June 13, 2013

Donald and Doug Borror: A Family History in Real Estate

In Central Ohio, the Borror family name is synonymous with real estate. Doug Borror has built a successful real estate career, which began with his father in the 1970’s.

Donald Borror began building homes to put himself through law school at The Ohio State University. However, this side business turned into his life’s work. In the 1970s he founded Borror Corp. and started building homes on a larger scale, which developed into one of the largest home building businesses in central Ohio. They changed the business name from Borror Corp. to Dominion Homes in 1997.

Doug learned about the business from his father early in his childhood. “My dad would talk about his work at dinner, and I was always fascinated by it. I would go out with him to look at real estate or attend zoning hearings and became very interested in construction and real estate at a very young age”. At the age of 16, Doug started working at his dad’s apartment management company during his summer breaks. In college, he started working for him part-time in between classes.

Working with his father provided Doug with the tools he needed for success. His father taught him about human nature, as well as understanding processes and how to complete transactions. The most significant lesson Doug learned from Don was that having the highest moral ground “will pay dividends”. Doug took the knowledge his dad provided and evolved the business into what it is today.  “My dad knew how to make money on a land deal and I figured out how to make money from the deal itself”.

As a leader in the industry, Doug Borror is also a leader in his community, something else he learned by watching his father. Don Borror’s community service included membership on the Board of the Columbus Clippers baseball team, the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, and COSI – the Center of Science and Industry. He was also a trustee on the Capital South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp and was instrumental in bringing the Columbus Clippers baseball team to Columbus. Don was also a longtime supporter of the Franklinton area, where his father owned a business.

The Borror family bleeds Scarlet and Gray. Both men are graduates of The Ohio State University and are avid supporters, financially and emotionally, of their alma mater. Doug served for nine years on the Board of Trustees at OSU. His father, upon learning that the Schottenstein family had signed-on as the primary benefactor of the new OSU basketball arena and the facility was re-named after them, decided to do something to amuse his good friends and business rivals. He contacted the school and donated enough money to have the short street north of the facility named Borror Rd.  Therefore, all mail going to the Schottenstein Center must be addressed to Borror Rd.!

Donald Borror passed away December 31, 2006 at the age of 77. He left behind a legacy in both real estate and charitable services, a legacy that is carried on today through his son, Doug.

Related

December 23, 2021

The BORROR 2021 Hollywood Holiday Party

All the stars were out for this year's BORROR holiday party. The nights biggest winners included: Maverick & Charlie, Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively, Shuri & Killmonger, Garth Brooks & Tricia Yearwood, Johnny Cash and June Carter...

November 15, 2021

Best Neighborhoods for Young Professionals in Columbus Ohio

Columbus is the best city in Ohio (in our opinion) for many reasons. In recent years, it has become a hub for young professionals who are flocking to the urban neighborhoods and entering the workforce. Check out...

September 20, 2021

10 Reasons You Should Move to Columbus, Ohio

1. Small town feel, big city appeal There’s a reason Columbus is known as “The Biggest Small Town in America.” Everyone is friendly, it’s easy to get around, and residents are proud to live in Cbus. Columbus...