Jerrod Shouse is living proof that you don’t have to be a gray-haired sage to get things done at the Oklahoma Capitol. Through his own hard work and persistence, he has established Shouse & Associates Consulting, which provides lobbying and government relations services to businesses, professional associations and others.

Now five years old, the firm counts small businesses and Fortune 500 companies among its clientele. “I work with some great clients, and I am very blessed,” Shouse said. “My clients provide jobs, support their local tax base and are led by people who are active in their communities.”

Even before earning his bachelor’s degree in public affairs and administration from the University of Oklahoma, Shouse went to work as an assistant to Gov. Frank Keating. That was followed by a position as special assistant to OU President David L. Boren, working on state education legislation. In 2003, he was promoted to university press secretary.

Going out on his own, however, was understandably scary, even though he had Keating’s and Boren’s full support.

“I quickly realized I was much younger than my peers and had not yet built up the influence and years of experience that many of them had,” he said. “But I knew I had the energy to work harder than everyone else, so that became my mission. Success doesn’t always come overnight. But I set quantifiable, measurable goals, and I’m very proud that my company has exceeded those goals and expectations.”

Today he counts the National Federation of Independent Business, Michelin North America, the Williams Cos. and Tulsa Community College among his clients. He is on multiple legislative committees for the Oklahoma and Oklahoma City chambers of commerce, as well as the Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, and is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City’s Class XXIX.

“Jerrod is simply the best in the next generation of those who advocate for Oklahoma business and economic growth,” said Clayton C. Taylor, president of the Taylor Group. “He is committed to service and is already putting his leadership skills into action in so many different ways. He feels a personal obligation for doing all he can to make his home state a better place to live and grow.”

Shouse said he considers one of his greatest professional successes to be securing $2 million to complete the dormitory at the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, a project that had been on hold for more than a decade because of a lack of matching state funds. “We made the case that the funds Oklahoma received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act were a good fit for the dorm completion,” he said. “Construction began in April and when complete can double its student capacity.”

Despite working for two of the state’s most prominent politicians, Shouse said he has no plans to run for public office. “I have the greatest amount of respect for those who answer the call to public service and place their names on the ballot,” he said. “But we all have our strengths and abilities, and I’m very happy putting my skills to work on behalf of my clients.”

Title: President

Company: Shouse & Associates Consulting

Birth date: Jan. 31, 1975