Currently President
and CEO of Windber Medical Center and the
Windber Research Institute,
Mr. Jacobs was a also co-founder of the Institute. This high throughput proteomic and genomic research institute is an international research center for heart and reproductive diseases.
Windber Research Institute's primary focus is improving patient
care and the quality of life for the patient and their family by
rapidly translating molecular and clinical research into action.
Mr. Jacobs is responsible for setting strategic vision for the Medical Center and the Institute; providing general management and coordination for both organizations.
Before being named to his current positions, Mr. Jacobs served as the Chief Communications Officer of the Conemaugh Health System; Executive Director for the Conemaugh Health Foundation; Vice President of Mercy Medical Center; Executive Director of the Mercy Healthcare Foundation, President of the Laurel Highlands Convention and Visitors Bureau; Executive Director of Laurel Arts of Somerset, PA; Teacher and Department Chair for Westmont and Johnstown Schools; for the Plum Borough School District in Pittsburgh; and was a professional trumpet player
and musical conductor for over 20 years.
Mr. Jacobs holds a Master's degree in Public Management/Health Systems Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has been awarded Certification from The Grantsmanship Center at the College of William and Mary; and a Certificate in Health Care Management from the Harvard School of Public Health. Mr. Jacobs is also a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors
of The Pennsylvania Mountains Healthcare Alliance, the Hospital
Council of Western PA, the River City Brass Band,
and the Arcadia Performing Arts Theater. He is the Chairman of
the Keystone Chapter of the American Red Cross Disaster Relief
Services and recently completed a six year term on the
international hospital organization,
Planetree. He is also a member of the advisory council for the John P. Murtha Institute of Homeland Security at Indiana University of Pennsylvania
and numerous other non profit organizations.
Mr. Jacobs has received
several awards including the Outstanding Alumni Award from
Carnegie Mellon University and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In total, fewer than 200 of IUP’s 80,000 alumni have received this award.
Mr. Jacobs has also received the Commander's Award from Walter Reed Healthcare System; Outstanding Support Award, Clinical Breast Care Project, Walter Reed Army Medical Center; Clinical Breast Care Project Collaboration Award, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Pennsylvania Senate Proclamation Recipient from Senator John Wozniak;
the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Somerset County Chamber
of Commerce; the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Penn's
Woods Council of the Boy Scouts of American; and the Community Rural Health Leader of the Year, Pennsylvania Rural Health Association.
In addition to his CEO positions with WRI and WMC, Mr. Jacobs served as an adjunct instructor for St. Francis University and has been a guest lecturer at various regional, state, and national conferences and workshops including the American College of Healthcare Executives annual congress; the National Planetree Conference; the American Society on Aging; and at numerous colleges and universities including Ohio State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, St. Francis University
and St. Vincent College. Many of his writings have been published in healthcare magazines and he has been prominently featured in the Wall Street Journal,
Forbes, USA Today, Health Leaders, and Modern Healthcare.
Mr. Jacobs is widely acknowledged as the first Healthcare CEO to create and maintain a blog (i.e, weblog).
Nick's critically-acclaimed web log, WindberBlog, can be found at:
www.windberblog.com.
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