His favorite meal is steak and potatoes, although a few friends noted his palate prefers Mexican cuisine. The latter seems more fitting— Jeff’s no “meat and potatoes guy” as the saying goes. Growing up on the western slope of Colorado in the small town of Silt, Jeff was usually found doing one of two things: football or construction.
With a last name meaning ‘carpenter’ in German, it’s hardly a surprise to learn of the trade’s prominence in his family; Jeff credits his carpentry skills to his grandfather.
Football brought Jeff to The University of Wyoming after graduating high school. His work ethic followed, and he continued working construction through college. Learning early on that football wasn't the path for him, Jeff opted to pour himself into work within the oil and gas industries, continuing to work full-time as he completed his degree in the evenings at Colorado Mesa University.
While balancing his job in oil and gas with his education, Jeff got into flipping and renting properties. His first? –– A duplex which allowed him to live on one side and rent the other side out. His duplex experience is what introduced him to the financial benefits of real estate. Jeff sees beyond the financial upside to real estate now: he sees the potential behind buildings and homes that have been used, abused and abandoned. Each project isn't just for monetary gain – but opportunities to create jobs, build value, improve the community and give someone a place to call home.
A previous Fôrt + Hōm project in Denver. See the transformation by clicking on the right of the image. Jeff saw a diamond in the rough where most wouldn't have looked twice. (His wife, Danielle, was a visionary on this piece, too.)
As President and Development Manager of Fôrt + Hōm, Jeff manages an array of items surrounding financials, development plans, construction process and project coordination. He identifies the best use for new property and determines whether a property is profitable or not. While the position requires a lot of time and attention, the impetus is success.
Jeff and our Construction Manager, Greg, assess the exterior of the O'Rourke Building. The Development Manager collaborates with the Construction Manager to ensure every part of the project is running properly.
Success has no linear ideology; everyone views it differently. For Jeff, he believes his role as a husband, father and friend are most important in the present. We also know that he sees the forest for the trees and to that, success is also providing financial stability for his family and the multiple generations to follow –– In turn, without the worry of money, his family can give back to the greater good.
It's easy to understand why each day starts early for Jeff. Managing projects and future investments brings on a full day of meetings and tasks. The earliest meeting starts around 6:00AM; some one-on-one time with his daughter. But first, he takes his coffee black with a little bit of cream.