Jim Dobbie

Founder and CEO
Zeal for Living

Mr. Dobbie is founder and CEO of Zeal for Living, a real estate development company focused on creating Wellness Living Communities of rental housing.

Jim has over 20 years’ experience in commercial real estate, operations, and development. Before launching Zeal, he was responsible for over 50 transactions and development projects totaling $2.45 billion. Mr. Dobbie has directed multiple high-rise & mid-rise housing developments for a national development company serving in various capacities, from development to investment management.

Mr. Dobbie was an Executive Vice President and President – founder of Avanta Residential. In November of 2022, Mr. Dobbie led the sale of a majority controlling interest of Avanta Residential to INVESCO. He then founded his development company shortly thereafter.

Jim serves as Chair of the Real Estate Committee for the Sandia Foundation, a 60-year-old foundation benefiting the University of New Mexico and Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, PA.

He was a shareholder and Board Observer for IOTAS Home, a smart home technology startup that helps multi-family owners and operators turn their properties into smart homes. IOTAS was purchased then by ADT.

Jim is a regular speaker on industry panels, such as John R. Burns events, HBA, ULI, and Information Management Network (IMN).

Mr. Dobbie holds a BA from Southern Methodist University and lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife, Stephanie, and two children.

TEAM ZEAL

Kathryn Chavez

Director, Business Operations
Albuquerque, New Mexico

As Director of Business Operations, Kathryn is a key member of the leadership team with responsibilities for the operations, human resources, and administrative functions of the business. Key leadership role is working closely with the CEO to oversee the business-side of the organization’s work.

Eric Little

Director of Development
Dallas, Texas

As Director of Development for Texas, Eric leads all development activities across the state. He is responsible for identifying, underwriting, entitling, capitalizing, and executing Wellness Living projects throughout the state of Texas.

Kyle Nickel

Vice President of Finance
Denver, Colorado

As Director of Finance, Kyle assesses the financial feasibility of new development opportunities and supports the capitalization of Zeal for Living assets. Kyle is also responsible for overseeing the financial reporting process for both corporate and investment vehicle levels.

Kent Plemons

SVP of Construction
Dallas, Texas

As Senior Vice President of Construction, Kent manages development coordination, pre-construction, and construction of Wellness Living projects. His key role is collaborating closely with the Director of Development and various consultants.

Debra Wyatte

Chief Wellness Experience Officer
Boulder, Colorado

As Chief Wellness Experience Officer, Debra is responsible for implementing the Zeal for Living Pillars across the Wellness Living communities. Her focus is on the launch and evolution of the community’s wellness experience plan, including but not limited to marketing, amenities, and programming.