Matthew Shihadeh

Matthew Shihadeh served as a Marine Corps officer and fighter pilot, accumulating over 3,500 flight hours across 25 military aircraft types, including 2,500 hours in the F/A-18 Hornet. He commanded VMFA(AW)-121, leading the squadron through a combat deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, he later became the F/A-18 Department Head at the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron. Shihadeh retired from the Marine Corps as a director of safety and standardization.

After retiring, Shihadeh briefly managed a Target retail store and then spent six years as a program manager at Northrop Grumman, working on Global Hawk and BAMS unmanned aircraft systems. In 2012, he joined Tactical Air Support, Inc. as a Senior Assistant Vice President, where he continues to work.

Shihadeh entered the 2025 World Series of Poker Event #48: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. He advanced from Day 1b with 824 players remaining but did not finish in the money. The event drew 7,575 total entries, and his final standing is not recorded among the top chip counts. Prior to this, no major cashes appear in public databases.

Matthew Shihadeh, age 63, resides in Bonita Springs, Florida, with his wife. He is a homeowner and has lived at his current address for 15 years. In poker circles, he is known by the nickname 'Jams'.