Brief Biography

Jeffory D. Blackard is President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Blackard Group, Inc., a commercial and residential development company. In 1983, Mr. Blackard founded Redwood Properties, Inc., a geographically diversified, master plan Development Company with a division specialized in providing full feasibility analysis for governmental financial institutions, fortune 500 companies, and other nationally known developers. Redwood provided these development services in areas throughout the United Sates.

Over the last twenty-two years, Mr. Blackard has designed, acquired, financed, and developed office parks, resorts, hotels, golf developments, apartments, homes and more than 15 master-planned projects with over 15,000 single family home sites ranging from starter homes to luxury estates. Blackard Developments formed in 1992 to provide synergy with Mr. Blackard’s real estate holdings.

The current emphasis of Blackard Group, Inc. is master-planned communities. Typical of this effort is their current project, Adriatica located in the heart of Stonebridge Ranch, McKinney, TX. This estimated $250 million plus development is a re-creation of the Croatian fishing village, Supetar. Incorporating detached, single family, multi-family, community services such as resturaunts, retail and commercial uses, the goal of this project is the creation of a fully integrated village with ‘Old World’ charm.

With such far-reaching and revolutionary projects, city services are often developed in conjunction with the concept. By incorporating private utilities and public/private partnerships in water, sanitary sewer, transportation and recreation, an entire community is created. Furthermore, using innovative designs, Mr. Blackard has excelled in the area of diversified, multi-use projects.

Resorts and hotels are central to Mr. Blackard’s business plan. With experience in both the U.S. and foreign markets, Mr. Blackard’s portfolio ranges from resort properties to downtown locations. Similarly, golf has been an integral part of numerous residential projects. From the par 3, entry-level course to the Golf Resort to the Championship Golf Course community, Blackard Group, Inc. sees golf as an amenity for every taste.

Mr. Blackard, a devoted philanthropist, devotes significant effort to charitable ventures as well. Mr. Blackard sits on the board of directors of Accessology, Inc., a firm dedicated to the open access for people with handicaps. He was honored with the Developer of the Year Award by the World Academy for Universal Design, an international organization dedicated to generating awareness and creating policies in support of accessibility. Projects span from Peru to the Americas. Amazon Outreach was created in 1999 to spread the gospel message to the Amazon basin in Brazil. Mr. Blackard spearheaded the construction of the Linda Esperanca, a 30-meter Brazilian riverboat that incorporates medical and dental facilities for ministering to village residents along the river. Similarly, Mr. Blackard supports e3 Partners with financial and personal resources. He has traveled to over twenty countries on five continents with the organization.

Environmental concerns are central to Mr. Blackard’s projects. From rain forest preservation to wetlands restoration to the education of environmental impact, the environment is viewed as a resource for the ages. In conjunction with the Amazon efforts, Mr. Blackard has participated in making rain forest land available for purchase and preservation in perpetuity on thousands of acres of native, pristine forest. Similarly, Mr. Blackard, in conjunction with the Galveston Bay properties, has personally contributed to the restoration and preservation of Delhide Cove wetlands earning the nation’s highest conservation award, the “2005 National Wetland Conservation Award”. This pioneering project has become a forerunner of several wetlands preservation projects. As a punctuation to his commitment to conservation, Mr. Blackard donated an island for conservation purposes.

Mr. Blackard has participated in numerous diversified ventures. From restaurants and hotels to computer peripherals in China and semiconductor manufacturing for digital displays to printing for flexible packaging, Mr. Blackard has contributed his managerial skills in many areas. China, Brazil and Croatia are included in Mr. Blackard’s sphere of influence.

Mr. Blackard holds a B.S. in Communications from Northwestern University where he has since been deemed one of NU’s Most Notable Graduates and has received numerous awards around the world.