Bob Yeager is the Deputy Director of the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). He works closely with SDAT Director Dan Phillips to oversee overall agency operations, policy, and communications, as well as creating and developing strategic plans to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department. Bob started at SDAT in the Business Charter Legal Division. In 2019, he was appointed Maryland’s first State Tax Sale Ombudsman, launching and directing the office to help thousands of homeowners pay their taxes, keep their homes, and improve their financial situations. He championed over a dozen tax sale reforms through the General Assembly to enactment, and built a network of strategic partnerships throughout the State to foster housing security, preserve homeownership, and create generational wealth. In 2022, Bob oversaw the launch and was director of the Maryland Homeowner Protection Program, which provides loans and support to at-risk homeowners, and he was awarded a Governor's Citation in recognition of demonstrated initiative and success, the ability to exceed expectations, and for making a positive difference in state government. He oversaw and administered the multi-million dollar Homeowner Protection Fund. He also served as SDAT's Legislative Officer, creating over two dozen bills to improve processes for business owners, taxpayer services, administrative efficiency, and interagency initiatives. Bob most recently served as Assistant Commissioner for Policy at the MD Office of Financial Regulation, where he advised the Commissioner of Financial Regulation and the Secretary of Labor in creating policy, legislation, and programs to protect consumers, operate a modern regulatory agency, and promote a safe and competitive environment for the State's financial services industries. He oversaw and directed legislative and regulatory response, the State Student Loan Ombudsman’s office, and led OFR's Federal Government Relations and Strategic Planning programs.A licensed Maryland attorney, Bob has served on the Maryland Attorney General’s Access to Justice Task Force committees, the Maryland Government Finance Officers Association's Tax Affinity Group, and is a member of the Maryland Council on Economic Education. Bob earned a B.A. in English & Comparative Literary Studies from Occidental College in Los Angeles, and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Before attending law school, Bob was an editor at GQ, Men’s Journal, and Esquire magazines. He is a native Marylander and is married with two dogs.