Jay Stewart

Jay Stewart not only helped to develop Illinois’ entire medical cannabis regulatory program from the ground up, but he leverages this achievement with an extensive professional experience in federal, state, and local government along with a strong track record in public affairs. Building the medical cannabis program, Jay gained an intimate knowledge of medical cannabis protocols, from quality assurance to recalls, ensured program applicants understood them as well, and enforced those regulations. Moreover, Jay brings a special focus on ethics and efficiency to every position he has ever held, ensuring that institutions ranging from the Better Government Association to the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, balance fairness with effectiveness.

Jay marked his focus on government early on as an undergraduate at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where he graduated with a B.A. in Political Science in the early 1990s. Later in the decade, he earned his J.D. at the DePaul University College of Law. During a break between college and law school, he worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce as a Confidential Assistant, where he assisted in organizing a first-of-its-kind White House Conference on Travel and Tourism and worked on the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

After law school, Jay worked at the Better Government Association. Starting as Staff Attorney, he worked his way up to Executive Director. Fulfilling a wide variety of responsibilities during his five-year tenure, from fundraising to public relations, he promoted the cause of good governance and ethical behavior within state and local government while at the same time improving the nonprofit’s fiscal and operation health with the establishment of new charitable contributions and the revival of the nonprofit’s investigative program. In keeping with the lifelong role as a public servant, he served as co-creator of a first-of-its-kind national assessment of all 50 states’ ethics and transparency laws which gained national attention and inspired reforms within several states. While at the BGA, Jay became an expert on public affairs and media relations, serving as the organization’s spokesperson and working side by side with state, local and national media on investigative news stories.

Jay’s state government career included his time as Senior Counsel to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and General Counsel to Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn. During his tenure as General Counsel he handled all legal matters relating to the office and supported the Director of Operations in all personnel-related matters such as hiring, discipline and termination. He also assisted with the drafting and passage of important reform laws along with drafting of numerous bills on a wide variety of other topics.

As Senior Counsel to the Governor, Jay helped manage the legal affairs of all state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor including litigation, personnel, rulemaking and compliance. He supervised many state agency general counsels and advised the Governor and his staff on issues regarding ethics and the Freedom of Information Act. Jay continued to introduce efficiencies into state government. His work on reforming the state’s university admissions system led to systemic change with their procedures, and his assistance in redesigning the Governor’s Clemency Review Program reduced a six-year backlog of clemency petitions. Throughout, he emphasized a streamlined, efficient adherence to the state’s codes.

Jay left the Governor’s Office to become the Director of the Illinois Division of Professional Regulation (“DPR”), the state agency that licenses and regulates highly trained professionals in many industries throughout the state. DPR protected the public by disciplining licensees for violations of its laws and implemented the licensing and regulation of many new professions during his tenure, enacting dozens of laws. The most noteworthy new profession he helped launch was Illinois’ medical cannabis program, licensing and regulating medical cannabis dispensaries. Introducing greater efficiencies within DPR, he commenced an overall of DPR’s documentation from paper to electronic records and also trimmed the caseloads for his enforcement staff without a compromising public safety. He also speeded up the processing time for new license applications as well.

During his tenure at DPR, he also served as chairman of Illinois’ Procurement Policy Board. He led the Board in its mission to review contracts and recommend policies and procedures governing the state’s procurement process. He also worked with fellow Board members to manage staff, budget and operations.

After leaving state government, Jay shifted towards local government at the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development. Starting as Deputy Bureau Chief, he worked with the Bureau Chief on strategic initiatives and policy development and oversaw the Bureau’s day-to-day operations. He also assisted with passage of the Bureau’s legislative agenda and acted as a liaison for both the Bureau and the Cook County President’s Office. Promoted the Bureau Chief, he maintained his previous duties along with management of the Bureau and all its operational units.

In the summer of 2019, he formed Jay E. Stewart Consulting, LLC, a regulatory consulting firm. Shortly thereafter Jay joined with Ross Morreale and Tom Wheeler and co-founded Green Rose Advisors. Using his experience as a former regulator, media spokesperson and an attorney, he assists adult use cannabis applicants and operators in navigating the state and local regulatory environment, be it application process, regulatory compliance, the lawmaking process, administrative rule process and public relations.