When Emerging Leader Shawn Samuel became president of JDC Construction in 2003, he had two goals in mind:

#1 Keep residents first; and

#2 Make the construction process as smooth as possible for the developers.

More than 10 years later, JDC has accomplished both those goals and have the smiles to prove it. The company is an owner’s presentation/construction manager firm which specializes in overseeing the pre-construction and construction process for regional community developers. By having worked on some of the preeminent affordable housing communities in the area, such as Nannie Helen Burroughs, Fells Point Station and Wheeler Terrace among others, JDC is known as a valuable “advisor” throughout the various stages of development. But what sets this HAND member and its president apart is the care and commitment to the community itself.

“As a native Washingtonian, it was a personal goal of mine to make sure the residents of the building remain the primary focus of our work,” said Shawn.

And Shawn has stuck to that pledge. Over the years, JDC has supplied funds to assist area students with educational expenses including books and even tuition; and has also provided Thanksgiving baskets to residents throughout the region.

In terms of his second goal that too has been a success. One particular component Shawn is especially adept at making easier for his clients is ensuring the sustainability goals of a property can be carried out accordingly.

“One of the bigger challenges in our market has been the effects of green policies in the various jurisdictions and how to make sure they are being applied correctly,” provided Shawn when asked about challenges in the industry. “We work on a variety of projects, including old public school conversions and historic rehabilitation, in addition to new construction. In some cases, the projects have a different focus than the original intent of the building.  In order to successfully and equitably incorporate the green building standards during reconstruction or construction, it’s imperative to get the right team on board to price and implement the process.  As the green policies continue to evolve, so must the products used to achieve those requirements.”

One way Shawn stays current on policy changes that affect the Washington, D.C. area development market is by participating in HAND-sponsored events.

“HAND has figured out how to bring – and keep – everyone together regarding our ‘work’ and the new policies that touch the way we do business,” said Shawn.

Any advice for an up-and-coming emerging leader? “Have the ability to zoom in and out of a situation,” shares Shawn. “If you’re not able to go from the micro to the macro and back again, you can get stuck…and if you get stuck, you can lose it all.”

HAND is pleased to spotlight JDC Construction and its emerging leader Shawn Samuel, who certainly contributes to our organization’s COLLABORATION, INNOVATION and TRANSFORMATION within the metropolitan area!