Founder and CEO Contact
Jim Letchinger founded JDL Development in 1993 and to date, has developed more than 1,200 residential units with another 1,500 currently preparing to be in construction.
He launched his development career with a conversion of a 1940’s Benjamin Marshall building at 210 E. Walton St. in Chicago where he transformed 21 apartments into five unique residential condominiums. Mr. Letchinger quickly became known as one of Chicago’s most creative and respected residential developers, specializing in urban development where his expertise in entitlement and infill design provides a significant competitive advantage. Mr. Letchinger is intimately involved in all aspects of JDL’s projects, from inception to completion. His hands-on approach has helped JDL survive a number of real estate cycles.
Mr. Letchinger is a graduate of the University of Michigan. A life long resident of the City of Chicago, Mr. Letchinger is married with two grown children.
Chief Operating Officer Contact
Robert Stone has been with JDL Development since 2002, overseeing all financial and administrative functions of the company. Robert works closely with a variety of banks, equity partners and many other service providers to create the right financial structures for JDL's projects. Prior to joining JDL, Robert was a consultant in private investment and business turnaround/workout consulting.
For more then 10 years, Robert was 50% Owner, Chairman and COO of United Model Distributors, Inc, the largest wholesale hobby products distributors in the US. For 4 years, Robert worked as a consultant in the real estate, oil and gas and industrial ventures and was Vice President of The Jupiter Corporation for 5 years prior to his consulting work.
Robert began his career in private practice of law with a specialty in real estate development, hotels and security. Robert holds a BA from Miami University and a JD from University of Michigan.
Executive Vice President Contact
Joey began working for JDL Development in 2019 joining the team as a project manager. Joey is involved in all facets of managing day-to-day operations of existing assets as well as new development, design and marketing of future projects.
Prior to JDL, Joey founded and operated a wine brokerage firm working with clients from all over the world. As a certified sommelier, Joey worked as the sommelier at New York’s Del Posto. He previously worked for Danny Meyer and Daniel Boulud holding various positions in their food and hospitality entities.
Executive Vice President, Asset Management Contact
Wes joined JDL Development as a project manager in 2019. He focuses on construction oversight of future projects and asset management of past projects.
Prior to JDL, Wes was an assistant superintendent with Lendlease working on projects such as One Bennett Park and 1035 W. Van Buren.
Wes started his career at Imperial Realty Company where he spent 5 year as a commercial real estate broker in both investment sales and commercial leasing. Wes was named highest producing broker in 2014 and 2016, broker of the year in 2014 and 2017, and most active broker in 2013.
He has a B.S. from The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He majored in Real Estate Finance and Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation. Wes resides in Old Town with his wife Amanda and their dog, Zoey.
Executive Vice President, Development Contact
Ryan joined JDL Development in 2014. He oversees project management including the design and construction of JDL’s residential towers, routinely collaborating with architects, engineers and a broad array of consultants.
Previously, Ryan worked in Seattle as a Civil Engineer for Magnusson Klemencic Associates. Signature projects include the National Mall in Washington DC, King Abdullah Financial District in Saudi Arabia and the Seattle boardwalk redevelopment. Prior work experience includes internships at Hines, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Pickard Chilton and Mortenson.
Ryan was awarded a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Northwestern University. He completed coursework with Harvard Business School and Kellogg School of Management. He earned his MBA from Kellogg graduating with honors in 2018 with a major in Finance.
Ryan is an avid cyclist, runner and soccer player. He is a founding member of a philanthropic cycling team, Riders of the Storm, which supports cancer research through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Executive Vice President, Construction Contact
Doug joined JDL in 2018, managing the design and construction process of JDL’s building projects.
Before joining JDL, Doug was a Project Manager at Lendlease, where he worked on JDL’s No. 9 Walton project, as well as other projects including 625 W Division (Xavier Apartments), 845 W Madison Apartments, and a senior living project in Deerfield.
Doug began his career with Bechtel in Richmond, Kentucky working on the Bluegrass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant. He was responsible for managing schedule and cost for a $400 million blast-proof, purpose-built facility used to neutralize and eliminate the nation’s chemical weapons.
Doug holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Vice President, Marketing and Communications Contact
Shawn Ingall has worked with JDL Development since 2004. She is responsible for all marketing collateral, brochures, press releases and websites. She was also a consultant for Edelman Public Relations from 2004–2008. Prior to 2004, Shawn worked for General Growth Properties as a Senior Communications Manager where she executed media and marketing campaigns for major development projects.
For several years, Shawn worked for the City of Chicago where she was the Public Information Officer for the Department of Purchases, Contracts and Supplies. Prior to this position, she was the Publicity Coordinator for the City's Department of Cultural Affairs.
She has a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and a Masters Degree in Communications from Northwestern University.
Director of Interior Design Contact
Heather is the director of interior design at JDL, working closely with our clients to insure that their spaces are tailored exactly to their needs. She has over 10 years of experience working in luxury residential development.
Prior to JDL, Heather was Interior Construction Coordinator for Lincoln Park 2550, where she managed all aspects of the interiors in collaboration with designer Darcy Bonner.
Prior to Lincoln Park 2550, Heather worked as Senior Design Manager for Centrum Properties, where she managed more than $24M of interior selections across seven major residential properties including The Montgomery and The Fairbanks. She collaborated with multiple architects and designers to maintain quality across all aspects of the project, from unit finishes to lobbies, common areas, and exteriors.
Prior to Centrum, Heather lead interior selections for the Rezmar Corporation and was Design Center Coordinator with Invsco Group Limited.
Senior Project Manager Contact
John joined JDL in 2017, coordinating design and construction on multi-family residential projects. He manages projects through from conceptual design to final completion.
Prior to JDL, John served as a Project Architect with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, managing new construction and adaptive reuse projects. He has experience with residential, retail, student housing and corporate office design and construction.
He has a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies, Masters of Architecture and MBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is a Registered Architect. John lives in River North with his wife, two children and Irish Terrier.
Director of Resident Services & Experience, Real Estate Broker Contact
Anthony, CMCA, AMS joined JDL in 2021 as a seasoned hospitality professional with a passion for creating exceptional guest experiences. In his role at One Chicago, Anthony hand-selects and trains the concierge team as well as created a comprehensive concierge program in collaboration with restaurants, hotels, and other service providers, tailored to the needs of the residents.
Prior to joining JDL, Anthony played a crucial role at No. 9 Walton from its inception as the Assistant Manager. He was responsible for hiring and training staff, honing their skills in various roles to ensure smooth operations of a full-service building. Before No.9 Walton, Anthony spent over 7 years at The Waldorf Astoria, where he excelled in roles such as car washer, valet manager, and lead concierge.
In addition to his extensive hospitality experience, Anthony holds a real estate broker's licenses and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from UIC. Anthony resides in Chicago with his fianceé, son, and two dogs.
Head of Residential Construction Contact
Marek has been with JDL for over 18 years. He oversees construction of all of JDL’s custom single family homes as well as their smaller town home projects. Marek is responsible for overseeing the daily management of all subcontractors and their specific duties as well as the project design. He works closely with JDL’s clients to ensure the projects are a complete success.
Development Associate Contact
Garrett joined JDL Development in 2024 to assist with the day-to-day financial operations of all JDL projects. Responsibilities include overseeing the construction and financial performance of new developments, monitoring operational efficiency for existing assets, and identifying potential opportunities for new projects.
Before joining JDL, Garrett worked with Greystar, where he focused on new multifamily and industrial development projects across the Midwest and Eastern Canada. Garrett began his career at Wells Fargo in their Real Estate Lending Group.
Garrett holds a BA in Economics with a minor in Business from the University of Michigan.