James Ratkovich

Biography: James Ratkovich is a seasoned real estate development and advisory executive with four decades of experience leading transformative commercial, residential, industrial, and resort projects across Southern California and Hawai‘i. His portfolio spans historic rehabilitation, master planning, mixed-use development, and complex entitlement strategies. James began his career in the early 1980s as a founding member of The Ratkovich Company, one of Los Angeles' most respected urban redevelopment firms. In 1991, he launched James Ratkovich & Associates, Inc., through which he has led landmark projects from Downtown Long Beach to the island communities of Hawai‘i. Since making his first acquisition and development in Hawai‘i in the late 1990s, James has devoted the majority of his practice to the Hawaiian Islands, with projects on the Big Island, Maui, O‘ahu, and Kaua‘i. Over the past 25 years, he has secured entitlements for more than 2.5 million square feet of real estate and built long-standing relationships with government officials, local contractors, and community stakeholders. These trusted partnerships have resulted in collaborative, community-oriented developments and access to high-value, off-market opportunities. James has worked with and alongside leading institutional partners including Lehman Brothers, MSD Capital, Goldman Sachs, JE Roberts, Nomura Securities, Villanueva Capital, and CFT. He is known for his discretion, strategic thinking, and ability to align capital with culturally and environmentally sensitive development in Hawai‘i. Mr. Ratkovich currently holds a California Real Estate Broker’s License, as well as FINRA Series 63 and 79 Investment Banking Licenses. He previously held a California State Certified General Appraiser License for over 20 years.