John H. (Jack) Matthews
President, Matthews Southwest
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 $2 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 great teams that can complete complex projects. He has had success in finding under-utilized re-development sites as well as environmentally sensitive sites. In his understated way, he is as comfortable being part of a team as leading it.