James Donnelly is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Castle Group, the premier choice for community management. He is also a CPA, angel investor, serial entrepreneur, sought after speaker and philanthropist.

Born in Ottawa, Canada, James worked for Arthur Andersen before co-founding one of Canada’s fastest-growing investment companies.  He moved his family to Florida in 1996.

He has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization since 1998 and is a past Chair of the Florida Chapter, past Chair of the Southern US Region, and sat on the International Regional Chairs Council.

In 2019, James received the Sun Sentinel’s Excalibur Business Leader of the Year for Broward County as well as the 2019 Terry Stiles South Florida Leadership Award presented by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. James is a past Finalist of Florida’s Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He has also been recognized in the South Florida Business Journal as one of Broward County’s Ultimate CEO’s, was inducted in 2014 into the Hall of Fame at Nova Southeastern University’s H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship and was honored by Palm Beach Atlantic University in 2017 on Free Enterprise Day as a Companion Medalist.

Most recently, James was appointed to the Nova Southeastern University Board of Trustees and became a member of The Florida Council of 100. James is the immediate past Chair of the Community Foundation of Broward,  and sits on the Board of Advisors of the LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

James and his wife Cathy are active members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County Legacy Society, the United Way Tocqueville Society, and Benefactors of the Broward Performing Arts Foundation.  In 2010 they established CastleCares℠ as the philanthropic arm of the Castle Group.  CastleCares℠ mission is to serve children and families in need throughout the state of Florida.  James and Cathy received the NSU President’s Award for Excellence in Community Service in 2020.

James holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University, and Chartered Professional Accountant designation from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants.

His passions are his family, community, his company, and teammates, travelling, skiing, reading, and writing.

James and Cathy live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and have three adult sons, Jordan, Chase, and Brock.