Donald Chaiken, a native of New York City, grew up in Miami, Florida. He is a graduate with top honors from the College of Business at the University of Florida and practiced public accounting for 12 years. He holds CPA certificates in Florida and California.

Chaiken has been involved in real estate development since 1970 when he joined a large Northern California company overseeing the development of housing, shopping centers and light industrial and commercial office complexes.

Since 1982, Chaiken has owned and operated Davidon Homes, which is engaged in the development, construction and sale of apartments, condominiums and single-family homes. Davidon has built over 6,000 housing units in Northern California, Southern California and Northern Nevada, and is currently active with projects throughout the East and North Bays.

In 2021, the Donald and Carole Chaiken Foundation awarded a $2.5 million grant to the California Homebuilding Foundation in support of its Building Industry Technology Academy (BITA), a hands-on construction industry training program offered in fifty (50) high schools throughout the State of California. The Chaiken Foundation grant will provide expanded resources for construction training, along with more opportunities for mentorships, internships and ultimately employment opportunities, within the building and construction industry.

“I feel very fortunate to have spent 50 years of my life in homebuilding, a business I love,” said Donald Chaiken. “By contributing to the BITA program, I hope to generate the interest of young adults in our industry and help them develop the skills needed for success. It's one of the best ways I know to say thank you to our industry for the many good things it has brought my family and me over the years.”

​Chaiken lives in Lafayette, California and, with his late wife, Carole, is the parent of three adult daughters and the grandparent of four.