The chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase toured New York City earlier this month, engaging in roundtable discussions with community leaders in Harlem, Jackson Heights, Bed-Stuy and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The tour emphasized JPMorgan Chase’s contributions to local communities.

Jamie Dimon attended an Oct. 2 ribbon-cutting ceremony for JPMorgan Chase’s new community branch on Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy before joining Brooklyn Navy Yard (BKNY) executives and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) representatives for a roundtable discussion. The session focused on how BKNY and BWI create job opportunities and provide skill training for low-income New Yorkers.

JPMorgan Chase has been a long-term supporter of BKNY and BWI, helping to drive economic growth through financial and philanthropic investments.

The bank committed $10 million in state Historic Tax Credit equity to finance the renovation of Building 127, a 94,000-square-foot structure built in 1904. Once completed, the building will house manufacturing and office space.

BKNY has played a significant role in American history since the early 1800s, initially serving as a U.S. Navy shipyard that built battleships like the USS Arizona and USS Maine. Today, it operates as a dynamic industrial park, home to over 550 businesses that provide jobs for more than 13,000 New Yorkers.

During the roundtable, Lindsay Greene, president and CEO of Brooklyn Navy Yard, shared that BKNY businesses generate $2 billion annually, with average wages ranging from $25 to $40 per hour.

“We are continuing the legacy that the Navy built in being a center of innovation and inclusivity and opportunities,” Greene told Dimon.

JPMorgan Chase has also committed approximately $1.6 million in philanthropic capital to BWI, a nonprofit workforce development organization.

Founded in 2000, BWI supports low- and moderate-income New Yorkers through training programs like KindWork, a free seven-week course covering professional communication, career coaching, and job placement services.

On average, 90% of BWI graduates secure full-time employment in sectors like tech, commercial driving and woodworking, earning more than $40,000 annually with health benefits and paid time off — and 70% of graduates remain employed with their placement organization after one year, surpassing the tech industry average.

Since its founding, BWI has launched over 11,000 careers. This year, 900 New Yorkers are participating in BWI’s training programs, according to BWI Executive Director Aaron Shiffman.

“We think in sectors. We also think in customized training verticals. The philanthropy of JPMorgan Chase has been instrumental in supporting us for a quarter of a century,” Shiffman said.

Jose Cervantes Escamilla, a BWI alumnus, credits the organization with providing the tools needed to find career-ladder employment. He now works for Alma, an online mental healthcare platform.

“I’ve worked as an operations associate for two years now, and it’s been a really good learning opportunity in my transition into tech, specifically during this time when market forces are unpredictable,” Cervantes Escamilla said.

Tim Berry, global head of corporate responsibility at JPMorgan Chase, said the company is committed to powering economic growth in Brooklyn by supporting BKNY and BWI. The bank has also pledged $3 million to the City University of New York (CUNY) to support long-term career outcomes for students through CUNY’s Community College Network.

“In a lot of ways, our role is to help clients and community partners deliver the capital, resources, and skills training New Yorkers need to participate in the local economy,” Berry said. “We’re proud of our work together and will stay focused on building up small businesses and creating accessible pathways to meaningful careers at the Navy Yard, across Brooklyn, and in every community we serve.”