John H. (Jack) Matthews
President
Years of Real Estate Experience: 34
Years with Matthews Southwest: 23
While completing his MBA from the University of Western Ontario in 1982, Jack joined Matthews Group Ltd, the family construction company. In 1985 Jack was appointed President and presided over a period of unprecedented growth as company revenues grew from $69 million to over $500 million. In 1988, Jack founded Matthews Southwest to provide an American presence in the development business.
From 1991 to 1993 Jack served as Chief Executive Officer of Paxport International, the firm awarded the $4 billion Federal contract to privatize and redevelop Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
In 1994, Jack purchased Matthews Southwest and relocated to Dallas, Texas and has continued to develop innovative, quality commercial, industrial and residential projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. He has also established an international presence with Matthews Southwest EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).
Jack has led the completion of many diverse projects including hotels, condominiums, offices, retail, residential and industrial space. His experience and mastery of all aspects of development – from imagining to creating, acquiring the land, financing the deal, building the project, then holding or selling on completion – helps to create value at all stages in the process.
Jack's greatest strength is his ability to assemble and complete complex projects that include hidden opportunities for value creation. He routinely finds under-utilized re-development sites, structures the financing very skillfully, and manages the civic implications of urban re-development. In his understated way, he is as comfortable being part of a team as leading it.