Jonathan Attman, 30, believes in giving back to his community.
After growing up in Owings Mills and graduating from The Boys’ Latin School of Maryland, Attman received a bachelor’s in business from the University of Alabama. He then attended Johns Hopkins Carey Business School for a master’s in real estate and infrastructure and an MBA. Attman is currently the principal of Attman Holdings.
Attman and his wife, Tara Attman, live in Pikesville with their son Henry. They belong to Beth Tfiloh Congregation and Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
When was Attman Holdings founded?
Our family’s been in the business for many decades. I came on about five years ago to be the deal guy and lead all real estate development efforts. I build on and operate multifamily apartments, retail centers, industrial and office properties and land held for future development. We keep our office based out of Anne Arundel County, but we developed throughout the Baltimore [and] Washington corridor.
What do you do on a day-to-day basis for your job?
Every day is a little bit different. As a developer, every day has its own set of issues and complexities in dealing with large development projects. One day could be dealing with the county and getting something approved. The next day could be sitting down with architects and engineers. Another day could be meeting with communities to tell them about the development that’s about the break ground in their community and get their input. I’m involved in a number of boards in the community, and I’d say that probably takes up about 15% of my time as well.
What made you decide to join the family business?
I grew up in it. Some of my fondest memories go back to getting in the car with my grandfather on the weekend, driving around, going to a bunch of the development sites and learning the business. From a young age, I always knew that I wanted to be a developer and that I might have the opportunity to do that. I focused really hard in school and in finance and economics knowing that that was a big part of it. I knew that the real education would come from the teachings of my grandfather. He was the free Ivy League education. In recent years, I’ve certainly taken the helm and have had free range to go ahead and develop on behalf of the family, and that’s kind of what I’m focused on now. I’m wrapping up a pretty significant project in Anne Arundel County, which encompasses 300 multifamily units, and we’ve got several other large, somewhat transformative projects in the pipeline as well.
How would you describe your relationship with Judaism?
It goes back to what I learned in Hebrew school. As I’ve gotten older and I’ve matured, I’ve certainly become more religious and Judaism’s become a bigger part of my life. I remember being taught that all people are created in the image of God. Everyone deserve to be treated with the most dignity and respect regardless of their race, social class. That’s kind of stuck with me, and I’ve instilled that in my own son. Jewish people have a lot to be proud of. We’ve played a major role in shaping society. Besides my grandfather, Leonard Attman, I look up to a lot of Jewish real estate developers. Judaism is a major part of my identity and a major part of my day-to-day life.
Outside of work, what are some things that you do for fun?
I really enjoy reading. I read a lot. I enjoy spending time with family. When the weekend comes, it’s all family time. My son’s getting really into tennis, so that’s sparked my interest again in tennis, and we’ve been playing quite a bit.
What boards are you currently on?
I’m on the board of Sinai Hospital and Signal 13 Foundation, which provides economic support to Baltimore City police officers in times of need. I’m also on the board of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. I’m on the real estate advisory board for the business school. I’m on the board of visitors for The Boys’ Latin School of Maryland, and I am also on the alumni board for the Jemicy School. These are organizations that have done a ton for me.
What’s it like working with family?
It’s a blessing. We’re always there for one another, and I just feel extremely blessed to be able to do it. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Shira Kramer is a freelance writer.
