders. Together, they have channeled over 35 years of combined venture investing, investment banking, management consulting, and operations experience into building the territory's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Jed also co-founded and serves as CEO of Yellow Cedar Media, a Virgin Islands-based media company that produces original journalism and documentary content for and about the territory — including the flagship docuseries Upfront, which has featured in-depth interviews with some of the USVI's most prominent leaders.

Community Involvement

Serving the Territory He Loves

Jed's commitment to the Virgin Islands goes far beyond business. He has spent years in public and civic life, lending his expertise to some of the territory's most pressing challenges.

As Vice Chairman of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) Governing Board, Jed became one of the loudest and most credible voices for accountability in the authority's troubled history. When WAPA's VITOL project came in $225 million over budget — costing every Virgin Islander roughly $20 per $1 million squandered — Jed confronted the mismanagement directly and publicly. "We cannot allow the managers that made these decisions to ever make a mistake like this again," he told the Virgin Islands Senate. "Change, process, and accountability. Those are the only things that will move the utility forward."

As President of Generation Next, Jed leads an organization dedicated to making meaningful, enduring change in the Virgin Islands — focusing on economic development, youth empowerment, and community resilience. He has been a prominent voice in public forums on everything from the territory's response to federal policy changes to strategies for industrial development on St. Croix's south shore.

Jed also serves as a Trustee of the Good Hope Country Day School — giving back to the institution that helped shape him — and has judged entrepreneurship competitions like Startup Battle VI, investing personally in growing the USVI's next generation of business leaders.

Vision for the USVI

Bold Priorities for Our Islands' Future

Jed JohnHope has a concrete, actionable vision for the U.S. Virgin Islands — one built on economic diversification, government accountability, and strategic investment in our people.

On the Economy: Jed has argued powerfully that the USVI must attract high-value, low-weight industries — pharmaceuticals, medical devices, renewable energy components — ideally suited to an island economy with limited port capacity. He has called for better marketing of the Economic Development Authority's already-strong incentive programs and has urged the territory to learn from Puerto Rico's experience with tax incentives: they can drive rapid industrialization, but only when paired with long-term local investment and workforce development.

On Energy: Having confronted WAPA's failures firsthand, Jed will prioritize transforming the territory's energy infrastructure — reducing dependence on fossil fuels, driving down electricity costs, and ending the culture of cost overruns and mismanagement that has plagued the authority for decades.

On Washington: Jed believes the USVI must be "proactive and tell Washington what we need to be successful" — especially in the face of federal policies that could disproportionately harm the territory. He has advocated for restoring Section 936-style tax incentives, scaling vocational training programs to support manufacturing and technical industries, and leveraging the USVI's unique geographic and regulatory position as a competitive advantage in the Caribbean.

On Taxation & Investment: Jed has highlighted that 87 people pay 70% of the income taxes in the Virgin Islands — and has called for a targeted program to attract 87 more high-income taxpayers and investors to the territory, dramatically expanding the tax base and creating ripple effects throughout the local economy.