Father-son duo John Bonadelle and John Anthony Bonadelle have more in common than just their DNA. They both have a strong personal presence, solid work ethic, and timeless taste in menswear. For over 30 years, John has continued the legacy of his father in building high-quality homes, now with son John Anthony at his side. With their roots in Fresno, these two create premium neighborhoods while sporting premium looks by Patrick James. Meet the Bonadelles.
John Bonadelle
Second-generation homebuilder John Bonadelle began his career in 1984 at Bonadelle Homes, laying the foundation for his family's future. With over 20 neighborhoods in the Central Valley under his belt, John's taste in leadership matches his taste in menswear: top notch.
What are your go-to clothes for a day at the office?
My go-to piece for the office would have to be a sport coat. It's extremely versatile - you can wear it anywhere and with my line of work you never know where your day can take you. I could wear it to team meetings in the Bonadelle Neighborhoods corporate office, or to City Hall for a meeting with a planner, even to the construction site for a meeting with trade partners, and still be able to end my day feeling comfortable and put together inside one of our welcome centers meeting with customers.
What do you gravitate towards when you are shopping at Patrick James?
Having worked in Fresno for the last 35 years, I appreciate how Patrick James understands the Fresno casual business style. That being said, when I shop at Patrick James I tend to go towards that section of attire - usually a well-made sport shirt during the summer months and a quarter-zip for the cooler times of the year.
Can you talk briefly about the history of Bonadelle Neighborhoods?
My father started building homes in Fresno in 1949 for returning G.I's from the war. He built several thousand homes in the Fresno/Clovis area, and completed several large land developments in Madera county and Squaw Valley. In 1984 after completing college at USC, I joined the team.
Since 1984, our company has built close to 5,000 homes throughout the Valley. A majority of those homes have been built in the Fresno/Clovis area. I am extremely thankful to the Fresno community for allowing and trusting the Bonadelle family the opportunity to build their dream homes for seven decades.
What is it like to have the opportunity to work with your son?
It has been a unique experience for me to act as the bridge between generations within my family and the business. From being able to work with and learn from my father, the founder of Bonadelle Homes, to now teaching and working with the next generation of the family is something I am extremely proud of. I saw what the company was like in the 60s growing up, experienced it for decades working here, and now I get to see a glimpse of the future of what my father built from scratch. My wife and I are very proud that John Anthony chose to work in the family business and will continue to help build great neighborhoods in Fresno and the Valley. It is very gratifying to know that he enjoys the home building business as much as my Dad and I enjoy it and to know that this is something that my father would be proud of.
John Anthony
After returning to Fresno from his time in Texas, John Anthony joins the Bonadelle Neighborhoods team as the Director of Operations, while doing so in style. He brings hard work and determination to the future of Bonadelle Homes, dressed in a classic vest and hues of blue.
What is your favorite accessory to keep your outfits professional but still looking younger?
I enjoy buying different cufflinks. I have some with my initials, red and blue mustang-shaped cuff links representing my alma mater SMU, and even duck-shaped cufflinks (thanks, Patrick James) for my time duck hunting when I'm not in the office.
Did you always want to join the family business?
I was always very interested in the business, but didn't know with certainty I would want to work for it until after I graduated from college. When I was younger, I would sweep framed houses in the summertime, and enjoyed being on the construction sites. I really began to realize how much I enjoyed working in the home building industry when I was in college and spent a few summers staffing our Welcome Centers, selling houses. Speaking to potential home buyers, and trying to determine if we had a community and floor plan that fit their housing needs was a challenging and valuable experience for me.
I received a job opportunity in land acquisition for a national home builder when I was graduating from Southern Methodist University. I started a week after graduation, and I really loved to go to work every day. That is when I knew I wanted to permanently work in home building, so I took the opportunity to move back to Fresno and join Bonadelle Neighborhoods.
Was it a big adjustment for you to go from working for a national homebuilding company in Texas, to your family business in Fresno?
I was extremely fortunate for my first job to be with a different builder. It was very educational for me and I was able to begin working for Bonadelle Neighborhoods with a solid foundation of industry specific skills I developed working elsewhere first along with getting my M.B.A.
What are your favorite brands at Patrick James?
My favorite brands are Peter Millar, Johnnie-O, Eton and Zanella.
