Donnie M Jarreau

Donnie Jarreau, a lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, attended Southeastern Louisiana University, where he played football for three years, and later completed his education at Louisiana State University.

Donnie began his real estate career in 1989 with Latter & Blum and went on to found Donnie Jarreau Real Estate in 1997. Since then, he has developed and acquired over 2 million square feet of commercial retail, office, industrial and multifamily properties. His notable projects include acquisitions and major renovations for: Southdown’s Shopping Center, Walmart on Highland Road, Perkins Road Hardware, Perkins Palms, The Settlement, Perkins South and East Bank Shopping Center.

In addition, Donnie has completed 50+ build-to-suit projects for clients such as: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Sonic Drive-In, Dollar Tree, Investor Bank, Salvation Army, Brock Industries, Southern Classic Chicken, Smoothie King, McAlister’s Deli, Family Dollar, MGX, Manitowoc, Jimmy John’s, CC’s Coffee House, Sky Zone, Dow Credit Union and AT&T.

In 2010, Donnie began syndicating equity for retail shopping centers and other real estate investment properties through existing partners and local investors.  After a successful 10-year run, Donnie partnered with Trey Williams in 2020 to form JRE Capital, raising nearly $50 million in equity from primarily local existing partners and accredited investors and surpassing more than $150 million in real estate acquisitions to date. As a partner of JRE Companies, Donnie oversees company operations, identifies potential acquisitions and works to expand its client base.

Donnie’s entrepreneurial reach also extends into the fitness and wellness industry. He founded Spectrum Fitness Club in 1992, growing it to eight locations before selling in 2012. In 2019, he co-founded Regymen Fitness, which developed into a 20-unit franchise chain before selling to GoodLife Fitness, the largest fitness club operator in North America. In 2022, Donnie co-founded The Covery, a franchise brand specializing in medical and wellness services which now includes 15 franchise locations nationwide.

His commitment to community service is equally extensive. Donnie founded the EP Sports Foundation to provide underprivileged students with athletic gear and has served on the boards of several organizations, including Option Housing, Red Cross Baton Rouge Growth Coalition and the Rain Will Bring Flowers organization. He has also volunteered with Kids Hope and coached middle school football at St. Alphonsus Catholic School.

An active member of St. George Catholic Church, Donnie participates in ACTS and Manresa retreats. He is married to Barbara Parsons Jarreau, and together they have five children who attended Dunham High School, St. Joseph’s Academy, Louisiana State University and University of South Carolina.

In his free time, Donnie enjoys daily fitness, golf, traveling and playing in the world-famous Phil’s poker game. His faith in God continues to guide him, ever expanding his love for family, friends, business partners and the Baton Rouge community.