Don Bruce at a Glance

• Founder/Owner/CEO of American Home Design
• Born in Nashville
• Earned Bachelor of Science in Marketing from University of Tennessee-Knoxville
• Worked as sales manager and sales representative for U.S. Steel in Atlanta and Nashville
• Founded American Home Design in 1977
• Inducted into the Legends of the Home Improvement Industry in 2008
• Affiliated with American Realty Company, Don Bruce & Associates, Elm Hill Development Co.
• Board Member, past President of Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee
• Attained commercial pilot’s license in 1984
• Flies frequent missions for Lifeline Pilots and Angel Flight
• President/CEO of Bruce Family Foundation

Affiliated with:

• Jason Foundation
• Sumner County YMCA
• Mission Discovery
• Hendersonville Community Church
• Goodpasture Christian School
• Sara Lee LPGA Golf Classic
• Nashville Juvenile Court Ministry
• Madison Children’s Home & Domestic Violence Shelter

Biography

Don Bruce is the founder and CEO of American Home Design, Inc., one of Tennessee’s most successful and respected home improvement companies. A Nashville native, Don earned his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Tennessee, where he also played baseball. He began his career with U.S. Steel’s siding and window division, quickly advancing in sales before returning home in 1977 to start his own company.

From the beginning, Don built American Home Design on a foundation of customer service and innovation. His philosophy was simple: treat customers with fairness, provide products that improve their homes, and stand behind the work. That approach led to steady growth and enduring customer loyalty—today, 25% of the company’s business comes from referrals. Over more than four decades, American Home Design has grown to employ over 250 people, maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and serve more than 100,000 homeowners across Tennessee.

The company has been recognized nationally, including Qualified Remodeler’s Top 50 exterior remodelers and Remodeling Magazine’s Big 50 Award. In 2008, Don was inducted into the Legends of the Home Improvement Industry for his sustained record of excellence and innovation.

Don’s leadership extends beyond business. He serves as President and CEO of the Bruce Family Foundation and has been actively involved with organizations such as Men of Valor Prison Ministry, Sumner County Recovery Court, Grace Place Ministry, the YMCA, and the Jason Foundation. His community service reflects values instilled early by his father, a DuPont supervisor and lay evangelist, whose generosity inspired Don’s lifelong commitment to giving back.

In addition to his business and charitable work, Don is a licensed commercial pilot. Since 1984, he has logged more than 5,000 flight hours and volunteers with Lifeline Pilots and Angel Flight, transporting patients in need of urgent medical care. These missions, Don says, are among his most meaningful experiences, offering comfort and hope during life-changing moments.

His achievements have earned him significant recognition, including the University of Tennessee Alumni Service Award in 2014 and the Outstanding Entrepreneur Award in 2022. Yet he remains grounded in his Nashville roots, still taking pride when he drives through the community and sees homes his company worked on decades ago.

For Don Bruce, success has always been about more than business growth. It is about creating lasting value for customers, providing opportunities for employees, serving his community, and living out the principle he learned early on: true success comes through giving to others.