About Mission Development Company Company

Partners with the Community

The Mission Development Company Team cares about the quality of life in the San Bernardino Valley. The special neighborhoods and communities they design enhance the places that they call home.

Unlike out-of-town developers who build wall- to-wall houses and leave, the Mission Development Company team has strong local and family roots in the community. That local connection inspires them to design distinct neighborhoods with walkable streets and trail systems that link to stores, workplaces, schools and recreational facilities.

Glenn Elssmann

Glenn solves problems creatively and thinks outside the box. A career in education and public service shaped his ability to see things in new ways. For Glenn, development is not about the house or lifestyle center. It’s about creating neighborhoods and special places where families can relax, socialize and enjoy life.

When he was 13, his mother moved the family to Loma Linda. Glenn paid his tuition at Loma Linda Academy by doing odd jobs for the school. He attended the Riverside campus of Loma Linda University and pursued a career in education. For 10 years he taught grade school students at the Loma Linda Academy.

His concern for future development in the Loma Linda steered him toward public service. He initiated the idea for the HomeTown Buffet to locate in Loma Linda. Glenn was elected to the Loma Linda City Council for a four-year term from 1994 to 1998. Chairing the Loma Linda Redevelopment Agency, his interest in public improvements widened and he became active on the boards of the Inland Valley Development Agency and the San Bernardino Airport Authority.

Today Glenn is a civic leader and trained as a volunteer firefighter. He serves on the boards of the Loma Linda Academy and Inland Temporary Homes. This nonprofit agency addresses housing needs for the working poor and people in transition from shelters, halfway houses and care facilities.

Glenn is an outdoor enthusiast and helped develop the Mission Road Project. He continues to live in his hometown with his wife, Heidi and two children, Lexi and Ryan. He wants to look back with pride on new communities he creates that benefit the whole area.

Kevin Varner
Partner
Mission Development Company

Kevin's roots in Inland Empire go back over 150 years. His family was among the first pioneer settlers in San Bernardino in the 1850s. Albert A. Bennett, his great-great grandfather went on to become a state architect and designed the dome on top of the state capitol and court houses in six California counties.

That pioneering legacy inspires Kevin to be part of his community and make it a better place to live. Kevin studied urban planning at Cal State San Bernardino. While in college, he interned with the planning department of the City of San Bernardino. His 18-year-career in urban planning took him all over the world as a consultant specializing the design of environmentally sensitive resort projects.

With a background in urban planning and a proven track record of resolving issues that are sensitive to the environment, Kevin views development with regard to cities and residents needs. He understands how projects affect traffic, air quality and the economy. As a developer, one of his top priorities is to preserve natural areas and wildlife.

A stint in the Peace Corps kindled Kevin’s interest in the environment and land conservation. As a natural resources volunteer, Kevin, who is fluent in Spanish, developed recycling and environmental education programs in Uruguay. He is a trained disaster worker for the American Red Cross and has organized volunteers and fundraising events for HomeAid, a nonprofit organization that builds homes for people in need. Kevin is married with two children.

John brings to Mission Development Company (MDC) over 25 years of managerial and technical experience in property development. In that time, he has acquired a well-rounded knowledge of city planning procedures and community and environmental issues.

John works creatively with neighbors, conservationists and decision makers to promote effective solutions to development challenges.

John began his career as a civil engineer educated at area universities. He managed private and public works projects ranging from sewer systems to water systems. Leading up to joining MDC, John headed up a team of civil engineers for WES Engineering and Adkan Engineers. He then joined Concorida Homes which grew into American Pacific Homes- Southern California Division. While with American Pacific Homes John was responsible for all entitlements and community relations. While with APH, his interests and responsibilities grew to encompass planning, legal, architectural, neighborhood and environmental issues.

Twelve years ago he was appointed to a seat on the Riverside County Planning Commission where he still serves today. He was chairman during the comprehensive update of the Riverside County General Plan, a process now under way in the City of Loma Linda.

The greatest challenges for John are educating the community and decision makers about the benefits of land development projects.

Though property owners have a right to decide the best use for their land, they still have an obligation to solve issues they create, John says.It is the responsibility of a property developer to demonstrate that they understand the concerns of the community, city leaders, staff and neighbors, he says.

In Loma Linda, John would like to see new housing alleviate a shortage of executive housing for medical professionals and the overall quality of life improve for residents.

John makes his home in Riverside with his wife Tracey, an elementary school teacher. He has two grown children.