James Chang, founder and principal of Ponderosa Land Development Company, has been involved in all aspects of retail acquisitions, development, construction, management, and finance since Ponderosa’s formation. Throughout his three-decade career in commercial real estate, James has been instrumental in expanding Ponderosa’s development footprint of retail assets and continues to be responsible for all aspects of strategic planning, operational oversight, investment, and risk management decisions at Ponderosa.

Prior to forming Ponderosa, James practiced law with Winstead, PC, Adams and Reese, LLP, and Johnson, Burnett & Chang, LLP with experience in representing corporate clients in all facets of corporation finance, securities, real estate, and international law matters, including transactions involving mergers and acquisitions, public and private offerings, corporate governance, venture capital and private equity, leveraged buyouts, commercial lease negotiations, sale/lease backs, build-to-suit developments, and real property acquisitions, development, and dispositions. James is fluent in speaking Mandarin Chinese and has additional experience, as an attorney, representing domestic concerns in all aspects of international commercial transactions, particularly in the Pacific Rim.

James is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and devotes time to various local educational institutions and charities, having served as a member of the Athletic Committee of River Oaks Baptist School and a member of the Board of Directors of the Chinese Community Center. In 2024, James also received the CEO of the Year award for Environment & Land Development from CEO Today magazine.

James earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and received a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

As Chief Asset Management Officer, Colleen Chang is responsible for the strategic oversight and management of all aspects of property operations within the Ponderosa portfolio, including accounting, tax, and financial reporting functions. During her tenure at Ponderosa, Colleen has been integral in systematically leading and managing the full execution of Ponderosa’s asset management objectives.

Prior to joining Ponderosa, Colleen served as an Auditor In-Charge with Deloitte & Touche, LLP, where her clients consisted of a diverse collection of private and public companies representing the energy, real estate, and manufacturing industries. Colleen also worked as a Manager at Enron International, Incorporated and managed accounting functions relating to international mergers and acquisitions, project finance, and strategic asset privatization transactions, totaling more than $2.2 billion in aggregate value. Following graduate school, Colleen served as Vice President-Risk Management in the Investment Bank at JP Morgan Chase & Co. where she advised clients in structuring interest rate hedging strategies through the utilization of complex financial products. Colleen also worked as an Underwriter in the Middle Market Group of the Commercial Bank at JP Morgan Chase & Co. and managed a credit portfolio in excess of $1 billion, representing 25% of the total middle market loan portfolio at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Houston.

A Certified Public Accountant, Colleen graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting and received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University. Colleen also holds a broker’s license with the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Colleen is actively involved in several local educational and charitable organizations, including The Junior League of Houston, St. John’s School, and River Oaks Baptist School.