Name:
W. John Dunnan - 1966
Title:
Founder
Company:
Town & Country Homes
Location:
N/A
Birthplace:
Born: 1914
Education: Everett High School, attended Harvard University
After college in 1935, John joined Esso in the sales field and worked in fuel oil distribution until 1946, when he formed Town & Country Homes, Inc., a prefab home builder. “We had such a hard time getting delivery on materials after the war, we were forced to enter the brokerage field,” he said.
Is wasn’t long before the firm was doing $1 million per month in business with over 70 brokers, and becoming nationally known as one of the largest firms in the country. In 1957, the company became affiliated with General Development Corp., in developing Florida communities and became very successful in this field.
“In 1965, we decided to undertake our own development and selected New Hampshire because of its natural beauty, inexpensive living and virgin lake properties,” he said.
The firm went on to dam up a dried-up lake and construct a year-round community with beaches, ski tow, utilities, etc. (Pillsbury Lake.) With five other developments either underway or planned, John divides his time between his homes in Boston and New Hampshire, has a son in banking and another in real estate, and follows the supply and demand code to success. “I have found that in today’s market, the demand for vacation homes is twice the supply.”