Daniel John O'Brien, Owner

Daniel John O'Brien is a third generation South Burlingtonian. He grew up on his family farm on Patchen Road, which is now known as the Leo O'Brien Sr. Civic center and Jaycee Park. Dan graduated from Cathedral High School in 1951 and worked at a young age in the family farming/livestock business.

In 1958 when Dan was 24, after hs father passed away, the O'Brien Brothers Partnership was created and it handled the farming and livestock business. Soon after, O'Brien Brothers Agency was formed to handle the sales of farms in a manner that respected the dignity of fellow farmers. As a testament to this, Dan and his brother Leo named roads not only after the former landowners, the farmers, but also after the men who worked the land as farm hands. The brothers continued farming operations up until 1994.

Dan also has a keen interest in politics and as been involved from a very young age. Some of his highlights include:

He served on the town, county, state and national Democratic National Committee.

In 1964 at the request of the US Chamber of Commerce, Dan was invited to visit the Federal Republic of Germany to witness first hand the use of the economic assistance extended to Germany under the Marshall Plan.

From 1964-1967 Dan served as State Democratic Chairman. During that time the party had a period of unheard-of-success--for the first time in the history of Vermont it voted democratic for the Johnson-Humphrey ticket.

In 1970 Dan was appointed to the site selection committee for the 1972 Democratic National Convention.

In 1973 he served as Chairman of the Governor's Commission of Medical Care for the State of Vermont.

In 1977 he was invited and participated in a White House Briefing by President Jimmy Carter regarding the Panama Canal Treaties.

Through the years Dan has served on various non-profit boards and committees; he served 28 years as Chairman of the Vermont Department of Liquor Control, from 1979 through 2007.

His first development was in 1968 when he built Forest Park, which consisted of 36 townhouses and the Timberlane Medical Complex in South Burlington.

In 1978, Dan began the first of many elderly and family housing projects through the HUD section-8 program. O'Brien Brothers Agency created over 220 units through this program alone and at one time was the largest non-governmental provider of subsidized housing in the state.

Dan's vision has always been to ask yourself when the project is done-- will you and your children be proud of it? When you drive by it 20 years from now, would you want to live in it, near it and say with pride that you created it?

Through all of his accomplishments, dedication to this community and leadership, Dan's number one priority always was and always will be his family. Dan has dedicated his life to creating a loving family and passing down his virtues of moral character and compassion. He has encouraged and provided opportunity for all five of his children to be college educated, an opportunity he was not afforded.