Executive Team
Edward R. James
Ed began his career in real estate in 1957 when he joined his father’s business, which focused primarily on the development of rental apartment buildings. When his father died in 1958, Ed and his brother, Ken, took over his business and added for sale housing to their development portfolio. This included empty nester apartments, high rise buildings and golf course planned unit developments in the Chicago area, later expanding into Florida, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Ed is a past Trustee of the Urban Land Institute and a Governor of the Urban Land Foundation. In 2001 he was awarded the ULI Chicago District Council Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of Lambda Alpha International Honorary Professional Land Economics Fraternity and a member of the Chicago and National Homebuilders Associations. Outside affiliations include Past President of the Western Golf Association, Chairman of Michigan State University Foundation, National Trustee of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Vice Chairman of the Presbyterian Homes. Ed is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and Commercial Club of Chicago.
Jerry S. James
Jerry began his career in real estate as a lender for Continental Illinois National Bank’s real estate department. In 1985, he joined the family business and has since spearheaded the land acquisition, planning, entitlement, and financing for nearly 2,000 residential units and approximately $1B of residential and mixed-use planned developments. In 2010, he assumed the role of president for all of the company’s operating entities, successfully guiding the company through the great recession, and working with his team to forge new alliances that have allowed Edward R. James to emerge as one of leading builders in the Chicago market as of 2015.
His business affiliations include the Urban Land Institute and the Lambda Alpha International Honorary Professional Land Economics Fraternity.
Jerry’s civic involvement includes former roles as a director of the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago, chairman of the Merit School of Music, chairman of the Young Leaders Group of the Chicago Community Trust, and a ’93/94 fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago.
While receiving his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, Jerry attended the London School of Economics for a fellowship abroad. He later received an MBA from the University of Chicago.
