Background
Jacobs was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1916. His father was a Lebanese immigrant who sold straight razors.
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Joseph Jacobs
Edit ProfileEducation
He attended Brooklyn Technical High School.Jacobs worked various jobs to pay for his bachelor"s degree in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn and taught college while he earned his master"s degree and doctorate in that field, 1939 and 1942, respectively.
Career
He earned degrees in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Jacobs is also a Hoover Medal recipient. As a young engineer, he worked for Merck & Company to develop mass production of penicillin.
After World World War II, he moved to California, intending to go into business himself.
Through both internal growth and external acquisitions, this grew into Group, one of the largest engineering and construction companies in the world. Jacobs stepped down as chief executive of 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.
Achievements
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Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Polytechnic University (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn) Trustee of Harvey Mudd College (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, "Foreign 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 Institute. In 2003, he was inducted into the Brooklyn Technical Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame.
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Born
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Died
2004 (aged 88) -
Nationality
American -
Political Party
Conservative