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Originally Posted by Goldwingnut
Do some more digging and find the names and principles of the other 501c(3) entities that are and have been involved throughout the community. Some are broad reaching in their goals and efforts and some exist with a much narrower focus, as appears to be the case here with "Significant Productions". Many of these also have a tie to individuals of substantial wealth.
My experience over the many years has been that the people of significant means are less infatuated with money and more generous than the average person and especially those who bemoan the success of your efforts and energy. The uninformed and the ignorant see the wealthy as Scrooge McDuck doing swan dives into piles of gold coins and dollar bills in his massive vault, nothing could be farther from the truth. A typical multimillionaire (or billionaire) is much less liquid than most would think, they have their wealth invested and tied up in ventures and enterprises that grow their investments by creating jobs and products needed or wanted by others. They are not the ruthless money grubbers that the media portray them to be, but they are very protective of their work and efforts, just like everyone else.
Over the last 10 years I have sent a significant amount of time studying and trying to understand The Villages, their business model, and how they do what they do so successfully. The amount of resources, focus, and energy that is invested into the planning and growth of this community, to say nothing of the huge personal risk that continues to be taken, is far beyond the possible comprehension of those that only want look at it on the surface. One could write several doctoral thesis on everything from construction management techniques, land development, and business management to local government relations by studying how the generations of the developer's family have done business. They have had great success and a few failures over the years.
I've only ever met one member of "the family", Jennifer, one time during the opening of the Ezell RC, the rest remain as much an enigma to me as they do to the rest of the resident of The Villages. I have felt their wrath on more than one occasion with my work (as G.W.P.) and my positions on matters of public interest. The only benefit I've received is from understanding their business enough to build a moderately successful business of my own that capitalize on what and how they build here, contrary to what some individuals and organizations would have you believe.
Some of the best advice I was ever given was that if I wanted to be rich and successful to do with rich people do and not what poor people do. That mentor and I had many discussions on the topic over the years, some of the things I realized and learned is that being successfully is hard work, that you can't do it alone, that giving back never diminish what you accomplish, and the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues apply to business as well as ones personal life.
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This is a great reply. Don probably knows more about The Villages and its management than any single individual in the area. I have always been amazed at the quality of the management of TV and how so many different operations function so well. If anyone doubts this, he/she should give some thought to everything that takes place every day in TV. Just organizing the mowing/trimming/irrigation of the medians and the main streets takes considerable effort and skill. When the roundabouts are replanted, it is with plants that TV grows in its own greenhouses. Live entertainment is provided at four venues. The chairs at the venues are delivered and picked up. The utilities all work. 13 championship golf courses and 40+ executive courses operate daily. I can't count the number of swimming pools, pickleball courts and other recreational facilities that are operated daily. In The Villages we have a medium-size city that is operated in an excellent manner by a private company at minimal cost to its residents. The organization and operation of TV at this level of excellence is mind-boggling.
If that's not enough, consider the future expansion plans in the south. The developer has laid out an entirely new city that will be built-out over the next 20 years. All this is being done with private money.
I've never understood the people who post critical, if not derogatory, comments about the Morse family. I will always be amazed that a family-owned business could have the foresight, skills, and dedication to do what the family has done with The Villages. The family deserves the millions they have made. Anyone who is bothered by their financial success needs to consider the risks the family has taken and the incredible risk they are taking with the expansion of The Villages in the south.
(Having laid all this praise on the family and the management, I still would like to know who approved the color palette for the houses being built in the south)