Meet our Team
PRESIDENT
ROBERT J. MACDONALD
Mr. Macdonald is the owner and founder of the Macdonald group of companies, and President of Macdonald Development Corporation. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and holds a degree in Commerce and Business Administration with a major in Urban Land Economics. Mr. Macdonald has extensive legal, financial and practical experience in the real estate field and is responsible for the overall vision and direction of the company.
Read Full BioPRESIDENT
ROBERT J. MACDONALD
Mr. Macdonald is the owner and founder of the Macdonald group of companies, and President of Macdonald Development Corporation. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and holds a degree in Commerce and Business Administration with a major in Urban Land Economics. Mr. Macdonald has extensive legal, financial and practical experience in the real estate field and is responsible for the overall vision and direction of the company.
Rob Macdonald has spearheaded multiple public and private initiatives to support arts and culture, public transit, park creation and environmental protection. He has sat on numerous public and professional boards, and is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of British Columbia Properties Trust.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
PUBLIC TRANSIT
One of the rapid transit stations in the centre of Vancouver’s downtown was initially constructed without universal accessibility. Estimates for remedial work exceeded $30 million and involved significant disruptions on major arterial streets for over 2 years.
In response to this dilemma, Mr. Macdonald proposed to incorporate the required universal access infrastructure into one of his commercial and residential developments called The Hudson. The entire station was delivered to the government and taxpayers for a cost of $7 million, saving more than $23 million without any disruption to the busy downtown core. At the time, this achievement constituted the most complicated re-zoning and development process in Vancouver’s history.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The Britannia Mine (located approximately 25 km north of Vancouver, BC) had been operating for 70 years, and at one time was the largest copper mine in the world. When it shut down in the mid-1980s, it was identified as one of the most significant contaminated industrial sites in North America, with approximately three tonnes of copper per day flowing into Britannia Creek and Howe Sound.
This discharge significantly destroyed marine life in the Sound, leaving a plume of contamination so large it was visible from space.
The 10,000 acres of land on which the mine is located was privately owned, with plans to use the mine site as a dumping ground for even more environmental waste.
Macdonald’s solution was to acquire the entire 10,000 acres of property and donate 95 percent of it (constituting 100 miles of shafts and tunnels, and all the mine workings) to the Government of British Columbia at no cost.
Working hand in hand with government-appointed environmental engineers, a sophisticated water treatment plant was constructed to filter all the copper out of the contaminated water. As part of this work, Macdonald constructed roads and bridges and donated towards the cost of filtration plant construction. The company also rehabilitated over 100 housing units located adjacent to the mine.
Once the treatment plant was opened in 2006, the copper leaching into Howe Sound was reduced by 99.9 percent. The marine environment around the mine has been fully restored, and for the first time in nearly 100 years, salmon returned to Britannia Creek in 2011, a fitting conclusion to the cleanup of this massively contaminated site. The Britannia Mining Museum is now a significant tourist attraction, opening up the next chapter in the story of this historic mining town.
Mr. Macdonald has also made several donations of parks and land for environmental protection, including the following:
- 400 acres of very rare Garry Oak meadows located on Salt Spring Island, BC, donated to The Nature Trust, and an additional 700 acres of watershed donated to the Salt Spring Waterworks District.
- Approximately 100 acres of the Englishman River’s south bank on Vancouver Island donated to The Nature Trust in order to protect precious salmon spawning grounds.
- 300 acres of parkland donated to the Government of British Columbia for the creation of a campground adjacent to the Horne Lake Caves north of Qualicum, BC.
- 9,500 acres of land and mineral rights in Britannia, BC, acquired by Macdonald and subsequently donated to the Province of British Columbia to allow for the clean-up of the Britannia Mine.
ARTS & CULTURE
In addition to donating generously to numerous arts and cultural initiatives over many years, including sitting on the Building and Steering Committee of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Macdonald created Vancouver’s first major music teaching school in the downtown core, directly connected to the historical Orpheum Theatre.
Located within Macdonald’s Capitol Residences development, the music school allows members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to teach in a state-of-the-art facility, immediately adjacent to the theatre where they perform.
The City of Vancouver provided a density bonus for the overall development to partially assist in paying for the cost of the school, which exceeded $15 million. Macdonald and his partner, Wall Financial, funded the balance, and also provided an operating endowment of $2 million.
PHILANTHROPY
Rob Macdonald and his company believe it is critically important to give back in a meaningful way to every community in which they do business. To date, their various philanthropic gifts and other contributions exceed $40 million dollars.
Macdonald is also a co-founder of the annual Vancouver-to-Whistler Gran Fondo bike race. Macdonald is the largest private sponsor of cycling events in the Province of British Columbia, donating over $100,000 per year to support this healthy activity.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
JOHN MACDONALD
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JOHN MACDONALD
Mr. Macdonald serves as the corporate Vice President of Macdonald Development Corporation and the Chief Operating Officer for Macdonald Communities. Mr. Macdonald, the eldest son of President and founder Robert Macdonald, has worked in the Macdonald group of companies since the beginning of his career and has worked as an executive in the development head office since 2010. Mr. Macdonald has worked on projects in Phoenix, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Calgary, and is responsible for overall operations of the Canadian development business along the Group’s global cash management. Mr. Macdonald holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
DONAL O'CALLAGHAN
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DONAL O'CALLAGHAN
Mr. O’Callaghan is the Chief Development Officer for Macdonald Communities and has responsibility over design and marketing related projects in the company’s various developments, and is the direct project manager for the final phase of Britannia Beach. Since joining the company in 2010, he has been actively working on Lakestone and the Villas at Watermark. Previously, he has held the positions of Vice President of Design at one of the largest recreational real estate development companies in North America as well as Vice President of Development at one of British Columbia’s largest home builders. Mr. O’Callaghan holds a Bachelor of Arts and a graduate degree in Architecture from the University of British Columbia. He is a registered member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.
VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT – CALGARY, ALBERTA
MATTHEW JONES
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MATTHEW JONES
Mr. Jones is a Vice President of Development for Macdonald Communities and is responsible for the development operations, and sales and marketing activities in the Calgary region, including the national award-winning Watermark at Bearspaw community. Since joining the company in 2006, he has been involved with both single-family and multi-family projects and has been instrumental in overseeing and growing the Calgary operations. Mr. Jones holds an MBA from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Criminology from the University of Florida.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
JONATHON CAMPBELL
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JONATHON CAMPBELL
Mr. Campbell is a Development Manager for Macdonald Communities, joining the Macdonald group in 2022. Mr. Campbell is responsible for municipal planning & approvals, land development operations, and infrastructure design in the British Columbia Okanagan region. Prior to joining Macdonald Communities, over the past 17 years, Mr. Campbell has overseen the design and management of a 178 lot subdivision in Vernon, BC, a 164 unit resort property in Kauai, HI, as well as the construction of BC Housing Seniors mixed use facilities, attainable housing for Habitat for Humanity Kamloops, multifamily, industrial and commercial projects through out the Thompson Okanagan area. Mr. Campbell has chaired a number of non-profit and oversite committees including Calgary Taxi and Livery Association, Calgary Youth Justice, and Big Brothers and Sisters.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
BRENT KAPLER
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BRENT KAPLER
Mr. Kapler has been working with the Macdonald group for over 25 years. He is overseeing all construction related activities and development approvals for various development projects throughout BC and Alberta, including the commercial development at Britannia Beach, BC. Prior to joining the Macdonald Group, Mr. Kapler accumulated extensive experience with a number of heavy construction and servicing companies throughout Western Canada.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
BILL BAKER
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BILL BAKER
Mr. Baker is a Development Manager for Macdonald Communities, responsible for overseeing numerous projects and is intimately involved in the final phase of Macdonald’s Britannia Beach development. He also managed various components in the redevelopment and branding of the St. Regis Hotel. Mr. Baker spent 17 years in risk and hospitality management prior to joining the Macdonald Group in 2004. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, with a degree in Human Kinetics with a Commerce concentration.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
KEN TILL
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KEN TILL
Mr. Till is a Professional Engineer who fills several roles within Macdonald Communities. He is a Development Manager responsible for the Cochrane Lake property which will result in 785 lots on the shores of Cochrane Lake. In addition, he is the Engineering Manager responsible for the Blazer Water Utility, (owned by the Macdonald Group) and the Bearspaw Regional Wastewater Plant (operated by the Macdonald Group). Since joining the Macdonald Group in 2010, he has been involved in the first 3 phases of Watermark and was the driving force behind the design and construction of the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment system serving the development. Prior to joining Macdonald, Mr. Till spent most of his career with a major Canadian and international consulting firm where he rose to become Vice President responsible for international projects and a member of the Board of Directors.
GENERAL MANAGER - ST. REGIS HOTEL
JEREMY RONCORONI
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JEREMY RONCORONI
Jeremy Roncoroni has been consulting for the Macdonald Group’s hospitality division for over ten years and is currently the General Manager of the St. Regis Hotel. Jeremy is a graduate of Cornell University and has extensive hotel experience in Europe and North America. Jeremy is also a teacher for the International Sommelier Guild.
ADVISOR - SPECIAL PROJECTS
MARIA WONG
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MARIA WONG
Ms. Wong’s 20 years as the Vice President of Finance at Macdonald Development Corporation have made her uniquely qualified to transition into an invaluable advisory role to management and the accounting team. Formerly, as VP Finance, she had overall responsibility for the group’s treasury, financial control, tax, and accounting. Prior to her time spent with the Macdonald group, she was a manager in one of Canada’s largest firms of chartered accountants where she was involved extensively in servicing clients in the real estate field. Ms. Wong holds a Bachelor of Arts in Commerce and Economics from Simon Fraser University and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER - PHOENIX, ARIZONA
BILL BORDERS
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BILL BORDERS
Bill Borders has worked in partnership with Macdonald Development USA since 2009 on various projects in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe, AZ. He is the president of ARC Construction & Development, LLC in Phoenix, AZ and has more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry. Mr. Borders has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Indiana Wesleyan University and his strong dedication to community service has led him to be a member of many local philanthropic groups including, The School Board for the Catholic Diocese, The Executive Council Charities, and The Thunderbirds.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER - WASHINGTON STATE
ROBERT HUBBARD
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ROBERT HUBBARD
Mr. Hubbard has worked in partnership with Macdonald Development since 1988, and has successfully completed many projects with the company, including projects in Seattle, Sacramento, and Vancouver, BC.
He is the president and director of Comcore Properties, Inc. (based in Issaquah, Washington) and has more than 30 years of experience in real estate development. Mr. Hubbard has worked with some of the most established professionals in the industry on projects in Vancouver, Atlanta and throughout Washington State
OFFICE MANAGER - VANCOUVER, AND PROJECT COORDINATOR (BRITANNIA)
SHARON THOMPSON
PROJECT COORDINATOR (LAKESTONE)
CINDY LEUNG
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
MAKKI MANZANO
COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER (LAKESTONE)
MARC LEGER
OFFICE MANAGER - CALGARY, AND PROJECT COORDINATOR (WATERMARK)
CHRISTY GYMAN
COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER (WATERMARK)
CARLA CREWS
CONTROLLER
WENDY CHU
CONTROLLER - DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTING
TERI HAO
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER
CHARMAINE SALL
JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT
CARMEN NG
PROJECT ACCOUNTANT
KAITLYN HO
VP US Operations and Chief US Accountant