Born in southeastern Kentucky, Tom Dupree moved to Lexington when he was 7 years old. And if you ever have the chance to chat with Tom, you will soon find that he loves the city.
"I feel completely at home on Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky. I could put a cot out there and sleep, although it gets a little wild at night-I don't think I could do that," said Tom as he shifted his glasses, grinning. "To me [downtown] is the whole heart of the city."
Tom is the founder of Dupree Financial Group, which coincidentally, is located on Main Street, Lexington. Though he originally wanted his business elsewhere, he checked the location out when he and his wife saw it was for rent. "It turned out this was the best location we could've ever gotten. It was like it was meant to be."
Tom has been working with finances for 30 years. And though he's never been without a job since he was 12 or 13, making money is not what has been most important to him. "When you look back at your career in business, it's not about the money you made or lost, it's about the friends you make or the people you helped that's more important."
While everything about finance interests Tom, his other interests range from backpacking to fixing up old diesel Mercedes-Benzes. "But I can't do all that stuff. I do a lot of honey-do stuffÖand that's fine; it's what happens when you get married," Tom said with a smile.
With his broad range of hobbies comes a wide range of stories to tell about his experiences, and Tom is quite the storyteller. Just ask him about the time he camped in Canada for two weeks on $70.
Meet Tom
Birthplace: Harlan, Ky.
Current neighborhood: Castlegate off Chinoe
Family: Wife and two sons (11 and 8)
Hobbies: Helping his wife with gardening and yard work; reading the Bible, history and literature; fishing; turkey hunting; photography
Best reason to stay in Lexington: College football in the fall
What was your childhood ambition? "I didn't have one-never have had one-I still don't have one."
What was your first car? "It was a real piece of junk-a 1970 Mercury Montego."
What is the last movie you saw? "The recent 'Indiana Jones,' but the one I'd rather talk about is 'Iron Man,' so let's just call it 'Iron Man.'"
What CD are you listening to in your car? The Atlanta Rhythm Section
What is your favorite art form? "Poetry. It's the one I understand the least."
What was the proudest moment in your career? "I was selling some bonds through a broker and the lady on the desk made a mistake and ended up costing me $2,500. I could've held her feet to the fire and I didn'tÖThat's the proudest moment I ever had becauseÖit wasn't about money it was about mercy."
What do you wish you had known 10 years ago? "Nothing. In fact I know some things today I still wish I didn't know."
What is your biggest accomplishment? "Starting this business."