Jon Kroman
Chief Development Officer and General Counsel

Overview.   Jon Kroman has over thirty years of professional experience with organizational design, financing, business development and strategic relationships for new and growing businesses, including: (a) client service as transactional and outside general counsel, (b) management responsibility in his former law firm, (c) consulting services to support new and collaborative initiatives led by nonprofits, (d) business development for Pinchot University (f/k/a Bainbridge Graduate Institute), (e) angel investment as a member of E8 Angels (http://www.e8angels.com/), and (f) board and other volunteer experience.

Law PracticeJon practiced law for many years (1982-2010) in the Seattle office of Garvey Schubert Barer, now Foster Garvey (https://www.foster.com/), a law firm with other offices in Washington, DC, New York, Beijing, Portland and Anchorage.  His practice included: formation of new nonprofit and for-profit enterprises; consultation and advice at operational, senior management and board levels; development and management of transactional projects, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, private equity placements, tax-exempt and other debt financings; and contract development, negotiation, preparation and review.

Firm Management:      As a partner for many years, Jon served in multiple management roles with Garvey Schubert Barer: department head for its corporate and business practice; department head for its healthcare practice; member (including as chair) of committee responsible for performance reviews for junior attorneys; and member (including as chair) of committee responsible for screening and hiring of new lawyers. He also served for many years as the firm’s Loss Prevention Counsel with primary responsibility for legal ethics issues arising in the firm’s corporate and business practice, including training, compliance tools, peer counseling and conflict management.

Director of Strategic Initiatives for Pinchot University (f/k/a Bainbridge Graduate Institute).  Prior to its 2016 acquisition by Presidio Graduate School, Pinchot was an accredited nonprofit institution of higher education based in Seattle.  Pinchot’s MBA programs provided the core competencies of a traditional MBA while integrating sustainability throughout the curriculum. After leaving Garvey Schubert Barer, Jon led the development of new programs and partnerships to create a service arm for the institution while also serving as Pinchot’s general counsel, continuing a pro bono role he held beginning in 2004 while he was in private practice.

Consulting Work.  Since leaving Garvey Schubert Barer, Jon’s work has included two substantial consulting engagements to advance collaborative solutions to specific social and environmental challenges, initially as part of his role with Pinchot University and then independently. The Nature Conservancy engaged him to provide project management and strategic guidance to help establish the Alliance for Puget Sound Natural Resources. (www.allianceforpugetsound.org)  Additionally, he helped launch the (South King County) Food Innovation Network (www.foodinnovationnetwork.org/), providing guidance on strategy, structure and accountability metrics.

Angel Investment.  For several years, Jon was a member of E8 Angels, f/k/a Northwest Energy Angels, an angel investment organization focused exclusively on clean technology and sustainability.  Jon served as “deal lead” on a number of actual or potential investments, including evaluation of business plans, coordination of due diligence and negotiation of terms.

Community activities (current and previous): Jon has provided pro bono legal work, as well as board or other volunteer service, to numerous organizations: Board of Directors, Seattle Good Business Network; Board of Directors,  Dispute Resolution Center of Kitsap County; founding member and Board of Directors, Washington Clean Technology Alliance; Founder’s Steering Committee, Seattle Climate Partnership; Clean Energy Committee (formerly Business Sustainability Committee) and Public Affairs Council, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce; Coordinating Committee, U.S.-China Clean Energy Forum; Board of Advisers, Washington Lawyers for a Sustainable Future; International  Society of Sustainability Professionals; Partnership Law Committee, Washington State Bar Association; Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations; Board of Trustees, Seattle Children’s Museum ; Board of Directors, Washington Adult Day Services Association; Adjunct Faculty, Bainbridge Graduate Institute;  Board of Directors, Bainbridge Island Little League. Jon is also a volunteer scuba diver at the Seattle Aquarium.

Education:   University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude, May, 1982; Note Editor, Michigan Law Review;

Michigan State University, B.A., Anthropology, with high honors, 1979.

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