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Our Mission

JSSB Consulting LLC is a woman and minority owned surety bonding and contractor development firm headquartered in Maryland. Founded in 2012, by surety executive, Joanne S. Brooks, Esq., as a boutique-consulting firm with national reach and reputation in transformational programming for contractor development. With over 34 years of experience, JSSB is an industry leader in project management and contractor development focused on expanding the pool of qualified contractors capable of bidding, bonding, winning, and successfully executing contracts for public and private sector business owners, prime and subcontractors, general contractors, and project stakeholders.


The mission of JSSB is to provide personalized, hands-on, results-driven program solutions that empower all stakeholders and contractors to:

  • Build and develop capable, sustainable, and profitable construction firms

  • Manage risks for all parties engaged in the contracting process

  • Increase contractor capacity and access to capital and surety bonding

  • Connect contractors to opportunity

  • Facilitate accountability and excellence in execution in our goals and mission

  • Provide meaningful and measurable impact and data

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We provide contractors with innovative tools, strategic direction, and a customized roadmap to facilitate the successful management of a legacy construction firm. Our model and approach promotes an “everyone wins” strategy to create transparency, accountability, and ownership. We call it the "North Star" Contractor Positioning System. 

Red Balls of Fire

NAVIGATING TOWARDS THE NORTH STAR

The North Star Positioning System is a comprehensive approach to advising and providing solutions to the client, stakeholders and contractors to navigate toward their desired outcome. Building strong businesses requires insight as to where the roadblocks, risks, and rewards await. The North Star approach navigates around unfavorable conditions and provides the best route. We act as a guide, pointing out key underwriting principles along the way.

Our experience

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JOANNE S. BROOKS ESQ.

Founder and Managing Member

Joanne Brooks is an attorney with an extensive and expansive career as a surety executive, with experience as a Chief Underwriting Officer for a global insurance company and being an advocate for contractor rights. She has a unique skill-set with experience in underwriting, risk management, claims management, and business development. Ms. Brooks is a servant-leader who has gained a national reputation in the construction industry for her expertise in surety, commitment to educating others, and talent in building strategic relationships. Paired with her passion for diversity and inclusion, she is focused on building successful, thriving construction businesses, and advising stakeholders on the importance of creating fair and balanced relationships and contracting opportunities.


Most recently, Brooks served as Vice President and Counsel for The Surety & Fidelity Association of America, where she was the appointed advocate for small, emerging, minority, and disadvantaged enterprises due to her nontraditional and innovative thinking. The Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association recognized her as the Best Surety Executive for Minority Businesses. Brooks serves on the Board of Directors for the National Forum for Diversity in Construction, has been a consistent presence on the Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and until September 2018 served as the Chair of the Drafting Committee for Consensus Docs. Brooks is a sought after and inspiring speaker on many topics, but her favorite is the importance of bonding and how contractors can use bonds to increase economic development, job creation, sustainability, and legacy wealth. She is known as a passionate problem-solver and has been a keynote speaker for many contracting and minority organizations. She has also been a panelist or round-table participant on Capitol Hill at the invitation of Congressmen Cummings, Payne, Jr. and Congresswomen Velasquez.

memberships & affiliations

  • Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)

  • National Forum for Diversity in Construction (NFDC)

  • Minority Business Development Agency, US Department of Commerce

  • Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC)

  • Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC)

  • American Bar Foundation, ABF Fellow

awards & recognition

  • Md. Washington Minority Companies Association, Best Surety Executive for Minority Business 2016

  • African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, 2019 Women Who Empower, Economic Development Honoree

WHY JSSB

JSSB brings best practices, strategic insight, collaboration, and customer-focused advisory consulting to our stakeholders. Whether we are explaining why bonding matters to contractors, collaborating on ways to maximize the most protection for a government entity or providing a comprehensive contractor-bonding program for our agency clients.

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WE ARE CONNECTED

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Leveraging our diverse personal and professional relationships with service providers who share our commitment and aiding to our ability to access information and respond quickly.

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FAMILY ORIENTED & CLIENT FOCUSED

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With family and community at the core of everything we do, we pride ourselves on treating everyone with the upmost respect, transparency, and exceptional customer service.

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WE KNOW WHAT WORKS

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What makes JSSB different is that not only do we know what makes contractors successful, we also know what makes contractors fail. Because of our expertise in risk management, we can warn contractors and provide alternate routing detours to avert problems before they arise.

JSSB cares about making a difference and uses a blend of inspiration and education to motivate contractors to focus on win-win relationships, accept accountability for success, and provides the navigational tools to guide you to your desired destination.

NAICS CODES

524298

541611

541618

541690

611430

CERTIFICATIONS

MBE Certified by NMSDC

MBE/DBE/SBE Certified by MDOT

WOSB Certified by SBA

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Woman in Red
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