SAN ANTONIO – Long before he became known for creating Morgan’s Wonderland and championing inclusion around the world, Gordon Hartman was a teenager who simply wanted to build homes.
Hartman shared his unlikely journey with KSAT’s Ernie Zuniga during an appearance on “Pickup Lines,” tracing his path from a Catholic seminary to becoming one of San Antonio’s most successful developers before dedicating his life to serving people with special needs.
The youngest of five boys, Hartman attended Blessed Sacrament School before spending four years at St. Anthony’s Seminary. He credits the experience with giving him the discipline that shaped his career.
“I needed that,” Hartman said. “It helped really discipline me, which allowed me then to go straight from the seminary into business.”
While his brothers pursued college degrees, Hartman had different plans.
“I don’t want to go to college. I want to build homes,” he recalled telling his parents.
At 19, he completed his first house despite having little construction experience. One early mistake still makes him laugh: He thought a foundation crew had forgotten to pour the front of a home’s slab before learning it had intentionally been left open for plumbing work.
Hartman grew his business quickly, building two homes, then seven, then 20, before expanding into real estate development. His career nearly unraveled after buying his first lot, only to discover it flooded after heavy rain. A local governing board granted him an easement, allowing him to move forward with the project.
“Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be sitting with you right now,” Hartman said.
Today, Hartman oversees a growing network of inclusive ventures anchored by Morgan’s Wonderland, which opened 16 years ago, and the 165,000-square-foot Morgan’s Multi-Assistance Center. He said the center has helped about 10,000 people in just three and a half years and is one of 12 Morgan’s initiatives, with three more projects in development.
Hartman, who received an honorary degree in social work, now describes himself simply.
“I’m a social worker,” he said. “That’s the way I think of myself.”
He said his daughter Morgan remains the inspiration behind the mission, even if she doesn’t fully understand her impact.
“We’re just getting started,” Hartman said. “We’ve got a lot more we can do.”
Watch the full Pickup Lines with Gordon Hartman in the video player above.
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Ernie Zuniga started Pickup Lines, a digital talk show, straight from his vehicle. The segments feature a diverse range of guests, including executives, small business owners, and everyday individuals, as they share personal journeys, news, and stories.