About the Developer
It takes a world-class company to create world-class communities
David Southworth began his master planned community development career in 1992 as the President & CEO of Willowbend Development LLC. Willowbend became a partnership owned by Paul Fireman of Reebok fame and David Southworth. From 1992 until 2005, the partners developed the communities of Willowbend on Cape Cod, The Westin Rio Mar Beach Resort & Country Club in Puerto Rico, the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort in Tucson, Arizona, Coco Beach Golf & Country Club (now Trump International Puerto Rico) in Puerto Rico and Liberty National, a PGA TOUR stop overlooking the Statue of Liberty on New York Bay.
In 2005, Southworth Development was formed, and David continued to develop master planned communities, beginning with a project on the west coast of Scotland called Machrihanish Dunes. The spectacular Village at Machrihanish Dunes consists of a new David McLay Kidd-designed links golf course, the restoration of two beautiful old Scottish hotels and the creation of single-family residential lots and seaside golf cottages. In 2006, Southworth purchased a substantial portion of what was then called Akwa Soleil, which led to the rebranding and eventual purchase of half interest in Meredith Bay, where the company has assumed the role of developer and managing partner.
In 2007, David’s long time friend and one of the most respected names in the financial services industry, Joe Deitch, became his business partner and Chairman at Southworth. Joe founded Commonwealth Financial Network in 1979, and the company has since grown to become the largest privately owned broker/dealer firm in the country, with over $50 billion under management.
In August of 2008, Southworth announced its largest real estate project ever - PGA Village – The Bahamas, a 1,906-acre, oceanfront community that will consist of 36 holes of championship golf, a PGA learning center and museum, a five-star boutique hotel, casino, residential/retail village and over 1,500 residential units. Also in 2008, Southworth purchased Renaissance Golf Club, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the first Brian Silva Signature Golf Course, and the 2006 Runner Up as Golf Inc.'s Private Club "Development of the Year.” The Club's beautiful 30,000 square-foot clubhouse opened in 2009.
In early 2009, Southworth acquired a 964-acre community outside of Washington, D.C. called Creighton Farms. Creighton Farms is a stunning estate community in Virginia's famed horse country centered around an award-winning Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course.
