Jeff was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Southern Methodist University for two and a half years before graduating with a BBA from the University of Kentucky. In 1979, Jeff married Holly Shaw, and the couple soon moved to Dallas.
Jeff began his career with First National Bank in Dallas, the predecessor to InterFirst Bank. He later served as Chief Financial Officer of a Dallas-based real estate development firm. Jeff went on to spend 32 years with CBRE in its Debt and Structured Finance group, retiring in 2025.
Jeff and Holly raised their two sons in University Park, where they have lived for 36 years. They are active members of The Church of the Incarnation, where Jeff currently serves on the Vestry. Their son Taylor has been a teammate at Connecting Point since its inception. The family enjoys spending time together at their ranch in East Texas.