John Donlon

GoldCoast Mortgage was co-founded in 1999. The late Rick Collin and I chose the name in a planning meeting at the now defunct Goat Hill Grill. The name was drawn from the North Shore region described by author Joseph Garland as “Boston’s GoldCoast”.

Born in Beverly I have never strayed far. After a brief stop in Salem, my wife Kellie and I settled in Danvers. We’ve been caring for a 1st-period farmhouse for over 25 years.

I enjoy local coffee shops and often arrive at them without a mobile phone so that I can focus on the person I am meeting with.

I’ve become addicted to hand-splitting firewood with a maul and average about 3 cords/year (I’m confident I will hear the ring of the bell of the High-Striker game at the Topsfield Fair). This years harvest was 10 cords hand split in 55 days:

We vacation in PEI Canada where we’ve gotten used to red dirt roads, the absence of streetlights, a brilliant evening star-scape, mastering four-hour meals, and long walks with the dog.

I have four children whom I am very proud of: they are all MMA Bucs. Two have graduated and are living local and two are still students.

And one awesome grandchild, Nathaniel –

I enjoy teaching by example: the biggest gift we can give anyone is that of our attention.

My appetite for learning, sharing, and growing is indefatigable. This is a journey where the destination never arrives. Until it does.