The Timeshare Beat: Jerry Sikes; With Regard to Making a Difference

- James Russell Lowell -

We each followed the recent sniper incidents in and around our nations capital with both interest and trepidation. As this story unfolded we wondered at how the acts of an individual (in this instance maybe two) could make such a difference in the lives of a whole region. Today, in that region, schools will reopen, people will use the self-service pumps at gas stations, shop for groceries or just mow their lawn. Finally normal lives will begin to return to all except the families of those who were victims of the random shootings. Reality is that the combined activity of many brought about the arrests that were made, however, for purposes we will focus on the actions of one individual.

It was the early morning hours of October 24th and Ron Lantz was motoring down I-70 approaching a Maryland rest stop listening to his radio when, according to his own words: “I heard those bozos talking about the description of the car, the make of the car, the model of the car, the license plate number." As soon as he pulled his truck he into the rest stop he spotted a blue Chevrolet Caprice with New Jersey tags. Ron called 911 and within 20 minutes the two suspects were arrested and a collective sigh of relief resounded through out the region. Continuing to make a difference, when advised about a reward the Kentucky native stated: “I know there’s a sizable reward ... If I had the money I’d probably take it and give it to the people who were shot.”

Some time ago in another with regard titled “Our Village” I wrote the following of my friend Jerry Murphy: “Murph was in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a few weeks attempting to sell a ranch. Those of you who know Murph can see him on horseback, riding across the landscape using the selling/closing techniques he has taught so many. Yes, he did get thrown off, but bounced back as always.” Shortly there after Jerry joined the team at Diamond Resorts in Las Vegas.

In August of 2001, Jerry was promoted to Vice-president - Sales at Polo Towers and embarked on a mission to completely revamp the sales organization. Within 30 days of his assuming the reins of the sales division, Polo Towers began setting numerous sales records and has now developed a new standard of excellence. Of Murph, Robert C. Wengel, RRP, Diamond's COO stated: "Almost since the day that Jerry took over, our sales team has been reborn. Every month we seem to set another new sales record, whether it be net sales volumes or efficiencies," added Wengel. "Jerry's philosophy is to keep setting the bar higher and higher and he has the unique ability to get his team to believe that they can achieve these higher levels of success!" How can one individual make such a difference in a timeshare sales situation? If you missed the report in “the Beat” about history's greatest timeshare spif just click here: http://www.thetimesharebeat.com/2002/ts/aug/0823-02t.htm

Sometime ago I began corresponding via e-mail with Dr. Kenneth N. Drew Ph.D. of Lowell Massachusetts. Dr. Drew is a scientist with the firm of Prime Organics, Inc. Prime Organics’ is as a contract manufacturer of fine chemicals for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other chemical industries. They provide the expertise and capacity in organic synthesis and R&D for both companies who lack in-house resources and companies who need to supplement their existing resources. Prime Organics' products are used mainly in pharmaceutical development, either as intermediates or as final materials for pre-clinical testing. Prime is into several things like DNA and I am sure that Ken and his colleagues make a difference in several important areas, however, it's not Ken Drew the scientist that is the subject matter, its Ken the timeshare owner at Bluebeard's Castle in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

For those of you who are not familiar with Bluebeard’s it is one of the most famous resorts in the Caribbean located on the site of a centuries-old fortress named after the pirate, Bluebeard, and overlooks the city of Charlotte Amalie and its harbor.

In April of 1999, Equivest Finance, Inc. acquired the development and management interest in Bluebeard’s from Kosmas Group International, Inc., as part of a 6-resort deal. In February of 2002, Cendant, the parent company of RCI and RCI-RM, acquired Equivest and somewhere in the shuffle many of the Bluebeard’s owners were not sure that their interests were the same as the entities that controlled the 4 Association boards. Ken Drew was one of these owners and eventually became a member of a five person steering committee of owners that came to be known as the Bluebeard's Castle Owners Legal Defense Fund (BCOLDF).

On October 1, Ken e-mailed me an update: “The steering committee for the BCOLDF mailed close to 6000 owners (almost all owners at the Castle) and solicited proxies for our upcoming Oct. 15 meeting. Equivest (owned by Cendant) sent out a mailing re-opening the board nominations. They sent out the proxy/ballot. They sent out another letter in response to our mailing calling us "misguided". And have now sent out another mailing telling owners to "give them a chance". Our meeting is in Newport and I'll report back as to the outcome.” On October 16^tI received the following from Ken: “We did it! Owners won 3 of 4 complete boards from Cendant at our meeting yesterday! Now the real work begins but at least we have a chance to have questions answered!”

I don’t pretend to know all of the issues going on between Bluebeard’s Castle owners, the 4 associations and Equivest/RCI/ RCI-RM. I do know one of those owners and that he is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve a mutually beneficial solution. All it takes is just one like Ken who is willing to make a difference.

Prior to 1989 school for the children of homeless families did not exist in Phoenix AZ. In early 1989 one was started in a shelter and only 8 children were in attendance. It quickly became obvious there were going to be more children, and the school needed to move to another location in the downtown Phoenix area. In 1990, Dr. Sandra E. Dowling (the then Maricopa County School Superintendent) started the Thomas J. Pappas School in a renovated car dealership, where it remained for 6 years. Last year, 2,100 children passed through Pappas, and about 1,000 enrolled. Today there are schools in three locations and on any given day there are 12 buses which travel over 1000 miles to pick the children up every morning, some as far away as 20 miles from the school. Drivers get hundreds of routing changes each day because children frequently move to other shelters or motels with their families. If a child misses the bus, the school will send a van. And when all else fails, students have even called 911, flagged police down or ridden on the city bus. The school also provides breakfast and lunch for all the children.

Yvonne Pasanen, Second Grade Teacher related the following: “One of my most memorable students was a little girl I had the first year Pappas opened. Cassandra and her mother showed up one day because someone on the street had told them about the school. After the first week, I was amazed at how well Cassandra did her course work. One day after school when her mother picked her up I praised Cassandra's high academic levels. Her mother told me that she herself had been a university professor until domestic violence forced her to take Cassandra and disappear. That's the day I realized homelessness is not just about poverty and minorities.”

Last Wednesday Ernalee Phelps from Thomas J Pappas School came to the supervisors meeting at Scottsdale Camelback Resort to advise us how we could become involved with the school and its students. Come the holiday season we will be sponsoring a Christmas Party for the about 40 Seventh Graders and as soon as several of us can receive clearance we will become mentors for individual students. We can make a difference! For more about Pappas take a look at this recent USA Today segment:http://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/2002-09-03-homeless/flash.htm

Final Thought

It was a hot and muggy morning this past Friday at the Army’s Fort Benning near Columbus, Georgia. Graduation from the Infantry Training at Sand Hill was underway and B Company of the 1^st Battalion, 19^th Infantry Regiment was passing in review led by a guidon bearer from the 2^nd Platoon. “That is a privilege,” stated Sgt. 1^st. Class Ismael Godoy, the senior drill sergeant as he pointed to this soldier: “to be able to carry the colors means that he leads and always leads from the front.”

At this time last year this soldier was wearing a different kind of uniform. One that he had worn for five seasons as a starter for the Arizona Cardinals and four seasons as a football hero for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Two years ago this young man turned down a $9 million, five-year offer from the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams so he could stay with the perennial losing Cardinals for less money. Last year, he turned down the Cardinals three-year; $3.6 million contract to join the Army for $18,000 a year and an uncertain quest to become an Army Ranger. "He said there were personal reasons he didn't want to divulge to me, and I didn't press him on it," Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis said. "I respect his decision. I think it's honorable." Age may have been a factor in his decision -- the cutoff for the Rangers is 28. Several of his friends believe the Sept. 11 attacks also had an influence. The 25-year-old Pat Tillman has rejected all interview requests to talk about his decision.

Tillman's goal to join the Rangers will be difficult. Only 35 percent of all candidates get to wear the coveted black and gold Ranger Tab. Although physical fitness is key, Army training is very different from sports. "Mental toughness separates those that drive on," said retired Ranger Capt. Todd Bearden. "It's being able to get up at 0-dark-30 every morning, doing what needs to be done, then getting up and doing it again. When you take away somebody's sleep and somebody's food and push them to the limit, it changes the dynamics of everything."

The current US Army recruiting drive is built around the slogan AN ARMY OF ONE. They believe that one individual can make a difference. Pat Tillman is one Army soldier who believes he will.