Yesterday, June 27th was a bittersweet day: Dave Ellsworth’s memorial service. As befitting Dave’s life it seemed that most of the hundreds of attendees had flown into San Francisco to honor Dave. Not make light of a terrible event, but Dave’s closet has to be packed full of frequent traveler miles. Reports of Puerto Vallarta for lunch, Hawaii for breakfast, DC for dinner and then the red eye back.

Guests came from Anchorage, Honolulu, Washington DC, and lots from LA, where Dave used to live, Phoenix and all over the USA. I’m glad I didn’t have meetings this morning with all who took red eyes to get back on schedule. Delta, American and United reported the Dave fan club took most of their first class seats!

I guess about a quarter of those there were from our business. Befitting a multi-dimensional guy, as was Dave, he had friends from many cross sections of life. His son and daughter, and their spouses, his life partner and other family members got through the service focusing on what Dave/Dad had given them as much as how they were going to miss him. But, the loss was still there. The great portrait size photo of Dave in font of Gleneagles and the last Power Point slide of Dave sitting in a chair, on the beach, looking right at the camera with that ‘I love life’ grin on his face.

The common theme of the afternoon: Dave thought big, lived big, covered big geography in his business and was singular in his dedication to his family. For certain he had a big heart.

June 18th was a very sad day for the resort development business and for all the friends of Dave Ellsworth, who had a massive heart attack in Palm Springs and passed away.

What a guy!

I first met Dave as board members of American Resort in the early 80s. He was a top flight lawyer in LA with a specialty in Mexico about, well, 15 years ahead of his time. But, he helped to build the Mexican resort industry through his legal work, later his financing work and development and marketing skills.

Dave's home was perched atop 999 Green Street on San Francisco's Russian Hill. He moved in and I out, ,just half a block away. We stayed in contact, off and on, over the years until three years ago, when he gave me the gift of my business life by sponsoring me into ULI [Urban Land Institute] and onto one of their Recreational Development Councils.

We talked last Monday, the 12th about a deal in Montana. As usual Dave's vision was broad and vivid, his facts sound and he was in the 'do' mode.

His son, Brett, and son in law, Kevin Roberts, are both top flight businessmen, and I know they will be successful in carrying forth Dave's life work.

June 4th

Star has signed to advise, market and sell villa-hotel units and then fractions at a simply georgeous resort in Tucson, Suguaro Ranch [saguaroranch.net] The developer, Stephen Phinny, has designed a masterpiece of a property.

So, I just finished answering the 10 top questions in the fertile mind of Scott Burlingame regarding the future of fractions. I had lots of stuff to give him as the business is booming. But, I've said that before.

A wonderful trip to Idaho on Thursday to see 600 acres across Cascade Lake [McCall area] from Tamarack the hot, new ski and summer resort. The property will be mixed use leading with lakefront fractional homes and the unual other mix for 500 total units. What a great area!

Mac MacEwan, marketer par excellence, has moved to Boise, so we made the ride together, and discussed ways Star and Mac can move forward our mutual goals.