My friend and mentor, Putty Clark, passed yesterday 6.27.16. Putty was a person of character and integrity and a storehouse of local, real estate knowledge. Putty had an open door policy to all of his agents and brokers that made working within the organization both enjoyable and fulfilling for Lissette and I. Putty and I shared frequent conversations regarding sales statistics and market trends which I found insightful and many times determined the advice I often gave to my clients regarding buying and selling real estate. One of the main reasons Lissette and I joined Clark Realty was our initial meeting with Putty in his office in 2005 where he shared his philosophy regarding practicing real estate with integrity and following the real estate law-always. As some of you know, I’m also particular about understanding the applicable laws and ethics in my practice and we both agreed that joining Clark Realty was a perfect choice after the meeting. Putty was also passionate about giving back to the community and those in need. Our Clark Realty Community Foundation is a good example of his generous efforts in this regard. Lissette and I will miss Putty very much and know that our company and his generous spirit will always be associated together-thankfully.

Pacific Business News-Jun 29, 2016, 2:05pm HST-reporter-Duane Shimogawa

Putty Clark the founder of Clark Realty Corp., the largest residential real estate firm on the Big Island of Hawaii, died this week in Honolulu. He was 69.

Known by many as “Putty,” Clark was born in Hawaii in 1947 and graduated from Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island and earned his MBA at New York University after getting a bachelor’s degree in economics from Middlebury College.

He worked as a financial analyst and strategic planner for C. Brewer Co. Ltd., one of the so-called “Big Five” companies in Hawaii, before joining Honolulu real estate firm Bradley Properties in 1980.

In 1994, Clark bought Bradley Properties’ Big Island operations and founded the firm that bears his name in Kailua-Kona the following year.

Since that time, he has been a part of nearly 18,000 transactions with a sales volume of more than $5.4 billion, according to the firm. Last year, Clark Realty was named as one of the fastest-growing small businesses in Hawaii by Pacific Business News.

Frank Goodale replaced Clark as president of Clark Realty in October.

“The real estate community has lost a respected leader. Putty leaves behind a strong ohana here at Clark and he led by example with a work ethic that has helped define a generation of real estate practice in our local market,” Goodale said in a statement. “We will miss Putty greatly.”

The Clark Realty Corp. Community Foundation, which was founded in 2005, has raised more than $175,000 for Big Island organizations. Clark also served in leadership roles at Family Support Services, the YMCA and the Hawaii Preparatory Academy.

Clark Realty Corporation-excerpts from Note from Frank Goodale-June 28, 2016

 Clark Realty agents and staff,

It is with profound sadness that I am writing to let you know that Putty passed away late yesterday at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. This will be an emotional time for Putty’s family as well as for all of us as we grieve the loss of a long-time friend and respected business associate.

Part of Putty’s legacy that will live on is the extraordinary team that is Clark Realty, a company made up of uniquely talented individuals and recognized as a leader in the Hawaii real estate industry. Putty’s vision of building a strong professional ohana based on market knowledge and, above all, integrity in all business dealings will guide us as we continue to innovate and move our industry forward. We can honor this spirit by continuing to reach out with passion and compassion to each other and to the clients and community we serve every day.

Sincerely,

Frank

Frank Goodale  President – Clark Realty Corporation

Written by Rick Oliver on July 7, 2016
Posted in: Blog | Tags: big island, Big Island Real Estate, Clark Realty owner, Hawaii Real Estate, Island of Hawaii real estate, Putty Clark