Bryason Realty Corp. President Charles Shane,
with his two dogs, Shane (left) and Riley, was named
the chamber of commerce’s Business Leader of the Year.
Photo by Tim Stepien
By Linda Haase
“A lot of people around town know me as the guy with the two golden retrievers,” quips Charles Shane. “They are better known than I am.”
Not likely. Although Shane’s dogs, who are regulars at Max’s Grille and other venues, make quite an impression, their owner, a Highland Beach resident and the Greater Boca Raton Chamber’s 2010 Business Leader of the Year, has made his own immeasurable impact on the community.
Shane, the president of Boca Raton-based Bryason Realty Corp. and the recipient of the chamber’s 2008 Chairman’s Award for Community Service is uber busy: He serves on the chamber’s Golden Bell Education Foundation’s board of directors, is a member of the advisory committee to the Business Leaders United Political Action Committee and is active in the Kids in Need Foundation, among other endeavors.
This year is Golden Bell’s 20th anniversary, and will mark $1 million granted to K-12 public schools in Boca Raton for everything from computers to books to chemistry equipment.
It’s a cause that touches Shane’s heart. “I have a personal interest in what I consider the declining quality of education our children are receiving at this time in this country,” he said about the all-volunteer program which raises money through year-round fundraisers. “Teachers are spending hundreds of dollars of their own money to make things work because they can’t get what they need. People don’t realize that although we have almost all A-rated schools in Boca Raton, they don’t have enough money to fund what they need.”
The grants to the schools are awarded at a gathering in September and seeing the gratitude in the teachers’ eyes is heartwarming, Shane said.
Although Shane spends a lot of time volunteering and working, he does find time for his new hobby — golfing, sparked by a suggestion from his wife, Mary. A former avid tennis player, Shane reluctantly gave up the game after his second spinal fusion. “I am addicted to golf now,” he said. “You hit one perfect shot … you know you can do it once and you think why can’t you do it again?”
The father of two grown boys, Shane is a passionate sports fan — especially when it comes to the Yankees, whom he claims “are the best. They set the standard for every team.” Also on the list: the Miami Heat, the Miami Dolphins (“I live and die with the Dolphins. It’s been a tough few years, but I am not a fair weather fan”) and FAU’s Owls.
Although Shane, a Temple University graduate, realizes he might “get some heat,” he readily admits that The O’Reilly Factor is his favorite TV show and Fox News is his go-to for current events.
Perseverance and kindness are cornerstones of Shane’s life — and ones incorporated in his 30-plus years of real estate industry experience.
“We are all in this together tying to keep our businesses afloat in turbulent financial waters. All we can do is work harder than ever, and utilize our cash reserves and lines of credit judiciously, until the economy rebounds. It is never easy, especially in the midst of a troubled economy. Just don’t give up!,” he said in May after being named Business Leader of the Year.
Although the Shanes have traveled worldwide (they plan to return to Italy and France this spring and have been on a safari), there’s no place better than Boca Raton, says Shane, who is delighted he left New Jersey’s frigid winters behind 30 years ago.
“I can’t image a better place to live, work and play than the Boca Raton area,” he said, lauding its beach and communities, cultural offerings, and shopping. And, just as important: “It is the most philanthropic town I have ever been involved in. You call for help and people step up.” Ú
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