Our Rich History

Like many great American success stories, our company began as the ambitious dream of a young entrepreneur, George Pardee, Sr., who opened shop as a custom builder in Los Angeles in 1921, and always nearby were his young sons, George Jr., Doug and Hoyt. One of their earliest memories is remodeling the home of the celebrity Will Rogers.

In February of 1946, the Pardees officially christened Pardee Construction Company. Encouraged by the G.I. Bill and VA loans, returning servicemen helped fuel a real estate boom unlike any seen before in Southern California.

The Pardee brothers quickly established a reliable company, building homes and commercial properties as well as developing their first subdivision. As the fifties rolled around, the Pardees put the advice of their old friend Will Rogers into deeds: "Buy land. They're not making any more of it."

The brothers soon set their sights on the city of Las Vegas. In 1953, the company entered the market by building affordable homes for returning veterans. The total price, with no down payment, was $10,995.

The Pardees also sought opportunities in San Diego. Defense spending brought on by the Korean War was attracting a new wave of workers, all in need of a home. The Pardees met the demand, developing properties in both Chula Vista and Claremont.

As the company continued to grow, it became evident that they would need a strong financial collaborator. As the sixties came to a close, the company found the ideal solution: a merger with The Weyerhaeuser Company, a timber giant in the northwest.

With an infusion of new capital, Pardee acquired larger parcels of land and pioneered the master-planned community, beginning with Spring Valley in Las Vegas and Mission Oaks in Ventura County. The launching of North City West in the 1980s was one of the biggest events in the company's history. The area continues to be the premier location in all of San Diego County.

In 1985, all three Pardee brothers were inducted into the California Building Industry's Hall of Fame. When they retired, they passed the baton to long-time Pardee employees, David Landon and Vance Meyer. Both men also went on to receive the same Hall of Fame distinction.

In 2000, the new leadership team of Mike McGee and Hal Struck set their sights beyond Pardee's traditional territories, building new homes in Orange County and Southern California's Inland Empire, with the award-winning master-planned communities of Sundance and Canyon Hills.

Under McGee's direction, Pardee Homes has strengthened its leadership in green building and development. Carrying on the founding family's tradition of giving back to the community, Pardee Homes supports selected organizations that focus on aid for the homeless, youth and education, and health. McGee is now the sixth company leader to be inducted into the California Building Industry's Hall of Fame.

In 2008, when Struck retired, Jon Lash became executive vice president.