"The AZ Insider" with Kathy Shayna Shocket: Get the inside scoop on Arizona's social scene and celebrity news.
This week: Philanthropist Robert K. (Bob) McCord will be missed...
It was a celebration of life like no other this Thanksgiving weekend. Through the mists of the greens of the Paradise Valley Country Club, the sounds of a stately bagpiper stirred strong emotions among those gathered to remember Robert K. (Bob) McCord.
The country club closed for the reception luncheon which followed the moving funeral service at the Paradise Valley United Methodist Church. About 600 people turned out at the church to memorialize Bob who passed away peacefully on November 13, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with serious health issues. His wife Sharon was by his side at the Sherman Hospice Home on the Mayo Clinic Campus. The highly respected real estate icon and philanthropist was 72-years-young.
The former Chairman of NRT’s Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage operations in Arizona was an inspiring community leader and he and wife Sharon Dupont McCord generously supported many charities and educational institutions.
The President of Arizona State University, Michael Crowe spoke at the funeral service. Bob’s son Andrew McCord and one of his 10 grandchildren, Rick Dupont, also gave emotionally moving eulogies.
“It was hard to watch Grandpa lose his battle with his neurological illness,” recalled Rick. “Our family knows that he fought very hard and with great dignity. He never complained about not feeling well, not even on his bad days. That just wasn’t his style.”
Bob’s style was embracing life, and despite his physical limitations, he and Sharon most recently travelled to New Zealand where he bungee jumped. The couple went fly fishing and climbed the thousands of steps of the Sydney Harbour Bridge overlooking the dramatic view of Australia and the landmark Sydney Opera House.
They then journeyed to South Africa for a Safari, whale watching and an archeological excursion. “He was truly a man of all seasons,” notes Sharon of her husband an avid golfer and past president of Paradise Valley Country Club.
Bob and Sharon McCord in New Zealand
At the time of his death, Bob was retired. He began his career as a Certified Public Accountant and became a partner at the international accounting firm Arthur Andersen. He went on to develop residential and commercial real estate projects and owned Coldwell Banker Success Realty, serving as president and chief executive officer of the company from 1992-2005. Under his leadership, Success Realty grew to become one of Coldwell Banker’s largest franchisees with more than 40 offices and 2,200 sales associates. Coldwell Banker Success was one of the largest residential real estate brokerage firms in Arizona.
In 2005, Coldwell Success Realty was purchased by NRT, Inc. one of the largest residential real estate brokerage firms in the nation. Bob served as Chairman of NRT’s Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage operations in Arizona until his retirement in 2007.
Bob and Sharon McCord whale watching in South Africa
Bob’s long list of credits include being the first invitational Professor to Arizona State University in 1977 and a National Merit Scholar graduating in the top 1% of accounting graduates in the United States.
Bob and Sharon endowed the McCord Scholars, a scholarship program for business students at Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University.
Additionally, the couple is honorary chairs for the Arizona State University President’s Club and members of the Dean’s Council of 100 for ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business.
Bob and Sharon also donated the lead gift to establish a fund for collaborative research involving investigators from Barrow Neurological Institute, Arizona State University and T-Gen.
Sharon and Bob McCord in Cape Town, South Africa with Ardie and Steve Evans and Malcolm and Jane Jozoff
Numerous charities have benefited from Bob and Sharon’s generosity over the years, including Habitat for Humanity, UMOM New Day Centers, Teach for America, Hospice of the Valley, Mayo Clinic, T-Gen, Barrows Neurological, Childhelp, United Way Tocqueville Society, AWEE, Women in Philanthropy and various food banks.
The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers that donations be made in the name of Robert K. McCord to either the Arizona State University Foundation, P.O. Box 2260, Tempe, AZ 85280-2260 or to the Mayo Clinic for the Benefit of the Joint Venture with Hospice of the Valley, Department of Development, 13400 E. Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 8525.
Kathy Shayna Shocket is a Phoenix based writer. If you have a good item for The AZ Insider, you can email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
