Professional Profile: John Andrus - 1973

Name: John Andrus - 1973

Title: officer and director

Company: Andrus Insurance Agency

Location: Pawlet, VT

John Holmes Andrus traces his ancestry back to England to William the Conqueror. In the Colonies, John H. Andrus, a great great grandfather, is listed as an appointed freeman of the Village of Danby, Vt., in the year 1800. After the untimely death of his young father, in 1948, Andrus left Colgate Univ. and assumed the management of the Andrus Insurance Agency, Pawlet, Vt. In 1950, he incorporated and became president of the agency and still holds that position. His active, aggressive, managerial expertise is evidenced by the growth of the Andrus organization in all of its activities. In all, Andrus is an officer and director of more than a dozen successful real estate organizations and insurance agencies with offices in Pawlet and Manchester, Vt., and Granville and White Plains, N.Y. Andrus has increased the annual insurance premium volume of the Andrus Insurance Agency and the Andrus Barrow Agency from $35,000 to more than $750,000. Simultaneously, he increased the number of employees in insurance, real estate and construction activities from one employee to 25 employees. Andrus Insurance is also engaged in housing construction. Andrus has built chalets and year-round homes in Vt. and apartment houses in New York state. Presently, he has private homes under construction in the Plattsburgh, N.Y. area. The homes in the successful Nottingham Park development in Manchester, Vt., have been purchased by recreation enthusiasts from out-of-state and local residents as well. Of greater significance, is his demonstrated capabilities in realty investments including wholly-owned properties, joint-ventures, syndications, land acquisitions, subdivisions, property financing, leasing and property management. The first Andrus project began in 1966. At that time, Andrus purchased a 220-acre farm in Pawlet and built a house on the property for $33,000. He then sold the house and 20 acres, recouping the entire cost, leaving 200 acres for sale, from which a gross profit of $120,000 was realized. In 1967, Andrus brought in several business executives and professionals as investor/partners. He purchased some 640 acres in Dorset, Vt., under the designation of the “Baldwin Joint Venture.” As of May, 1972, 156 acres have been sold for $196,000, against a land cost of under $25,000 and development costs of under $21,000 producing gross profits of approximately $150,000. In January, 1969, the Tinmouth Mountain Corp., incorporated in Delaware, with Andrus listed as treasurer, acquired a total of 580 saleable acres in Vt. at a cost of $110,500 which included surveying, roads, ponds and clearing expenses. By February, 1972, 126 acres of the original 580 had been sold for $113,000 against an allocated cost of $28,000, leaving a gross profit of $85,000. In another instance, Andrus secured 2500 acres in the area of Mount Chase, Me., for $135,000. This was considered “undesirable” land by other Realtors and was on the market for some time. However, recognizing the potential in proper development and quality subdivision of this property, Andrus acquired this acreage. His acumen was proved when he sold approximately 300 acres for a total recovery of his initial investment. Andrus is currently owner or part-owner of some 11,000 acres in New York, Vermont and Maine. At this time, developments are in the planning stage on the over 2500-acre parcel near Watertown, N.Y., and condominiums are being planned for various Vt. and N.Y. sites. In addition to his extensive real estate activities, Andrus has devoted himself to community service. He has been a town selectman in Pawlet for nine years, serving as chairman of the board for three of those years. He is still the Town Moderator having held that post since 1965. He also has served as the Pawlet chairman of the Republican Party.