Forty Under 40: Thomas Dixon

Thomas Dixon, 39, worked in retail management before realizing his dream of owning his own business.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1993 with a degree in accounting, computer information systems.

He worked for Sam’s Club as a general manager in the Chicago market before going to work for Office Depot for several years.

In 2004, he started Loreto Homes.

“I always had an interest in the home building industry,” Dixon said. “I started college as an architecture student and switched to business, so this was a way of getting back to an initial love.”

In the next few years, Dixon hopes to become a prominent Northwest Arkansas homebuilder in the green industry.

Dixon said his business model was developed around the concept of “smart green.”

“We put features into a home that make sense,” he said. “If we’re going to spend money on upgrading features, we want to make sure the homeowner sees a return on investment.”

Dixon said his biggest incentive is the relationship he builds with homeowners.

“When we hand the keys over we say ‘When we see you 10 years down the road, we want you to be as happy then as the day you took the keys to this house,’” he said. “Our motivation is in building a great reputation.”