He began his storied career in 1968 as an engineer with Warnock Hersy International Ltd. in Dartmouth. Just four years later, he and business partner Michael Whitford started the Jacques Whitford Group, which today employs more than 800 people. The Jacques Whitford Group is now the largest group of consulting engineers and environmental scientists in Atlantic Canada and one of the largest in Canada. Jacques Whitford has 18 Canadian offices stretching from coast to coast, four offices in the United States, and joint venture offices in Buenos Aires, Trinidad, Moscow, and Brunei.

Among the youngest inductees into the Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame, Mr. Jacques' passion and spirit is rooted in his connection with young people. He has introduced both a Mentoring and a Leaders and Managers program within the Jacques Whitford Group. Both programs support the fundamental philosophy that has been in place since the company was founded. Mr. Jacques has always been a firm believer in hiring the best. He hires only the brightest minds with the intention to grow and develop these employees through the mentoring and leadership of current senior managers.

The Jacques Whitford Group specializes in geotechnical engineering, materials engineering, environmental sciences, environmental engineering hydrogeology, air quality, risk management and petroleum engineering from Mr. Jacques earned a Certificate of Education at the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the Institute of Technology in Bombay, India before moving to Nova Scotia where he went on to complete a Masters of Engineering from the Nova Scotia Technical College in 1968. Mr. Jacques has served on many boards in the community. He has received the Canada 125 Anniversary Medal, is a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada and of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Under his direction, Jacques Whitford was recognized in 1993 as one of Canada's 50 best-run private firms. Mr. Jacques has been honoured by both the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada and the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia. He received an Honourary Doctorate from Saint Mary's University in 1995 and in 1996 was recognized as Atlantic Canada's Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.

In May, 2001, he received Honourary Doctorates from Acadia University and the University College of Cape Breton. He is also a past chair of the Black Business Initiative. He is a current member of the board of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and was the first Chair of the Nor'easter Golf Classic which was held in Atlantic Canada in the summer of 2001 and which brought together oil executives and industry suppliers.

Hector Jacques, along with Laurie Stevens and Frank Manning Covert, was inducted into the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame in June 2001.