Jonathan Payne joined NPDP even prior to his graduation from Belmont University in 1996. He quickly rose to partner status and in 1997, when NPDP became a principal in Poag & McEwen Lifestyle Centers, LLC (a joint venture between PMLC and DDRC: NYSE), he became responsible for the key disciplines of commercial real estate — development budgeting, overall financing, and construction management. But what propelled Mr. Payne’s career was his demonstrative understanding of emerging new computer software programs and adapting their capabilities to the commercial development setting. As an example, he designed a sophisticated demographic model applying regression analysis to create a proprietary analytical program to identify potential sites for Lifestyle Centers. His work identified over 125 viable sites in over 30 markets throughout the US – which Mr. Payne further evaluated on the ground nearly every major upscale retail project in the country. Ultimately, this investigation led to PMLC to Deer Park, Illinois in northwest suburban Chicago which ultimately became Deer Park Town Center (detailed herein) but nearly all the sites identified by Payne have become Lifestyle Centers.
But Mr. Payne’s practical abilities are best exemplified by his performance in the development and construction management of The Arboretum of South Barrington. Overseeing the construction and funding for a 600,000-square foot lifestyle center, Mr. Payne had to report almost daily to the largest pension fund in the world as the project’s capital source (RREEF America, the pension fund advisor for CALPERS). Not only was the project officially on time and on budget, but when the project was officially completed, Mr. Payne could tie all the amounts funded during the construction to within less than .05% of its a project budget of $150 million.