A letter from the founding partner

 My first job out of college was in sales at a modular home manufacturer owned by a high school friend’s family. As part of my training, I was sent to the plant to learn how the houses were built. I followed the production line from raw materials to finished homes, watching each step unfold.

What struck me most was the sheer effort and dedication of the factory workers. I’ll never forget seeing a drywall mudder on stilts, covered in dust, working in front of heaters in 90-degree weather. Despite the grueling conditions, they were always willing to answer my questions—often with good-natured teasing about the “college boy” in their midst.

My friend’s father, a former Marine known as “Senior,” started as a factory trouble-shooter for a large conglomerate that owned a dozen modular home facilities. When the opportunity arose, he and three partners mortgaged everything they had to buy a struggling plant in their hometown. By the time I joined, they had expanded to three plants and built one of the most respected modular home companies in the country.

Senior was an intimidating figure—he arrived before anyone else, stayed late, and worked most Saturdays. He was on the factory floor every day, crawling on roofs and under floors, always looking for ways to improve the product. The workers respected and admired him.

The modular home industry is particularly vulnerable to economic downturns. In tough times, we could go from three plants and over a thousand employees to just one plant with fewer than two hundred. Laying off those hard-working employees was a terrible experience, and Senior took it personally. He worked even harder, pushing us in sales to get out there and bring in business.

When he retired, Senior sold the company in phases to key managers and family members. With his final paycheck, he wrote checks to every employee who had ever worked at the company—some large enough to be life-changing. His family remained pillars of the community, often donating anonymously or quietly stepping in to help those in need.

Senior was, and still is, my role model. He worked hard. He cared for his employees. He gave back to the community. He led with integrity. He often told me, “You only have one name. Act accordingly.”

That experience shaped my vision for Legacy Family Holdings. Our region is home to businesses like Senior’s—companies that employ our friends and neighbors, sponsor Little League teams, and support local charities. I’ve always admired small business owners and the employees who keep these enterprises running. I founded Legacy to preserve these businesses, protect local jobs, and ensure that the companies that form the backbone of our small towns continue to thrive.

Whether you’re a business owner or a potential investor, I invite you to join me on this journey.

John