Edward St. John, Chairman and Founder of St. John Properties, established the company in 1971. He has grown the corporation from a small, local developer into one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate firms in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. The company was recently named the national 2018 Developer of the Year by NAIOP, a commercial real estate development association.

An ardent believer in the transformative power of education, St. John and the Edward St. John Foundation have a long history of giving back to the community, contributing more than $60 million to not-for-profit organizations with a focus on education. His generosity has had a pivotal impact, providing students with opportunities to place them on the path to success. Equally important, his benevolence has inspired others to give.

Long recognized for his outstanding accomplishments, St. John has received many honors and awards including “2012 Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year” for the State of Maryland, “Maryland Entrepreneur of the Year,” along with various Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards. He has served on numerous boards including the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, University of Maryland Medical Center Shock Trauma Center, Maryland Academy of Sciences, Johns Hopkins Real Estate Institute, along with various economic development and planning boards. In 2012, St. John was bestowed a Doctor of Public Service from the University of Maryland, from which he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1961.