John is Chairman of Woodbine Development Corporation. He began his real estate career in 1973 when he and Ray L. Hunt founded Woodbine. Shortly thereafter, launched their first project — the 50-acre Reunion campus in downtown Dallas comprising the Hyatt Regency, Reunion Tower and Union Station. It was the first public-private partnership in the country. Since then, he and his team have developed many award-winning resorts, hotels and master-planned projects in Texas and beyond.

A native Texan and graduate of Hillcrest High School in Dallas, John received a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1968 from Texas Tech University, graduating first in his class. In 1970, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was Student Athletic Chairman as well as ROTC Cadet Battalion Commander and a distinguished military student. Prior to founding Woodbine, John was a CPA with Arthur Andersen & Co., responsible for the audits of Trammell Crow and other Dallas real estate companies.

John’s business and civic leadership roles are too numerous to list. Some highlights include: past chairman, Dallas Citizens Council; recipient of the prestigious Linz Award in 2010; former director of the Salesmanship Club; former director, JPMorgan Chase board; associate board member, SMU’s School of Business; past governor, Dallas Foundation; past director, North Texas Commission; past board member, American Cancer Society; past trustee, Children’s Medical Center Foundation and Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas; past chairman, Downtown Dallas; past director, Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce; founding member, Positive Parents of Dallas, promoting Dallas public schools; and past chairman and 30-plus-year member of the selection committee of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association.