James E. Shelly, Principle President & Managing Member
Jim has over 35 years of experience in residential product design, land planning, home building, real estate acquisitions and project entitlements. Over his career he has lead production teams in the creation of over 75 single and multifamily communities throughout Arizona. Jim graduated with a Bachelors Of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado, Boulder and has designed single family homes for over 3,500 families throughout the Phoenix area. In addition to Jim’s product design history he has managed the acquisition & due diligence on over $200M in residential and commercial real estate.
Marc Bailes, Finance
Marc has been in the homebuilding and real estate development business for over 40 years. Originally from Texas, Marc earned a Bachelors Of Business Administration and subsequently a Masters of Business Administration from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Marc began his career in Accounting and Finance spending 5 years with Price Waterhouse and then joined Nash Phillips Copus (a large regional homebuilder) as CFO for 15 years responsible for financing and land development. Over the last 20 years Marc has been active in Phoenix area subdivision financing and lot development and also involved in residential projects in Colorado, Texas and California with over 50 projects completed,
Michael McGwin, Master Builder
Michael McGwin founded Sonoran Classic Builders in 2002 after working for Toll Brothers and other custom builders. He brings with him over 30 years of experience in the home building industry on both the east and west coasts. Before moving to Arizona in the 1990s, Michael apprenticed under a master home builder in Rhode Island and then moved to the Washington, D.C. area where he worked on Embassies and other historic homes. Michael has also been active in local charities, including Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels, Light The Night, Christmas In April, and Project Playhouse. He earned his bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and communicative disorders from the University of Rhode Island.
John Birsner, Sales and Marketing
John is the Founder, Managing Partner and Designated Broker of Ventana Fine Properties. He has personally amassed more than $450 million in closed sales throughout his 33-year career. Although John has been recognized with numerous honors including “Salesperson of the Year”, “Top Volume Producer” and “The Excalibur Award” his success is measured by more than achievements and accolades. John is a powerful leader with an entrepreneurial spirit and servants heart. His background leading sales and marketing teams and his mentorship has lead to exceptionally high performance. He is committed to delivering a consistent ‘World Class customer experience’. John’s intuitive understanding of real estate and development positions him to deliver powerful results to discriminating Buyers and Sellers. The end result is a truly collaborative approach providing his clients with an exemplary experience, quality results and unparalleled service.