James W. Harris, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Jim Harris is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of J. W. Harris & Company and its affiliated entities. Under his leadership the real estate brokerage firm has grown to become one of South Florida’s leading commercial land brokers. The company is distinguished by its deep and long-term client relationships, which Jim has forged with many of the largest and best-known real estate companies in the United States.

Jim’s involvement in the South Florida real estate market began in 1982, when he moved to Miami on an assignment from Helmsley-Spear & Company.  Jim successfully brokered a number of large land transactions for the development of new office buildings on Cypress Creek Road in Broward County, and ultimately resigned to establish J. W. Harris & Company in 1985.  In 1999 Jim expanded the firm’s core brokerage competencies to include real estate investments by forming Shoal Creek Properties as the investment and development arm of J. W. Harris.

Originally from Missouri, Jim earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and his MBA from Northwestern University J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker, and is active in local charitable organizations. Jim holds several positions with Baptist Health South Florida, the largest health provider in the region and recognized as one of the Top 100 Employers in the United States by Fortune Magazine.  He serves as Chairman of the South Miami Hospital Foundation, as a member of the Executive Committee of the Baptist Health South Florida Foundation, and as a Board Member of South Miami Hospital.  He also serves on the Board of East Ridge Retirement Village, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located in the Village of Cutler Bay.

Andy Burnham, Managing Director

As Managing Director of Shoal Creek Properties, the investment and development arm of J. W. Harris & Company, Andy Burnham oversees the division’s full range of land acquisition and entitlement, financing, product design, development and asset disposition activities. Andy is actively involved in commercial land brokerage with J. W. Harris & Company. 

Andy joined J.W. Harris & Company following a six-year career in asset management and development at JPI, one of the largest private residential developers in the United States. As a senior member of JPI’s asset management team, Andy was involved in the operations, financing and disposition of approximately 5,000 units throughout California, Colorado, Texas, Georgia and Florida.

Andy’s residential development experience in the Florida market comprises nearly 3,000 multifamily units, ranging from garden-style to luxury high-rise products. He has also developed a number of urban infill redevelopment properties, using tax increment financing and municipal incentives. Prior to joining JPI, Andy was a corporate accountant and investment manager with Charter Mortgage & Investments.

Kathy Harris, Director of Administration

As Director of Administration for J. W. Harris & Company, Kathy Harris oversees all phases of the firm’s day-to-day administrative operations, including financial and accounting functions and human resource operations. She serves as a senior member of the firm’s Executive Committee and is Vice President of Shoal Creek Properties, the investment arm of J. W. Harris & Company.

Kathy’s administrative experience results from her thirty year career with Agile Courts Construction Company, the family firm that has grown into one of the largest professional tennis court construction companies in the United States.  Kathy directed financial and accounting operations as the company expanded throughout South Florida, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Africa.

Kathy is a member of the Baptist Health South Florida’s Founders Society.