TRUSTEE TALK
Shawn B. Pearson CEO & President BLUEGREEN VACATIONS
Shawn Pearson was appointed to this leadership position in February 2017, after serving on its board of directors since August 2016. Within his first year, he and his hand-picked executive team have embarked on that journey by spearheading Bluegreen Vacations’ initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in November 2017, as well as evolving its long-term strategic alliances. Before joining Bluegreen, Pearson served as chairman of Renin, as well as Renin’s CEO from 2015 until August 2017. From 2002 to 2015, he held other global leadership roles in sales, marketing and supply chain within the Danby organization, a privately-owned group of small appliance companies geared toward the hospitality, retail, and government sectors. Bluegreen Background Bluegreen Vacations is a leading vacation ownership company that markets and sells vacation ownership interests and manages resorts in top leisure and urban destinations. Founded in 1966, Bluegreen has more than 211,000 owners and 68 resorts across the United States and Caribbean. Currently headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, Bluegreen Vacation Club, a points-based program, offers its members experiences in exciting destinations, year after year. Whether managed, acquired, or developed fully by Bluegreen Vacations, the resort experiences are designed to reflect the iconic flair of the local communities, particularly through strategic alliances. Commencing in 2000, Bluegreen Vacations’ partnership with Bass Pro Shops® has grown to include the co-development of the exclusive Bluegreen Wilderness Club™ at the Bass Pro-owned Big Cedar Lodge® in Ridgedale, Missouri. Additionally, Bluegreen Vacations has a strategic alliance with Choice Hotels®. Among other benefits, members of the award-winning Choice Privileges loyalty program and Bluegreen’s Traveler Plus program can exchange reward points between the two programs, including the ability to redeem points at more than 6,500 Choice Hotels properties worldwide and Bluegreen properties.
You’re the new CEO at Bluegreen. What inspires your management style? My father was president of a large manufacturer, with 40 or 50 plants globally, and as a teenager, I had summer jobs at one of his plants. One summer, I noticed him coming in the back door and talking to many workers before going into his meeting with the plant manager. That night I asked why. He said, “Shawn, I never come in the front door of any of my plants. I like to build relationships with the people that go to battle for us every day.” That
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shaped my management style of being open and transparent. I have an open-door policy and do my best to come in a side door, say hello to everybody, have impromptu chats, and build rapports. Certainly, my baseball career also influenced my management style. I was fortunate to play college baseball and then professionally in the Blue Jays organization, and also on Team Canada. I learned what makes teams successful, and the dynamic is the same in business as in baseball. I learned the importance of discipline, planning your day effectively, attention to detail, and making sure every day is an improvement opportunity.
What do you enjoy most about the vacation ownership industry—whether from a cultural or business perspective? I’ll be candid—I wasn’t sure about the timeshare industry at first, but then I went to Lodge Alley Inn, our property in Charleston. I saw the gas-lit lanterns, cobblestone streets, and talked to a couple of our owners. I saw the excitement that they had about our product because we were delivering a unique experience—we were delivering Charleston as an experience, capitalizing on local flair. It came to me that we’re delivering a unique value proposition. Today, our owners have 69 unique experiences that capitalize on local flair.
JUST FOR FUN! Where are you most likely to be when you’re not working? I love what I do and spend a lot of time working. But I have a healthy balance and know when to unplug. So, If I’m not working, you’ll likely see me with my wife and three boys.
Do you have a mantra or philosophy that inspires you? I love two quotes. The first is Yoda from Star Wars: “Do or do not, there is no try.” I hate the word “try” because it implies failure. I used to write this second quote across the bill of my baseball caps. I came across it in a book I read while practicing martial arts: “Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus, the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win.” If you put the effort into preparing to be successful, you don’t have to worry about fighting and clawing to win—you’ve already won, just free yourself up and let it happen.
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