John Puryear graduated with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design in 1989, from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. That is where he met his wife, Laura, who also earned her degree in horticulture. After marrying, they returned to John’s hometown of Gallatin, Tennessee, in 1989, to start their business and raise a family of two sons and a daughter on the family farm.

The company is celebrating its 35th year in business. They operate from a hundred acre nursery on the North bank of the Cumberland River, which serves as the base of operations for their landscape contracting and property maintenance divisions. They currently employ over one hundred full time employees serving the region North-East of Nashville. Over the years, the company has won several national industry awards for landscape construction projects. John has also been awarded three consecutive Sumner County Impact Awards by the Nashville Business Journal and was named as Landscape Contractor of the year by the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape association. He is industry certified and serves as a trailblazer through NALP.

John has deep roots in the community in which his family has resided for over two hundred years. He commits much of his time to serve on civic boards and committees which have included: Chairman of Forward Sumner Economic Partnership; treasurer of Sumner Academy board of Trustees; Chairman of the Gallatin Regional Planning commission; Vice Chairman of the Gallatin municipal board of zoning appeals; Co-chair of the community infrastructure and development committee; Chairman of the Shalom Zone community center board, and also serves on the vestry at his church. His free time is spent playing the fiddle in a bluegrass band.

Puryear Farms has grown into a successful organization based on the core values F.O.R.W.A.R.D.; Family, Optimism, Respect, Work ethic, Accountability, Results, and Diligence. Their key to success has been building and maintaining a team of talented professionals, while establishing a career ladder for every member of the organization that provides opportunities for growth and advancement.