Joseph J. Jacobs
Encyclopedia
Joseph J. Jacobs was an American chemical engineer who founded Jacobs Engineering Group
, a major international engineering-construction company.He earned bachelor's (1937), master's (1939) and doctor's (1942) degrees in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now the Brooklyn Campus of the Polytechnic Institute of New York University).
and later Joseph taught college classes while he earned his master's and doctor's degrees in 1939 and 1942, respectively.
As a young engineer, he worked for Merck & Co.
to develop mass production of penicillin
.
In 1947, he opened a one-man consulting engineering business in Pasadena, California
, where he and his wife made their home. Through both internal growth and external acquisitions, this grew into Jacobs Engineering Group
, one of the largest engineering and construction companies in the world.
Jacobs Engineering Group
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., a publicly traded company with over 50,000 employees and 2010 revenues of nearly $10 billion, provides technical, professional, and construction services globally. Headquartered in Pasadena, California, it was founded in 1947 by Dr. Joseph J. Jacobs. Jacobs offers...
, a major international engineering-construction company.He earned bachelor's (1937), master's (1939) and doctor's (1942) degrees in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now the Brooklyn Campus of the Polytechnic Institute of New York University).
Early life
Jacobs was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1916. His father was a Lebanese immigrant who sold straight razors. He attended Brooklyn Technical High SchoolBrooklyn Technical High School
Brooklyn Technical High School, commonly called Brooklyn Tech or just Tech, and also administratively as High School 430, is a New York City public high school that specializes in engineering, math and science and is the largest specialized high school for science, technology, engineering, and...
and later Joseph taught college classes while he earned his master's and doctor's degrees in 1939 and 1942, respectively.
As a young engineer, he worked for Merck & Co.
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
to develop mass production of penicillin
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
.
Jacobs Engineering
After World War II, he moved to California, intending to go into business himself.In 1947, he opened a one-man consulting engineering business in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, where he and his wife made their home. Through both internal growth and external acquisitions, this grew into Jacobs Engineering Group
Jacobs Engineering Group
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., a publicly traded company with over 50,000 employees and 2010 revenues of nearly $10 billion, provides technical, professional, and construction services globally. Headquartered in Pasadena, California, it was founded in 1947 by Dr. Joseph J. Jacobs. Jacobs offers...
, one of the largest engineering and construction companies in the world.
Later years
Jacobs stepped down as chief executive of Jacobs Engineering Group in 1992, but remained as chairman of the board. He then founded two venture capital firms and devoted time to charity work. He had previously created the Jacobs Family Foundation, which donated about $32 million to non-profit organizations. In 1998, he set up the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation in San Diego,California.Publications
Jacobs also authored two books. The first, The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur: Family, Culture and Ethics, was an autobiography published in 1991. The second, Compassionate Conservative: Assuming Responsibility and Respecting Human Dignity, was published in 1995 and outlined his political philosophy.Honors
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Polytechnic University
- Trustee of Harvey Mudd CollegeHarvey Mudd CollegeHarvey Mudd College is a private residential liberal arts college of science, engineering, and mathematics, located in Claremont, California. It is one of the institutions of the contiguous Claremont Colleges, which share adjoining campus grounds....
(Claremont, California) - In 1983, he received the Hoover Medal, which recognizes the civic and humanitarian achievements of professional engineers.
- In 1994, he was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering. His election citation states, "For the application of chemical engineering construction principles and for service to the profession."
- In 2002, he received the Carroll H. Dunn Award of Excellence from the Construction Industry InstituteConstruction Industry InstituteThe Construction Industry Institute , based at The University of Texas at Austin, is a non-profit consortium of more than 100 leading owner, engineering-contractor, and supplier firms from both the public and private arenas...
. - In 2003, he was inducted into the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame