J. Lennox Scott, Chairman & CEO John L. Scott Real Estate
Strength and Savvy Keep Real Estate Legacy Going Strong J. Lennox Scott shares how a steadfast commitment to excellence has powered John L. Scott Real Estate for 90 years By Barbara Pronin
S
eattle in the 1930s was a youthful city on Puget Sound on the western edge of the nation—a friendly city with tree-lined streets, a burgeoning city center, and 350,000 hard-working residents largely connected to the lumber and fishing industries. Named for the Native American chief of the tribes who settled it, Seattle was 80 years old and primed for growth, with thousands of acres of undeveloped land.
Into this thriving city with a smalltown vibe came a young Scottish immigrant named John L. Scott. A shipbuilding engineer by trade, Scott drove into town in his Ford Model T, 54 October 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE
with his bride and infant son in tow, on the way to San Diego. However, he took one look around and felt he was destined to call Seattle home as it reminded him of Scotland.
He settled in, working for a short time in the lumber business before gravitating to real estate, and in 1931, he opened the doors of his business, John L. Scott Real Estate. Ninety years ago, young John had no way of knowing he was launching a legacy—or a dynasty. Today, led by his grandson J. Lennox Scott, the company is celebrating its 90th anniversary, continuing to flourish with more than 100 offices and over 3,000 agents in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.
