Jacob received his Post-Professional Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy. He has completed the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Intern Development Program, and is pursuing licensing.

While in college, he studied for a semester in Volterra, Italy. Using this small Tuscan town as a base, he traveled extensively throughout Italy—spending extended time in Florence and Rome—and much of Western Europe, studying classical architecture and design.

He graduated cum laude from Detroit Mercy in 2002 and began working in the architecture department for Pulte Homes, where he quickly worked up to Division Manager, controlling product built in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kansas. In 2007, he joined JLA as Project Manager.

Jacob says he draws inspiration from a variety of periods and artists, from Michelangelo to Mies van der Rohe. He also has eclectic taste in music and movies, and enjoys many genres of each.

Today, he lives in Petoskey with his wife, Maryann, and their three children. His favorite extracurricular activities include camping, hunting, smoking meat and snowboarding with the kids.