JOHN DUNN SELECTED THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER “PERSON OF THE YEAR”

OCTOBER 5, 2022

An Evansville native, Dunn began his business career in Evansville after an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force in 1959. He joined Fuqua Industries in 1959, which owned WROZ Radio and WTVW-7. Dunn started in their Sales Department, and by 1964 had been promoted to Vice President and General Manager of WROZ Radio; then in 1968, he transferred into television. 

In 1969, Dunn and a business partner created Medco Centers Nursing Homes. By 1978, there were 28 Medco Center locations throughout Indiana and Kentucky, with pharmaceutical and physical therapy subsidiaries. In 1978, Dunn sold the Medco Center portfolio to a Canadian firm in order to focus on new business ventures – the hotel industry, radio stations, television stations, and land development. 

In 1978, Dunn re-entered the broadcast industry by purchasing radio stations in Rhode Island, New Mexico, and Texas, while at the same time building his first hotel, The Williamsburg Inn in Evansville, Indiana. 

Over the past 44 years, Dunn Hospitality Group, the management company founded by Dunn in 1978, has built or acquired more than 50 hotels throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, and has now ventured into Huntsville, Alabama with a project currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2023. 

In 1990, Dunn entered into a joint venture to develop a 70-acre parcel of land at the interchange of the future I-69 and IN 66, on Evansville’s far east side. At the groundbreaking of the first business to be located in Eagle Crest Commerce Centre, Dunn’s 143-room Hampton Inn, former Mayor Frank McDonald labeled the commercial complex “Evansville’s New Front Door” for extending the boundaries of business development within Vanderburgh County. 

By 1993, Dunn had divested himself of the radio stations but ventured into television broadcasting by building two low-power television stations in the Evansville market (WTSN-CD Channel 20 and WYYW-CD Channel 15), which he continues to operate today. 

In 2018, Dunn formed Dunn Hospitality Group of Florida to embark on a new project of developing residential and retail condominiums in Sarasota. The first project, Zahrada I, was completed and fully occupied by 2021. In 2022, the second phase of Zahrada began construction, with another project in the planning stages. 

Throughout the years Dunn has endeavored to enrich the local community by restoring historical buildings – the Carpenter Home, which most recently housed the WNIN-Channel 9 facility, which was originally restored and used as the corporate offices for the Medco Centers; and the McCurdy Residential Center was formerly the McCurdy Hotel. 

Dunn is Chairman and CEO of Dunn Hospitality Group, whose corporate offices are located in downtown Evansville, in the Riverside Historical District. He serves as the Chancellor of Oakland City University, the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Tri-State Youth for Christ, has been reappointed by Indiana’s Governor to the Board of Trustees for the University of Southern Indiana, is a member of the Advisory Council for Indiana University Medical School, Founder and Advisor to the Evansville Wartime Museum, Treasurer of the P-47 Foundation of Evansville, and is a Trustee and member of Church of the Cross in Evansville. 

Dunn has previously served as Chairman and Director of the Oakland City University Foundation; a member of the Board of Trustees for Oakland City University; Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the University of Southern Indiana; Chairman and Board Member of the USI Foundation; and Chairman and Director of Welborn Baptist Hospital and Welborn Baptist Foundation. 

He is retired from the Corporate Board of Directors for South Central Communications, Inc., Old National Bank, and Vectren, Inc. Dunn has been named a Life Board Member for the Boys and Girls Club of Evansville, served as President of St. Mary’s Health Systems Seton Corporation, and WNIN-TV/FM88; and a former Board Member of the Southern Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Evansville-Vanderburgh Airport Authority, YMCA and the Salvation Army. 

Dunn received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Oakland City University and an honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Southern Indiana. 

He has been recognized by Evansville Rotarians, SW Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Buffalo Trace Council, and the ROTC and received numerous other awards for his many accomplishments, leadership, and service to the community. In 2021, Dunn and his wife were honored by Youth First, Inc. at their annual Breakfast of Champions for their long-time support and advocacy of local youth. 

Dunn is a member of the Evansville Country Club, Palm Aire Country Club of Sarasota, FL, and an Evansville Rotarian. 

Dunn and his wife Gail (née Russell), split their time between homes in Evansville, IN and Sarasota, FL, and are parents to two sons and three daughters, they have ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The City-County Observer recently announced our four deserving “Community Service Award” winners for 2022.  They are Sue Schriber a highly respected and well-known teacher, community leader, and beloved community volunteer, Joe Kiefer a highly regarded Realestate executive, community leader, and a member of the Vanderburgh County Council, and the Honorable Vanderburgh County Superior Court Judge Robert Pigman and retired Insurance Executive  W. Harold Calloway.