Our Team

Grand Canyon Development Partners

We are a construction and real estate development management company that offers a full spectrum of services to facilitate all processes for our clients’ projects including, but not limited to: real estate development, construction, project and program management services, and LEED Certification studies. The company has offices throughout the Southwest.

The success and experience of Grand Canyon Development Partners spans a wide variety of market segments, including hospitality/entertainment, gaming, education, retail/tenant improvements, commercial, nonprofit, and food/beverage.

Sam Nicholson

 Chairman

Sam Nicholson currently serves as Chairman of Grand Canyon Development Partners, having previously led the company as founder and former President of nearly 18 years.

Mr. Nicholson established Grand Canyon Construction, Inc. in 2005 and expanded with Grand Canyon Development Partners in 2009, now with offices located in both Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ. With a construction career spanning over 40 years, building and organizing a strong team of highly skilled individuals is what has made his career and companies successful. Under Mr. Nicholson’s leadership, Grand Canyon Development Partners has successfully completed hundreds of projects throughout the Southwest during his career.

The success of his work has been illustrated by his strong people skills and ability to create highly effective teams that work towards a collective goal, with a belief in honesty, accountability and professionalism. Mr. Nicholson has developed strong working relationships with contractors, designers and clients, making himself and Grand Canyon Development Partners a well-respected and highly regarded figure in the construction development industry.

Mr. Nicholson is the Founder and Executive Director for the Keep it Alive Foundation and has formerly held board positions with Arizona Economic Planning and Development Advisory Board, Fountain Hills Board of Adjustment, Sierra Vista Planning and Zoning Commission, American Red Cross – Arizona Chapter, Sierra Vista Hospital Board, and served with various notable organizations such as the Special Olympics, and the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Vincent Tatum

President

Vincent Tatum is currently serving as President with Grand Canyon Development Partners. Mr. Tatum previously held the title of Executive Vice President of the organization for 9 years before his elevation to presidency in 2023. He is an experienced professional in the development industry with nearly 20 years of successful management in commercial construction, project management, construction sourcing and procurement, capital investment management, financial cost and controls, risk management, and logistics.

Mr. Tatum is dedicated to providing exceptional service to satisfy the unique needs of each client. In doing so, Mr. Tatum’s capabilities will allow him to quickly and effectively integrate into the client’s business environment to assess the needs of the client, the current state of the project, and then recommend, manage, and execute courses of action that facilitate solutions. He has the ability to assist clients in assessing total cost of ownership impacts where future operational costs are taken into consideration of the capital expenditure. Mr. Tatum also understands the complexity and importance of having departmental stakeholders’ buy in when ensuring that the end result of the project meets the expectations of those it is intended to benefit. His unique background in operations-based logistics and procurement for the US Army, experience in working within publicly traded corporate capital environments, and his deep understanding of the full development life cycle and its impact on business makes him and his teams a valuable asset to any development project.

Mr. Tatum currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Institute of Constructors, State of Nevada Commission on Construction Education, and the Nevada Contractors Association – Permits and Inspections Committee.

Tim Lockett

Vice President of Construction

Tim began his career in 1991 at the Nevada Test Site working for Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company (REECo). After several years working for REECo, the contract for the works at the Nevada Test Site was awarded to Bechtel Nevada. While at Bechtel Nevada, Tim was promoted to Engineering Supervisor. In 1998, Tim joined the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) as project manager. During his tenure at UNLV, Tim worked his way through the ranks to Director of Construction. Tim oversaw the delivery of 27 new facilities on the campus as well as hundreds of major renovations and remodels over his 20-year career at UNLV.

Karim Jabal

Director of Technology

Karim Jabal is an industry leader with over two decades of progressive experience spanning various areas of technology, engineering, and construction. Prior to joining Grand Canyon Development Partners, Mr. Jabal held a series of Executive level positions as the Director of Technology Consulting, Executive Director of Technology, and VP of Project Development. In these positions, Mr. Jabal developed a wide bandwidth of notable skillsets in areas such as Mission Critical Facilities, Converged Network Design, and Technology Master Planning. Mr. Jabal’s strong technical skills in Audiovisual, Information Technology, and Security Surveillance Systems lend to his ability to evolve alongside this ever-changing industry. His extensive expertise in Energy and Sustainability and Smart Building Technologies enable him to strategically develop and execute the most complex projects of any volume.

Seyanni Scott

Marketing Manager

Seyanni Scott is an innovative creator and marketing professional who brings over 10 years of experience spanning various industries including Commercial Real Estate Development, Construction Project Management, Corporate Finance, and Legal Administration. With an innate ability to connect with others, Ms. Scott has an impressive history of surpassing ambitious business goals and positioning organizations for success by creating and implementing effective marketing strategies and demonstrating a profound dedication to company growth and audience engagement. Ms. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Finance, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She supports the local community by regularly facilitating and engaging in events that benefit various non-profit organizations. Ms. Scott currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Keep it Alive Foundation, and is an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and the American Marketing Association (AMA).

Steve Robbins

Senior Project Manager

Steve Robbins brings over 35 years of exceptional experience as a nationally renowned Project Manager and Director. As a well-known leader in the industry, Mr. Robbins is equipped with an extensive background in Commercial, Industrial, Higher Education, Retail, Office and Public Works. His strategic skillset contributes to improvement, innovation, and mitigation of the challenges that present themselves during the life of a project. Mr. Robbin’s long-standing passion for development and construction management allows him to approach matters with a unique insight and understanding of this industry.

Melissa Jamvold

Design Manager

With over 20 years of professional design and management practice, Mrs. Jamvold brings a vast amount of expertise to the table ensuring the creative vision of the client is executed in their finished project.
Seasoned in the design process, Melissa’s diverse experience in early project development and pre-construction through completion and turn-over, provides her with opportunities to deliver efficiencies throughout the life of the project. She is well-versed in catering design management strategies that deliver value, while navigating the nuanced needs of maintaining a dynamic aesthetic while incorporating brand standards and operational necessities.
Mrs. Jamvold’s expertise includes conceptual development and project strategy, fiscal projections related to pre-construction through procurement, review of comprehensive design documentation including troubleshooting, the development of FF&E/OS&E packages, and detailed schedule management from conception to completion.
Melissa is experienced in the hospitality, multi-family, luxury residential, commercial mixed used, tenant-improvement spaces and creative exhibit and museum development processes. Her passion for both design and learning inspired her obtain a M.A. in Interior Design which provided opportunity to develop skills in grant writing, accredited curriculum development, and time in the classroom instructing college level students for over 6 years.
Her keen eye for detail and natural propensity for organization enables her to take on a multitude of projects while bringing inherent value by way of her varied experience here at Grand Canyon Development Partners.