Don Lyons is running for his 8th term as Dowagiac’s Mayor. He is proud of his accomplishments working for the people of Dowagiac.
Don was born and raised in Dowagiac and graduated from Dowagiac Union High in 1964. He started his own business, Lyons Industries in Dowagiac at age 24. It began out of a modest downtown storefront of 900 sq. ft, with two employees. By 1991, Don’s business had grown and expanded to include the old Heddon factory, which had been vacant since 1984. This move preserved a piece of local history while enabling further business expansion. Lyons Industries is now a substantial manufacturing company that has over four acres of floor space under roof and has created hundreds of skilled jobs for generations of local residents.
Mayor Lyons has devoted over 50 years to public service in Dowagiac that includes serving eight years on the school board, including three as president, as well as serving on numerous local boards and commissions. As Mayor for over 27 years, he and his family have donated over $2 million in support of critical projects in our community to help make Dowagiac a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Mayor Lyons and Joan, his wife of 56 years, and their two children Lance and Shannon all live in Dowagiac and have been active members of the community for many years.
From the beginning of Don’s service as Mayor, Don has viewed every city investment as an opportunity to enhance the quality of life in Dowagiac. The transformation from a small Rust Belt town into a vibrant, inclusive community that is widely recognized as a great example of what can be done when good people work together for a worthy goal, slowly took shape over 20 years. Dowagiac now attracts people from all walks of life who want to put roots down here and have invested their time and money to assure our community has a bright future.
Longest-Serving Mayor: Lyons has held either an elected or appointed public office continuously for over 50 years, including serving as Mayor of Dowagiac for over 27 years.
Business Success: He built Lyons Industries, a bath fixture manufacturer, from a small operation into a large, automated producer of bathtubs and showers, employing unique strategies to make it a nationwide, industry leader. The company was started by his father in 1968, and Don became involved in 1970. The company is now run by his son, Lance Lyons.
Preservation of History: Don’s love of history has led him to endeavors in everything from fishing to vintage automobiles to historic homes. Along with his wife, Joan, they have been dedicated to preserving the history of Dowagiac. They created the Heddon Museum, which houses an extensive collection of Heddon artifacts and documents. This collection was recently gifted to the Dowagiac Area History Museum, which Don was instrumental in founding. The Lyons family has also established an endowment fund through the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation for the benefit of the Dowagiac Area History Museum.
Community Development: Lyons has been involved in various initiatives aimed at improving Dowagiac, including downtown revitalization projects, attracting new businesses, and supporting housing developments. He champions a "free enterprise system" approach and works to help businesses thrive.
Philanthropy: Don and Joan Lyons have donated over 2 million dollars to the Dowagiac area over his tenure as mayor, focused on increasing the quality of life for Dowagiac citizens and visitors.
Author: He and his wife, Joan, have each written books about the Heddons and the company they founded. Don has also written a book about the strategies that were used to rebuild Dowagiac, "Creating Tomorrow".
Shared Services: Don champions sharing services and resources with over 50 public and private entities to provide more of those services and resources for less money than would have otherwise been possible.
