This year, Brazosport Independent School District will recognize former Brazoswood High School graduate, class of 1973, Mr. John Collins Goff, during the halftime of the Brazoswood football game at Hopper Field, Friday, October 31, 2014.
BISD began this program in 2007 to recognize graduates of Brazosport ISD who have demonstrated a high level of achievement in their field of endeavor and/or who have made significant contributions through achievement, service or leadership.
John Collins Goff, a successful entrepreneur and private investor, is truly a role model for the students in Brazosport Independent School District. John, the son of Charles and Janice Goff, and the youngest in his family, with two older sisters and an older brother, was born at the Dow Hospital in Freeport, grew up in Lake Jackson – attending Elisabet Ney Elementary, Lake Jackson Jr. High, graduating from Brazoswood High School in 1973.
In high school, Goff captained Brazoswood’s debate club, leading them to numerous tournaments, while earning many awards and scholarship offers.
As one classmate recalled, “Even at an early age, we knew John would be successful. John started working at the age of 12 and although he was a quiet guy, he knew how to collaborate with others to achieve his goals.”
Goff’s ability to create successful partnerships, coupled with his relentless work ethic, are the very traits that propelled him towards tremendous successful ventures later in life.
After attending the University of Texas, in Austin, John graduated with a BBA in 1977 and joined a CPA firm in Houston. A short time later, in his first venture into the real estate market, Goff went to work for Houston developer Kenneth Schnitzer.
In the early 80’s, John moved on to Fort Worth where his collaborative skills and strong sense of business brought him to many successful partnerships with some of the countries brightest and most prosperous investment and real estate leaders. Joining legendary investor Richard Rainwater, Goff began investing in public securities, private equities, real estate and later went on to play a key role in restructuring the commercial real estate business of Dallas Cowboy quarterback, Roger Staubach. John co-founded Crescent Real Estate Equities with Richard Rainwater in the early 1990’s, took it public in 1994, sold it in 2007 to Morgan Stanley, and then regained Crescent along with Barclays Capital in 2009. In totality, Goff's companies collectively own around 40 million square feet of office space, hotels, resorts and residential developments throughout the country.
And as if these successful businesses were not enough to keep John busy, he also found the time to invest in the Academy nominated film Albert Nobbs, through a unique partnership with the film’s star and one of Hollywood’s best known actresses, Glenn Close.
Along with his many successes, John, a strong proponent of public education, has also dedicated much of his charitable efforts to providing academic opportunities for in-need communities and individuals through his Goff Family Foundation. In 1997, he founded FACES of Change®, a unique adopt-a-school program that partnered Goff’s Crescent properties with underserved elementary schools to provide volunteers, financial assistance and donations to more than 80 schools nationwide. In 2002, he established the executive-funded Crescent Scholarship Foundation, which grants scholarships to children of non-executive Crescent employees.
In 2007, John, along with his favorite partner, his wife Cami, established The Goff Family Foundation to focus on education through scholarship programs and creative solutions for specific schools in need, and in 2010, through the foundation, they launched a free, non-traditional, after-school, music education program and youth orchestra, B Sharp Youth Music. The program is the only one of its kind in North Texas and has since expanded to include a middle and high school orchestra. In 2013, B Sharp was selected as a Gold Seal Program of Choice by the Fort Worth Independent School District and is offered to students throughout the Fort Worth school district.
Through the years, John has earned many honors for his achievements in business, in service and in leadership. This past year, John was inducted into the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business 2014 Hall of Fame for his outstanding professional contributions to the business community and for his exemplary civic, philanthropic and educational activities. In addition, this summer, Goff was named as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southwest Region in the real estate and construction category. The award recognizes individuals who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses.
John Goff continues to run Crescent Real Estate Equities along with his other dynamic investments. He and his wife Cami live in Fort Worth, Texas and have five children.