John Darrell Rood
Mr. Rood began his real estate career in 1983 as founder of The Vestcor Companies. Under his direction, the company has achieved many accomplishments which include:
Managing partner for over 59 investment partnerships
Developed or acquired 44 communities, consisting of over 10,000 units
Developed six communities, consisting of approximately 1,100 condominium units
Two historic renovations in downtown Jacksonville: The Carling and 11E
In September of 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Rood as United States Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas where he served until 2007. In his role as manager of the Embassy and its 300 employees, Ambassador Rood worked to resolve bilateral issues with the Government of the Bahamas, improve relations between the two countries, oversee Consular Services and use public diplomacy to share United States values with The Bahamas.
Ambassador Rood returned to Jacksonville in 2007. He formed The JDR Companies upon his return to develop multifamily properties in Florida, the Carolinas and Texas. The JDR Companies also assumed sales and management responsibilities for the firm's condominium communities.
The Ambassador's commitment to public and professional service is reflected in his many activities outside his professional life. In 2002, he was appointed by Florida Governor Jeb Bush as a commissioner of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission where he served as a commissioner and chairman until 2004. Mr. Rood is a former board member of the James Madison Institute. He has also served as a mentor to youth in the Kesler Mentoring Connection, as Housing and Education committee chairman of the Jacksonville Downtown Master Plan, past membership chairman and a member of the executive committee of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, as honorary member of the board of directors for the Florida Apartment Political Action Committee (FAPAC), and as member and past president of the Rotary Club of Mandarin. Mr. Rood has also served as a board member for the Jacksonville Symphony Association and the Jacksonville Housing Partnership. He was a member of the University of North Florida Business Advisory Council and has served as a visiting professor at the university. He is a founding board member of the First Coast Family and Housing Foundation, a nonprofit organization that owns and develops affordable housing. Mr. Rood also served on the board of trustees for Fresh Ministries, an interfaith-based nonprofit organization. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez appointed Mr. Rood to the Advisory Council on Renewal Communities to help local communities take advantage of tax incentives to stimulate job growth and economic development.
Mr. Rood is the proud father of three children. He is a licensed pilot, an avid sportsman and fisherman, and enjoys his new hobby as a rancher.
