Troy McClain
Troy McClain's story is different than most successful businessmen. He is not pedigreed or papered with long, rich lines of well-to-do ancestors or relatives. He has stumbled, struggled and finally discovered success and happiness through family bonds, persistence, creativity, intelligence and commitment.
He was born in Anchorage, Alaska in 1971. As the son of a construction worker, Troy's family moved from job to job, and in small towns and fishing villages like Kwethluk, Bethel and Yakutat. Like other kids who moved from school to school, Troy was often in trouble, and he settled disputes with his fists.
In 1984, the McClains adopted a young Eskimo girl who after contracting spinal meningitis as an infant was left developmentally delayed and profoundly deaf. Troy's baby-sister, Dora Lynn, became his best friend and would provide constant motivation for the rest of Troy's life.
Each summer, Troy would stay with his grandfather in Eureka, Montana, where he learned to hunt and fish. It was Troy's Grandpa Nick who taught him the importance of family, and helped Troy assume his role as the "man in charge" of the family when his mother and father separated.
Troy's family moved to Spokane, Washington in 1987, where he spent his high school years. Still getting in trouble and fights, Troy left Spokane and moved back to Alaska where he spent time in a boys' home. As he matured, Troy realized that his family needed him, and in order to take care of them, he would have to focus on positive endeavors and become more responsible.
In 1989, Troy's mother bought him a book that changed his life. The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump became Troy's inspiration to work hard and to be able to provide for his family so they would never have to worry about money. He promised his mother he would meet Mr. Trump someday. That year, Troy graduated from Mead High School in Spokane, and he put his promise in print. His senior quote in his yearbook was, "Trump, I'm coming!" He circled it and mailed it to Mr. Trump after graduation.
After high school, college wasn't an option because of his mother and sister's need for financial support. Through hard work and street smarts, Troy began to make his fortune. He started a party promotion house, and in 1994 he opened his own health club. While juggling a variety of different entrepreneurial efforts, Troy also devoted his energies towards the Morning Star Boys' Ranch outside of Spokane, where he started a boxing program for troubled boys.
Troy made the leap into the mortgage and lending industry after spending several years in the health club business. Using tactics he learned from Mr. Trump’s book, Troy was one of the top producers in 1995 for new hires in both fees and volumes. By 1996, Troy worked in management for another mortgage bank in Boise, Idaho and developed a proven track record for breaking into new markets.
After years of illness and multiple health issues, Troy's mother was diagnosed with Lupus in 1998. While living in Boise in the mid-90, Troy discovered that Boise was home to one of the best schools in the country for the deaf and blind. In order to provide the best care possible for both his mother and sister, Troy moved them from Montana to Boise. Troy also left his job with a mortgage company in Denver, Colorado, where he had been promoted to help launch the company in the market.
With a leading school for Dora Lynn and better medical facilities and treatment for his mother, Troy's older sister and his brother-in-law also moved to Boise to unite and help support the entire family. Then unemployed, and out of necessity, Troy began to cut his entrepreneurial teeth. He leveraged his experiences in the mortgage industry to buy and sell real estate, while also working at various banks and mortgage companies. With a growing real estate portfolio, Troy began using a personal line of credit to lend and finance his own dealings. Recognizing his network of customers and relationships, Troy began selling and servicing health benefits to his clients.
The move to Boise was fruitful in more ways than one - his career was thriving, his family was healthy and Troy was minutes away from world-class hunting and fishing. While working at a local bank, Troy met his wife Crystal, and the two were married in 2003.
Today, Troy McClain is a television host, actor, public speaker, mortgage lender, real estate investor, husband, brother and son. Troy has fulfilled many promises - to his family and to himself. Dora Lynn and his mother live in a house Troy purchased for them, he is happily married, and he has been to New York to meet his mentor and has made millions of friends, fans and believers along the way.