Harry Van Sciver…Some Thoughts

In 1992, my then-husband, Dick Drechsler, was negotiating with a lender in regards to a timeshare project. Frequently after he and Harry Van Sciver finished a phone call, Dick would moan and complain about his tough negotiations. Dick enjoyed Harry enormously but the two of them were often stubborn to the point of having contentious conversations.

Dick’s descriptions of him led me to visualize Harry as a fierce, older man…maybe overweight and a cigar smoker. I was way off base!

When I first met Harry at an ARDA convention, I saw that Harry was, in fact, a sharply dressed, energetic, and much younger man than I’d visualized. I blurted out, “Why, you’re young and cute!” Through the years, Harry and I would joke about my outburst. He certainly wasn’t older and overweight, but he was definitely fierce…but in a good way. I like to think of the Bible verse that says, “iron sharpens iron.”

Over the last decade or so, Harry’s company, Whitebriar Financial Corporation, and another company with which he was associated, Fairshare Solutions, were advertisers in Resort Trades magazine.

Having the opportunity to get to know him better, I grew to appreciate Harry’s sharp mind. Over the years, I occasionally asked him to write an article for us. I think it was on January 2nd that we last spoke on the phone. I prevailed on him to put together his thoughts about what 2024 might mean for the resort industry.

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I received his work one week in January and seven days later I learned that Harry was dead!

It was an awful shock and still feels so unreal. In a miserable accident, he was taken abruptly. He was 64. We will greatly miss him. Reading his article that so well represents his perspicacity and sharp intellect, I feel grateful that our modest publication was gifted with some of his final thoughts.

Harry was a brilliant businessman, outdoorsman, and rock musician as you can read in his obituary featured in the Cape Cod Times:
https://www.capecodtimes.com/obituaries/pneo0687473

It says, “Harry will be remembered for his irrepressible zeal for life, his pragmatism, his sense of adventure and humor, his dedication to his family and friends, and his enormous heart. In lieu of flowers, please take in the sunset or sunrise over the ocean, or make a donation to Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife in his name.” I found this final line to be so ‘Harryesque’, “A glass of single malt scotch may also be enjoyed in his honor, if you are so inclined.”
Will do, my friend. Will do.

Do you have any thoughts you wish to share about Harry? I’d love to read them. Please send them to me at Sharon@TheTrades.com and let me know if I have permission to post them on ResortTrades.com. Thank you.

See an older Interview on our Youtube Channel on how to Grow Resort Receivables Organically with Harry Van Sciver.