Department: Staff
John Bourdeaux is President and CEO of AdvanceCT, Connecticut’s nonprofit economic development organization focused on business recruitment, retention, and strategic growth. Under his leadership, AdvanceCT has built a disciplined and scalable business development platform that has evaluated more than 15,000 companies within Connecticut and globally, resulting in 168 project wins and $4.5 billion in capital investment.
John previously served as AdvanceCT’s Chief of Staff and as Head of Business Development, where he helped design and implement the organization’s data driven pipeline strategy and performance based operating model. In those roles, he strengthened internal operations, formalized business recruitment processes, expanded engagement with national site selection consultants, and helped position the organization as a central partner in Connecticut’s economic competitiveness efforts.
As CEO, he has continued to deepen public private collaboration, strengthen investor and corporate relationships, and align AdvanceCT’s business attraction efforts with the state’s priority industry sectors. His leadership emphasizes measurable outcomes, disciplined execution, and long-term economic growth.
Prior to joining AdvanceCT, John served in senior development and administrative roles at the Connecticut Science Center, Hartford Stage, the Melville Charitable Trust, the Partnership for Strong Communities, the University of Chicago, The Hotchkiss School, and Yale University, securing tens of millions of dollars in philanthropic investment while building high level stakeholder relationships.
John began his professional career as the founder and managing director of a nonprofit theater company in Chicago. He serves as a consultant and board member to academic, arts, and civic organizations. He is a graduate of The Hotchkiss School and the University of Chicago.
