About Us

Watermark Land is an owner/developer of primarily resort, second home and retirement communities. Watermark is affiliated through common ownership with Royce Homes and Park Lake Communities. Watermark's executive team represents over 70 years of experience in the financing, development and sale of residential communities. Our current projects include Tortuga Dunes and Villas of Las Palmas.

John Speer
As chief executive officer of the Royce Family of Builders, Park Lake Communities and Hammersmith Financial, John Speer works to ensure families have comfortable, well-built homes at affordable prices. During his 30 years in the homebuilding and mortgage industries, Speer has participated in the construction and/or financing of more than $5 billion in real estate.

After graduating from Texas A&M with a BBA in accounting in 1971 and MBA in 1973, Speer served as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He then left to assist in the start up of General Homes, a large Houston-based homebuilder.

After the sale of General Homes, Speer branched out on his own constructing homes, and spent eight years as a financial and real estate consultant. In 1990, Speer joined Royce as chief financial officer and purchased a controlling interest in the company in 1998.

Both personally and professionally, Speer is a firm believer in giving back. He has been involved in a wide range of programs which range from college scholarships with the RoyceBuilders.com Foundation for Youth (which he co-founded) to underwriting Mays Business School's Freshman Business Initiative, a learning community for first-year students. Speer has also implemented initiatives, such as a home-buying assistance program for public servants, including police, fire and military personnel and educators.

More on John Speer:

Outstanding Alumni Award, Mays School of Business, Texas A&M University, 2004
Former Member, Texas Society of CPAs AICPA
Member, National Association of Home Builders
Board Member and Executive Committee Member, Greater Houston Builders Association
Member, Mays Business School Development Council
Former Director and Chairman, Texas Neurofibromatosis Foundation
Development Board Member, Southwest Bank of Texas

George Kopecky
Now the President of Park Lake Communities, George Kopecky has been involved in numerous large land development projects over the last 25 years. In addition to starting two homebuilding companies, Mr. Kopecky also founded his own non-profit, needs based scholarship foundation - the Royce Builders Foundation for Youth. Mr. Kopecky still serves as an active board member. He also had an extensive career with US Home Corporation. He began working for US Home Corporation as a Construction Superintendent Trainee shortly after receiving his Bachelors Degree in Building Construction from Texas A&M University. He eventually became a Division President, with his last division being in Tucson, AZ. After leaving US Home Corporation, Mr. Kopecky started two building companies. One of them (Texas Colonial Homes) merged with Royce Builders in 1999. When Texas Colonial Homes began building under Royce Builders, Mr. Kopecky came onboard to assist with overall management.

James Hunter
James Hunter is the Chief Operating Officer for the Royce Family of Builders. Originally from London, England, James Hunter has a broad background encompassing accounting, finance and operational management responsibilities within the publishing, trading and homebuilding industries. Upon arrival in the United States in 1982, Hunter entered the homebuilding industry with Westbury Homes of Houston. During his tenure with Westbury, he served as Controller and shortly thereafter Vice President, Finance. He joined Royce's finance team in 1994 and has been an integral part of the company's success.