| Kailua-Kona,
HI � January 2008 � Jerry Brown grew up as a working ranch cowboy in Texas
and spent 22 years gathering intelligence for the U.S. Army. He retired
to climb onto a horse every morning as a range rider, gathering cattle
on a massive military property, herding them back to their rightful owners.
In what he thought was his final career, he hung up his spurs, put away
his boots and became a partner in a company selling highway lighting to
the state department of transportation.
About
a year ago, Jerry, now 54, and Patricia, his wife of 20 years, were in
Hawaii on vacation and listened to a timeshare sales presentation at Shell
Vacations� Kona Coast Resort in Hawaii.
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�We
had absolutely no intention of buying�, said Jerry (pictured). �We only
came to receive the complimentary luau tickets for taking a tour. I told
Patricia not to say anything. We listened to the presentation. Two hours
later, I am signing ownership papers. The purchase was an easy decision.
We already owned a timeshare in Mexico and I clearly recognized the value
represented by the Shell Vacations
Club purchase. Patricia wants to know �what happened to not saying
anything?� The next thing you know, I am requesting to talk to a manager
to ask for a job interview! I have no idea how the thought popped into
my head. I just knew this was where I wanted to live and work.�
According
to Lee Lins, Sales Manager for Shell Vacations Club�Hawaii, �This wasn�t
the first time this happened. People fall in love with Hawaii every day
and want to remain in our little paradise. So at first, we kind of placated
him. But we soon recognized that he was very serious. His wife also seemed
interested in working for us. We told them we were not hiring at that time
and even if we could, they would have to obtain a Hawaii Real Estate license.�
Sales
Managers Lee Lins and Roy McCay interviewed the couple and told them they
had the ideal personality, attitude and demeanor to be successful on the
sales line. They assumed the Browns would return to Texas, never to be
heard from again. They were very wrong.
�The
more I thought about it, the more I knew I wanted to live in Hawaii and
sell the Shell Vacations Club points-based product. I was impressed with
the professionalism of the Shell Vacations people, and the incredibly beautiful
resort. Although I wasn�t in sales in the military, I knew I had strong
communications skills and was confident I would do this job well. It would
be a step back into reality after intelligence gathering.�
The
Browns returned to Dallas and Jerry immediately enrolled in an online school
to study for his Hawaii real estate license. The couple was not in a financial
position to maintain a home in Dallas and one in Hawaii, but fortuitously,
unexpected commission checks were received, a truck that had been for sale
was sold for cash, and arrangements were made to sell his share of the
business. �These were messages telling me that making this move was the
right thing,� he added.
With
the appropriate license in hand, Jerry was officially welcomed as a sales
representative for Shell Vacations Club-Hawaii, in June of last year, just
eight months after his initial visit and timeshare purchase.
How
is he doing? Describes Lee Lins, �Jerry is a natural and a genuine gentleman.
His instincts were right; he belongs with us here, selling our product.
In just a few months, he has done extremely well, mainly because of his
strong people skills and truly enthusiastic sales presentation. We are
delighted to have him on our team.�
�After
I made my first sale,� reminisces Jerry, �I felt like a kid standing at
the gates to Disneyland. I was so proud of myself. But more importantly,
I know we�ve got the best product going and I am working for the right
company. That makes the job easier. Without any prior timeshare sales experience,
Lee and Roy gave me a chance and I don�t want to disappoint them. Every
time I�ve asked for help, they have provided it.�
Since
their purchase in September, Patricia has shared Jerry�s passion for returning
to Hawaii as a fulltime resident. Their Dallas home recently sold and now
she is packing up their belongings. At this writing, she is studying to
take the real estate exam upon her arrival at Shell Vacations. �She will
be a formidable competitor,� explains Jerry about his wife, �and has always
excelled in the sales arena.�
Concludes
Jerry, �I�ve basically turned my entire life upside down. I�ve come to
Hawaii to fulfill a dream that surfaced last year. My wife is in my corner
and ready to jump in the ring, so we�ll be doing this together. There is
something magical about Hawaii and now Patricia and I will be able to share
it together. It will be a great adventure!�
About
Shell Vacations
Shell
Vacations (www.ShellVacationsClub.com)
is one of the nation�s most respected independent vacation ownership developers,
with 23 resorts in seven states, Mexico and Canada.
|
Contact:
Marge
Lennon
239-482-3891 |
