Meet The team

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CEO/Managing Partner

Since 1986, John McDonald, Founder of JWM Ventures, LLC has focused on buying, developing and leasing commercial properties and has been successful in bringing major projects to fruition. JWM Ventures, LLC is a 100% minority owned and operated commercial Real Estate Development Company, focused on urban mixed-use redevelopment projects. John is committed to the development of projects within disadvantaged urban core communities in California, and across the nation. His goal is to provide these urban communities with significant economic development, that will help transform the inner core of the urban environment into a vibrant culturally-rich community, which will create prevailing wage jobs, and/or union jobs, providing incentives such as: healthcare insurance, and retirement benefits. This will encourage long-term positive effects for the entire community. 

John strives to ensure that these developments are a priority, by making certain that these communities are benefited first and foremost by economic opportunities. In his work with the City of North Las Vegas, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Bureau of Land Management together, facilitated a major land swap between Nevada and California. John was the essential link to garnering the support necessary for the land exchange, resulting in the land being sold to a non-profit organization for $50 million. JWM Ventures continues to forge relationships with urban/inner city communities, and their leaders. He is currently orchestrating major projects in California, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Nevada.

Chief Financial Officer

Since 1993, Derrick Berry has been involved with Commercial Real Estate Development

Financing, while working his way through several management levels with middle market banks,

in Chicago, IL and Las Vegas, NV. Projects financed include multiple investment properties,

multi-million dollar Church edifices, and commercial manufacturing plants. Following his

commercial banking career which included operating the lending department of his own branch,

Derrick opened Balanced Financial Services, of Las Vegas, a commercial bookkeeping company

designed to provide a company’s clear financial position, in preparation for lending inquiries and

year-end tax status.

General Counsel of Development

Steven W. Burt, Esq. is a 2000 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and a member of the California State Bar Association.  Mr. Burt spent the first two years of his career as an attorney in one of Orange County California's oldest and largest law firms, practicing corporate law, and general business litigation.  Following his stint with the firm, Mr. Burt and a former classmate formed the law firm of Burt & Bey, which practiced primarily entertainment law, specifically representing startup to medium sized entertainment, and production companies, as well as individual managers and management companies.  After about three years in entertainment, Mr. Burt merged that transactional experience gained with his passion for economic development in underserved communities, and pursued a career in real estate development.  By the fall of 2006, Mr. Burt landed at one of South Los Angeles' most prolific, and successful urban development firms as general counsel.  During his five+ years at the firm, he participated in both a legal and operational capacity in development, construction, and management of hundreds of units of both affordable and market rate housing.  With the garnering of experience, in construction management, asset management, development related litigation, administrative, and government relations, budget and operations issues, etc.  Mr. Burt left his position with the development firm in late 2011, and commenced his solo practice in Real Estate Law.  During that time Mr. Burt has worked with JWM Ventures, LLC on several projects, most notably the Angeles Fields project in Lynnwood, CA.

General Counsel of Operations

 Bryan J. Thomas, Esq. has over the past 30 years represented clients in investment banking,  global business transactions, commodities trading; real estate development (entertainment centers),  and legal services for the entertainment industry. His entertainment industry clients have included  but not limited to film studios, recording artist, independent record labels and film production  companies. He has represented Producer Jackie George for film credits on Batman, Richie Rich,  Lethal Weapon, Demolition Man, Die Hard, Cheetah Girls, ABC and Disney Channel etc. He also  represented Visart Corp (div. of China World Best Group), the tenth largest corporation in China,  providing legal and consulting services for distribution of their flat screen televisions, monitors and  ancillary products into the United States market. Bryan J. Thomas argued and won the landmark case  Angeles Field Partners, LLC vs. The City of Lynwood Redevelopment Agency in the Ninth Circuit  Court of Appeals and upheld by the California Supreme Court. Said decision opened the door for an  NFL football team to return to the Los Angeles market. In addition to his many real estate  development clients, Bryan J. Thomas has represented and partnered with the premier urban real  estate developer in the United States, focusing on new methods of urban development financing,  using new market tax credits, federal and state tax credits as well as various bond instruments.  Before entering private practice, Bryan J. Thomas worked for Republic Bank of New York, as an  investment banker, performing asset financing, factoring, and other creative methods of corporate  financing. On October 27, 2010, Bryan J. Thomas secured from the California Statewide  Communities Development Authority, the largest tax revenue bond allocation in the history of the  state of California. Bryan J. Thomas secured 4 billion in TRB, thereby creating a new standard in the  field of Urban Development financing. He has also represented clients such as Texaco and Atlantic  Richfield Company in the biggest Super Fund Oil litigation in United States history as well as other  petroleum corporate clients involving contract, shareholder, and business transactional issues. In  2021, Bryan J. Thomas was nominated and awarded the Lawyers of Distinction Honor for his many  achievements in the legal field. 

Eastern Director of Business Development

Dorian McDonald is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science.  In addition to her Animal Science Degree, Dorian has also attained her Real Estate License which she uses to assist JWM in procuring real estate development projects. She has been successful working with real estate professionals and land assemblage, carving out the necessary acreage for each project site.  

IT Systems Administrator

 As an IT solutions provider and experienced IT professional. My expertise lies in planning and developing software and hardware components. I specialize in software development, cybersecurity, and system optimization. Whether it’s optimizing computer systems or ensuring data security, I’m passionate about delivering top-notch solutions. In this digital age, simplifying technology for businesses and safeguarding precious personal information is my priority.