John Johnson will retire from his role as CEO of David Weekley Homes and will be succeeded by Jay Brown, effective Oct. 1, 2024.

Johnson has served as the CEO of David Weekley, the No. 17 company on the 2024 Builder 100 list, for 20 years. Brown has served on the David Weekley Homes board of directors for six years.

“John has done a tremendous job leading Weekley Homes over many years,” says founder David Weekley. “Under his leadership, we have expanded to be a national home builder and lead the industry in customer satisfaction scores. Further, John has guided our company to become a perennial recipient of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ honors. We are grateful for John and wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Johnson joined the company in 1990 as chief operating officer before becoming CEO in 2003. He will continue to serve on the board of directors following his retirement from the CEO role.

“David Weekley Homes’ commitment to serve people both through building dream homes and sharing company ownership shines are a bright light,” says Brown. “With a third of Weekley Homes ownership committed to Charitable Trusts, we are serving some of the world’s most helpless and hopeless through more than 100 charities in 35 countries. Another third of Weekley Homes is owned by our team members who meaningfully share in the rewards of their work. It’s an incredible honor to join the team and mission at Weekley Homes.”

Brown served as the CEO and president of Crown Castle from 2016 to 2024. From 2008 to 2016, he was the chief financial officer for the company and previously held several roles in corporate development and finance within the organization. Prior to joining Crown Castle, Brown worked for a start-up health care company and Arthur Andersen LLP.

"We are thrilled to welcome Jay as the next CEO of David Weekley Homes," says. Weekley. "His understanding and embrace of our culture, coupled with his leadership capabilities, make him the ideal choice to accelerate our growth and capture the opportunities ahead of us. As we embark on our Expedition Evergreen to double our home closings, further embrace technology, and continue to improve our customer experience, we are excited to have Jay lead the team."

Houston-based David Weekley Homes operates in 19 markets across the United States and closed 5,433 homes in 2023.