John Mecke is a native of Philadelphia where his family has lived for several generations, engaging in a variety of businesses including real estate development. His younger years were spent in Strafford, PA in the western suburbs of Philadelphia while he grew up learning to sail on “Star” class sailboats on the Elk River, one of the Chesapeake’s main tributaries. He continued his sailing activities when in his late teens he acquired his first cruising sailboat. He expanded his pursuit of sailing throughout the 70’s and 80’s as he moved from exploring the Chesapeake to the Great Lakes and then the length of Florida, finally returning to the Chesapeake in the late 80’s, which he always ranked as his favorite boating destination.

John is the oldest of seven children who enjoyed summers on both the Chesapeake Bay and in Ocean City on the Jersey Shore. He graduated from LaSalle University in Philadelphia and joined Ford Motor Company after a short stint in the U.S. Navy. John’s career at Ford Motor Company spanned almost 40 years and took him to many assignments throughout the country including, Washington DC, Seattle, Laguna Hills CA, Jacksonville FL and of course, Dearborn, MI – where Ford has its world headquarters. In addition to responsibilities in developing and growing Ford’s retail dealership network in these areas, he held corporate leadership roles in marketing, sales and business development.

His most recent responsibilities at Ford Motor Company were as Director of Sales and Marketing for Ford’s global export markets. He led four diverse regional organizations based in Bangkok, Thailand; Pretoria, South Africa; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates which were supported by his export support staff in Dearborn, MI. John’s major accomplishments included the growth and expansion of over 200 Ford dealership’s located throughout these regions that exceeded $300 million in local construction projects.

John’s travels around the world brought him back to the Chesapeake Bay and the Northern Neck of Virginia because from his perspective it offers the best and greatest variety of professional, personal and recreational stimulation of all the places he has lived or visited. He and his wife Cathy live on Carters Creek in a home they completed in 2013 after having purchased their waterfront lot in 1998 in anticipation of their eventual retirement to the area. They are especially fond of the visits they have from their three children, John V and William (both graduates of the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business) and daughter Molly (graduate of the University of Michigan).

John began his Northern Neck real estate career in 2010 and immediately became involved in the community, joining the local hospital foundation board and supporting the transition to the Bon Secours Health System. He is currently on the board of the Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce. John is a member of the Rappahannock Pistol & Rifle Club and actively supports our local chapter of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. John and Cathy are members of the Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club, and attend Grace Episcopal Church.
John’s marketing experience and business skills complement his real estate acumen resulting in his unique ability to serve clients in the highest professional manner.

His many interests include boating, fishing, golf, hunting, reading, travel and introducing all the Northern Neck has to offer to the new arrivals to our “Land of Pleasant Living”!