Jonas Jacobson

Principal
Perry White Ross & Jacobson

Before becoming a lobbyist, a position Jonas Jacobson has held now for nine years, he served as the deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment.

While there, Jacobson drafted Maryland’s Brownfields Redevelopment Reform Act, a law which would allow the redevelopment of abandoned, idle or under-used commercial or industrial properties. Its passage in 2004, and the numerous projects that have been possible because of it, marked Jacobson’s proudest professional accomplishment to date. Now, as a principal with Perry White Ross & Jacobson, he works on projects involving the environment, energy, transportation, infrastructure, development and public works matters.

A lover of nature, Jacobson continually seeks out ways to “combine my enjoyment of the outdoors with giving back to the community,” he said. Jacobson also serves as the president of the Howard County Conservancy Board of Trustees and is its longest serving member.

What’s is the most important life lesson you learned?

After a 15-year career in senior state and local government positions, I learned that advocates and consultants that regularly demonstrated traits of honesty, responsiveness and creative problem solving were the most successful representing the interests of their clients. As a regulator, I always appreciated advocates who offered reasonable solutions to issues instead of simply bringing me problems to be addressed. As a result of working on the government side of the table, I have a keen understanding of the kinds of “win-win” solutions that can be achieved to resolve disputes.