Jack McDonald is Co-Owner, Director and Executive Chairman of McDonald York Building Company. Prior to being named Executive Chairman in 2013, Jack served as Chief Executive Officer of McDonald York. Under his guidance, McDonald York has grown steadily across diverse market sectors and annually ranks on TBJ’s list of Top 25 General Contractors in the Triangle. His foresight, intelligence, and genuine passion have helped transform a small general contracting business into a regionally recognized construction leader. He is a true champion of the core values that personify McDonald York: safety, innovation, family, collaboration and integrity. In his role as Executive Chairman, he provides support to the senior leadership team and is involved in business development and strategic planning.
Jack graduated from Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Shortly after graduation, and after attending basic and advanced training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he attended the US Army Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and was commissioned a lieutenant in the US Army where he served two years in the Corp of Engineers during which time he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. He completed post-graduate courses at University of Dayton. He is a Registered Professional Engineer.
Upon the completion of his military service in 1969, Jack joined a Dayton, Ohio general contractor where he progressed through positions of increasing responsibilities. In 1983, he opened the Houston office of a national general contractor and grew the office to over $100 million in revenues and 100 employees. In 1986, Jack was recruited to take over as President and part-owner of Coleman and Wood, a prominent Washington, DC general contractor.
In 1993, Jack partnered with Smedes York, President of York Construction, to establish McDonald York, a North Carolina Corporation, by merging Coleman and Wood with York Construction Company, a general contractor founded in Raleigh, NC in 1910. Jack took and passed the NC Licensing Board exam which allowed McDonald York to obtain its NCGC license #13605 and do business as a general contractor in NC. On February 19, 2003, Jack and Smedes became sole and equal owners of McDonald York when they purchased 100% of the company stock.
Jack serves on the Board of Directors of Old Chatham Golf Club and was a founding member of North Carolina State University’s Civil Engineering Department Advisory Board. Jack and his wife Sheila have 3 children, Michael, Colleen, Shannon and 8 grandchildren. His wife and children serve on the Board of Directors of McDonald York Building Company.