John McDonald is the Chairman and CEO of McDonald Development Company. Mr. McDonald founded McDonald Development Company and the related business entities under the McDonald brand. He directs the company’s vision, strategy, and organizational structure.

Over the past 40 years, Mr. McDonald has developed 3,600 acres across 42 parks that include 300+ institutional-quality buildings exceeding 50 million square feet in partnership with high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. His investment partners have included internationally recognized institutions such as The Church of England, GE Capital, Heller Financial, Inc., Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Mutual of New York, New England Mutual Life Insurance Co., and New York Life Insurance Company.

Mr. McDonald has held a number of key roles in the real estate industry. Widely recognized for his expertise and leadership in the industrial real estate specialty, he was a founding member of the NAIOP National Forum for Industrial Development and the National Real Estate Committee’s Chairman Roundtable Executive Committee. As a member of the Urban Land Institute, he served on the (ULI) Industrial Office Park Council. He was selected as “Industrial Developer of the Year” by NAIOP. He has been recognized annually by National Real Estate Investor, the industry’s leading publication, as a Top 25 Industrial Developer in the United States, a list that includes both publicly traded and privately held companies.

In addition, he has served his community locally, regionally, and internationally in various board positions including the Goizueta School of Business Advisory Board/Emory University, the Emory University School of Medicine Advisory Board, and the University of Richmond Board of Trustees where he earned his Masters of Commerce. Mr. McDonald was awarded knighthood in The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit by His Majesty King Harald V for his service as the United States Honorary Consul of Norway.