Jed Buie

What we talked about

Public involvement should come before the decision

Jed Buie's starting point is that people are more likely to support something they helped create. In this Making Names conversation with Aidan Evans, the Buie & Co. president describes communication as a two-way process, not simply a campaign to explain a finished decision. He recalls open houses, questions, feedback and practical information as parts of effective public education. Difficult conversations are not a reason to retreat. In his view, doing the work early helps avoid the suspicion that a project was settled behind closed doors and presented to residents afterward.

Infrastructure brings competing interests into the room

Buie describes transportation as complicated, personal and sometimes polarizing. He does not see roads and rail as an either-or choice or expect one solution to remove every mobility problem. His account of working on the Mueller redevelopment also illustrates why infrastructure communication requires more than media relations. Nearby neighborhoods wanted a voice, and gathering input meant meeting people in their own settings. He values the energy around local government even when the process is tedious. The aim is a healthy discussion and a better outcome, not an assumption that everyone will agree.

A clear focus made the firm easier to understand

Buie & Co. grew its creative services practice because existing clients needed branding, websites and related work. But adding services did not mean trying to serve every possible market. Buie says the firm became more deliberate about where it could offer the most value: infrastructure and social causes. He uses infrastructure broadly, including education, transportation, economic development and water. That focus helped people associate the team with complex, issues-based projects. It also gave the business a clearer direction than an ambition to be everything to everybody.

Relationships take patience and participation

Buie connects professional growth with mentorship, curiosity and community service. Asking someone for coffee is a way to learn, not a claim to have all the answers. Business development also requires staying in touch and accepting that a potential engagement may take time. He sees value in contributing before compensation is certain, while describing civic service as meaningful beyond its commercial benefits. Serving community organizations introduced him to people he might never have met through ordinary agency work. For him, building the firm and helping the community are related activities, not identical motives.

Digital speed makes responsiveness more important

Buie says public engagement has not suddenly appeared; its timing has changed. Stakeholders who once organized around scheduled meetings can now mobilize in real time. That creates opportunities for participation and pressure on communicators to respond quickly. Leaving an information gap can allow misinformation to spread. Within the firm, he pairs that need for agility with clear writing, thoughtful strategy and a team he trusts. He remains interested in the work because he is still learning. The consistent theme is human interaction: listening carefully, explaining clearly and maintaining relationships before a difficult moment arrives.