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Jeff Blackard

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Jeff Blackard
Jeff Blackard while on a philanthropic trip to Africa
Born
Jeffory Dean Blackard

(1957-12-15) December 15, 1957 (age 66)
Peoria, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupation(s)Real Estate Developer and CEO of Blackard Companies
Years active1981–present
Political partyIndependent
AwardsFriend of Croatia, Environmental Commendation from the United States Department of the Interior
Websiteblackard.net

Jeffory Blackard is an entrepreneur and real estate developer working primarily in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. His developments include Adriatica,[1] in which he intends to reproduce the look and feel[2] of an old-world southern European village[3] (most notably, an Adriatic coast Croatian village) in Texas. He primarily acts as Chief Executive Officer and founder of Blackard Companies.

Early life

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Jeff Blackard was born in Peoria, Illinois to Richard and Janice Blackard. Blackard was the state decathlon champion for three years, running while in high school at Argenta-Oreana High School.[4] Blackard was also the all-time leading scorer for his high school team and was recognized as a notable alumnus and in the school's hall of fame.[5] He attended Northwestern University on a track and field scholarship which was converted into a basketball scholarship during his sophomore year. Blackard was later recognized as one of Northwestern's 100 most notable graduates for his work in philanthropy and his theory of village evolution, Neoretroism.[6]

Real estate

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After graduating from Northwestern University in 1981, Blackard moved south to Texas and worked for Cambridge Companies[7] before being made a partner at age 26 and eventually leaving to develop over 15,000 single homes through the completion of projects including Lakes on Legacy,[8] Griffin Parc[8] and Pirates Beach and Cove[9] in Galveston, Texas. In addition to an early focus on master-planned communities, Blackard also developed projects including multi-family complexes, office parks, retail, restaurants and resorts totaling over $2 billion in asset creation.

After buying an interest in properties on the coast of Croatia, Blackard has focused much of his work on the evolution process of a village.[10] Adriatica, a $350 million vertically integrated, mixed-use development,[11] is located in McKinney, Texas. Adriatica takes its inspiration from the Croatian fishing village of Supetar on the island of Brač.[12]

Aerial photograph of Jeff Blackard's Adriatica development with clay tiles roofs, water in the bottom half, a bell tower, and a number of buildings
Adriatica in McKinney, Texas, a development of Blackard

In the time since the Great Recession, in addition to advising other real estate developers on the creation of villages, Blackard has undertaken new villages like Entrada in Westlake, Texas,[13] Barisi[14] and the revitalization of North Beach[15] in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Wolf Lakes in Georgetown, Texas.

Environmentalism

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Blackard received an environmental commendation from the United States Department of the Interior in association with the Delhide Cove Protection and Restoration Project that he undertook in the early 2000s.[16]

Blackard also donated an island North of Lafitte's Cove in Galveston, renamed The Robert M. "Bob" Moore Wildlife Sanctuary,[17] to the Galveston Bay Foundation in 2007 for conservation, protection and enhancing of the South Texas Wetlands.[18]

In 2017, Blackard founded a company, Zero Global Waste, which operationalizes technology that converts municipal waste into a fuel the company calls an alternative to coal, called Edunite.[4][19] The company is primarily active in Eastern Europe.[20]

Political activism

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Blackard along with Senator Rick Santorum and Tucker Carlson on the set of Carlson's show in 2021

Blackard is also an independent political activist, who supported 2012 United States Presidential candidate Rick Santorum in response to his stalwartly Christian policy positions. Blackard worked to bring Santorum to his village in McKinney, Adriatica, shortly after a successful Super Tuesday in 2012 with Santorum leading in the polls. The Dallas Morning News quoted Bud Kennedy, longtime reporter for the Star Telegram and Dallas Morning News, saying of Blackard, "He helped plan Santorum's euphoric visit to staunchly evangelical Collin County."[21] Santorum went on to become a business partner to Blackard in Zero Global Waste.[22]

In 2017, Blackard was awarded the Friend of Croatia Award from the Association of Croatian American Professionals. He is a notable influencer in the politics of Croatia, having arranged meetings with high-level officials in American Politics,[23] the president of Croatia[24] and lobbying for a double taxation avoidance treaty.

Philanthropy

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Jeff Blackard (top left) on the riverboat Linda Esperanca in Brazil in 2003.
Jeff Blackard (top left) on the riverboat Linda Esperanca in Brazil in 2003

In the mid 1990s Blackard started the organization Amazon Outreach, a Christian charity with whom he built a 90-foot river boat to provide medical services to underserved areas of the Amazon River Basin.[25] Blackard has also traveled to over 50 countries with e3 Partners,[26] a mission organization known for its "I am Second" campaign,[27] including Ethiopia.[28]

In 2023, Blackard became a board member of Amazi Water, an organization which provides sustainable access to clean water to communities in Burundi.[29]

Personal

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Blackard resides East of Dallas on his ranch in Sulphur Springs, Texas with his wife Donna. He has five children. He is an Evangelical Christian.

References

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  1. ^ "Jeff Blackard Is on a Mission – D Magazine". dmagazine.com. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Adriatica: America's Most Surreal Development? | Washington City Paper". washingtoncitypaper.com. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  3. ^ "kSh Webserver Default Page: It works". Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  4. ^ a b "The Decatur Daily Review from Decatur, Illinois on April 12, 1978 · Page 89". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  5. ^ File:Article_about_the_early_career_of_Jeffory_Blackard.pdf
  6. ^ "Notable Alumni | Northwestern University School of Communication". communication.northwestern.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  7. ^ File:Jeff_Blackard_Off_and_Winning_in_the_busines_world.jpg
  8. ^ a b "Blackard plans $100 million town center project in Frisco - Dallas Business Journal". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  9. ^ "A Line in the Sand" (PDF).
  10. ^ Perez, Christine (2015-04-17). "The Evolution of Mixed-Use". Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  11. ^ "Adriatica Croatian Village in Mckinney, Texas USA, founded by Jeffory D. Blackard". croatia.org. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  12. ^ "Adriatica Croatian Village in Mckinney, Texas USA, founded by Jeffory D. Blackard". croatia.org. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Entrada project in Westlake is beginning to take shape | The Star-Telegram". star-telegram.com. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Pharaoh Valley Development Proponents Get Signatures for Support - KiiiTV.com South Texas, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend". kiiitv.com. 2014-07-23. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  15. ^ "The future of North Beach". KIII. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  16. ^ "PIRATES Beach & Cove -- Galveston, Texas". piratesgalveston.com. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  17. ^ info@bobmoorelaw.com. "Galveston Texas Criminal Defense Attorney | Galveston Traffic Tickets | Personal Injury | Galveston Unlawful Driving". bobmoorelaw.com. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  18. ^ "Robert M. "Bob" Moore Wildlife Sanctuary". guidrynews.com. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  19. ^ "02 - About". zeroglobalwaste. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  20. ^ "American Entrepreneurs Seek Investment Opportunities in Croatia". www.total-croatia-news.com. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  21. ^ Jones, Rodger. "I was half wrong about Rick Santorum". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  22. ^ "Jutarnji list - Tko je Jeff Blackard, pokretač najveće investicije u povijesti hrvatskog turizma i potencijalni kupac poslovnog carstva Petra Pripuza?". www.jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  23. ^ "Vicenco Blagaić tvrdi da je upravo on, preko Jefforyja Blackarda, Kolindi Grabar-Kitarović sredio sastanke u Americi - Dnevnik.hr". Dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  24. ^ "Businessman Bonded Croatia President to Trump Team :: Balkan Insight". balkaninsight.com. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  25. ^ "Reaching out in the rainforest". bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  26. ^ "e3 PARTNERS | MISSION & IMPACT". e3 PARTNERS. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  27. ^ Second, I Am (2012-08-16). "I Am Second". Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  28. ^ "In Search of the Lost Ark". D Magazine. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  29. ^ "About". Amazi Water. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
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