Peter Lunder

Summary

The co-manager of Dexter Shoe and the nephew of its founder, Harold Alfond. He joined Dexter in 1958 and helped build it into a highly efficient domestic shoe manufacturer before selling the business to Berkshire Hathaway in 1993.

Timeline & Role

• 1958: Joins his uncle Harold Alfond at Dexter Shoe.
• 1958–1993: Serves as co-manager of Dexter, driving the expansion to 77 retail outlets and establishing a dominant 15% share of the U.S. golf shoe market.
• 1993: Exposes his family's private business to Berkshire Hathaway, negotiating a tax-free stock swap for Berkshire shares. Lunder continues to manage operations alongside Alfond after the merger. 1993 Letter

Strategic Importance

Lunder's management at Dexter demonstrated that domestic factories could compete against low-wage imports by focusing on retailer service, product attributes, and workforce skill. His decision to partner with Berkshire solved a critical wealth-concentration and family-transition challenge, trading a private asset for highly liquid and diversified Berkshire shares.

🔗 Connections

• Entities: Harold Alfond, Dexter Shoe, Frank Rooney, H. H. Brown Company
• Sources: 1993 Letter