Mission Statement:
JPDT HOLDINGS CORPORATION’S primary focus is to develop and improve the MUCK and Glades area through business, economic, and community development projects.
Vision Statement:
Our vision is to see the community thriving with new businesses, more economic opportunities, and a modernized updated infrastructure to rival any other community in the country. We see the Glades area as a destination place that visitors will come to from all over the world.
Jonathan Mann (Co-Founder)
Jonathan Mann is a native of the Glades Community. He was born in Pahokee FL, on August 1st, 1981 at Everglades Regional Medical Center. Both of his parents were born and raised in South Bay Florida. Jonathan grew up in Belle Glade Florida right along State Road 715 in a small mobile home park that would one day end up alongside the site of the current Glades Central Community High School. Jonathan attended Gove Elementary, Lake Shore Middle, and Glades Central High School. While attending Glades Central High School he was a multisport athlete and a three-year varsity letterman member of the football team. As the starting Middle linebacker Jonathan helped lead the GC Raiders to their first state title victory in over 25 years as a senior.
Jonathan would go on to attend Florida Atlantic University for a short time before transferring to the University of Miami where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Science. He was a member of the football team at both FAU and UM. During his time playing football at Miami they were Big East Champs and were runners-up for the National Title in 2002 in the Fiesta Bowl and Orange Bowl Champs in 2003. After college he would go on to play professional football in Europe.
After his playing days Jonathan was able to develop a successful career of sales working for several fortune 500 companies. Jonathan has a demonstrated track record of building sales organizations known for their innovation and customer focus. He as mentored, managed, and consulted with many of the most influential business minds in South Florida and around the world during his career.
Deonte Thompson (Co-Founder)
Deonte Thompson is a Glades area native, born in 1989, in Pahokee, Florida and raised in Belle Glade, Florida. He attended Pioneer Park Elementary School, Lakeshore Middle School, and Glades Central High School. At Glades Central High School Deonte was a multi-sport athlete claiming state titles in both track and football. He uniquely holds championship football titles on every level; 2006-2007 State Championship (Glades Central High School), 2007-2008 National Championship (University of Florida), and 2012-2013 Super Bowl Champions (Baltimore Ravens).
Thompson accepted a football scholarship to attend the University of Florida, to play football under Head Coach Urban Meyer and Coach Will Muschamp‘s Florida Gators football teams from 2008 to 2011. In 2007, Thompson was the Top Ranked athlete in the state of Florida and the #3 overall rated Wide Receiver nationally in the 2007 football class. After red-shirting for the 2007 season, he played in every game in 2008 – a season which culminated in the Gators winning the BCS National Championship.
Deonte graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Family, Youth, and Community Science and is President/Founder of DT Prime Foundation which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing athletes and local communities a platform to educate, empower, and inspire young people to make positive decisions. In recent years, he has hosted annual youth football camps, along with fellow Glades area native and partner, Pernell McPhee they pioneered the inaugural Muck City College Tour, teamed up with Cre’Von LeBlanc for a “Stop the Violence” Campaign and a Clean the City event.
In conjunction with his Foundation, and as CEO/Founder of DT Prime Enterprises, Deonte has focused on the procurement and rehabilitation of homes in low economic areas throughout Palm Beach County, Hendry County, and Baltimore, Maryland. His goal is to increase homeownership among single mothers and lower economic families. Deonte is a proud husband and father to 3 daughters and 1 son.
Thompson’s NFL career begin in 2012 when he signed with the Baltimore Ravens, that year, the Raven’s would go on to become Super Bowl Champions. Deonte also played with the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, & New York Jets.
Deonte has contributed to many philanthropic pursuits over the past few years. He alongside his fellow founders have devoted themselves to uplifting their hometowns through financial contributions to the high school athletic programs, feeding the homeless, book bag giveaways, college tours, athletic camps, and even rewarding kids with scholarships from displaying academic excellence.
Travis Benjamin (Co-Founder)
Travis Benjamin is a native to the Glades Community. Born in Pahokee Florida in 1989. Benjamin attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Florida and played on the football team.
Benjamin attended Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Florida, and played on the football team.[1] He played on the state championship team as a junior and was a contributing factor to their success in the following season; finishing with eight receiving touchdowns as a senior. Was the 21st-ranked wide receiver by ESPN and 144th overall in the Class of 2008. During the 2008 Muck Bowl against rival Pahokee High School, Benjamin was covered by Janoris Jenkins and was able to make a touchdown reception.[2]
In addition to playing football, Benjamin ran for the Glades Central track team. He competed in the 100 meters and long jump. He ran personal season bests of 10.42 seconds in the 100 meters and 6.97 meters in the long jump. He placed fourth in both the 100 meters and long jump at the 2A state meet in 2008. He also led his team to a 2A state runner-up finish in his junior year.
In 2009, Benjamin ran a season-best time of 6.40 seconds in the 55 meters at the Tom Jones Invitational. In the 60 meters, he ran a season-best time of 6.90 seconds in the preliminary round of the Texas A&M Invitational.
Benjamin played college football for the Miami Hurricanes for four seasons from 2008-2011.[3] As a freshman, he had 18 receptions for 293 receiving yards in 11 games.[4] As a sophomore, he had 29 receptions for 501 yards and a touchdown in 11 games.[5] His best game came in the season opener against Florida State with four receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown.[6] As a junior, he had 43 receptions for 743 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.[7] As a senior, he had 41 receptions for 609 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.[8]
In 2010, Benjamin joined Miami’s indoor track team. He placed fourth in the ACC Championships in the 60 meters with a season-best time of 6.74 seconds. He ran the team’s three fastest times on the season in the 60 meters.
Competing for the outdoor track team, Benjamin earned All-ACC honors, placing third in the 100 meters at the ACC Championships, with a time of 10.40 seconds, the fastest time of any Miami sprinter on the season. He ran the second leg of the 4 x 100 meter relay that advanced to the NCAA semifinals, that ran a season-best time of 39.57 seconds at the NCAA quarter finals, setting a school record, and placed fifth at the Penn Relays with a time of 40.35 seconds.
Benjamin’s NFL career started when he was drafted in the 4th round and 100 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns where he played for four seasons. During his final year with the Browns Benjamin he caught three passes for 115 receiving yards and two touchdowns receptions in a 28-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans. That game Benjamin was responsible for three of the Browns’ touchdowns during the game, catching a 60-yard and 50-yard touchdown pass from Johnny Manziel and returning a punt return for a 78-yard touchdown in the second quarter and was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. This would become one of Benjamin’s many stellar performances in his NFL tenure. He would decide to enter free agency after that season where he would sign with the San Diego / LA Chargers where he would become their premiere receiver for four more seasons. Travis now in his 9th season in the NFL recently signed with the San Francisco 49ers and is looking to have his best season yet. The Muck is where Travis is using his resources and influence to contribute to the city and surrounding area where he grew up in which he will continue to be a part of its future.
Pernell McPhee (Co-Founder)
Pernell McPhee is a native to the Glades Community. Pernell was born in Pahokee, Florida on December 17,1988. Pernell attended Pahokee Elementary School and Pahokee Middle and Senior High School in Pahokee, Florida where he helped lead his school to their State Championship in 2006.
McPhee spent his first two years of his college career at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi where he was named an NJCAA All-American Athlete.
After completing two years at ICC, Pernell transferred to Mississippi State. As a junior in 2009, he was named first-team All-SEC and twice named the Defensive Lineman of the week. In his senior year, he was named the coaches All-SEC first-team and served as a team captain.
McPhee was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round with the 165th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. McPhee collected 6.0 sacks as a rookie for the Ravens in 2011, plus 23 tackles and a forced fumble while playing in all 16 regular-season games. On January 12, 2013, in the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Denver Broncos, McPhee recorded a strip-sack on quarterback Peyton Manning. The Ravens would go on win that game 38-35 in double overtime. On January 20, 2013, in the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots, McPhee tipped a pass from quarterback Tom Brady that led to an interception by Dannell Ellerbe with 6:49 remaining in regulation. This led to the Ravens winning that game 28-13 and earned the team a trip to Super Bowl XLVII, where they would defeat the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 34-31. In 2013. In his nine seasons with the NFL Pernell played for The Chicago Bears, The Washington Redskins, and is currently signed with the Baltimore Ravens. With a knack for business and pride for his community, Pernell remains involved in neighborhood and community development during the off-season.
Pernell has been a role model for what it means to give oneself to the cause of others. He has joined with community leaders to promote positive change with the youth in each city that he has played for over the years. McPhee has become an inspiration to countless young men by his mentoring programs he devotes his time to in the offseason. In addition to mentoring young men and women to strive for greatness in their cities. He and his fellow founders prepare a community turkey drive where turkeys are given to families on the Thanksgiving Holidays. McPhee also relishes in cultivating an annual city-wide secret Santa giveaway to kids in need in the Glades Communities.