From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dwight Schar is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of NVR Inc, a Fortune 500 company that is the seventh-largest home builder (by revenue) in the United States^[1]. He currently serves as the company's Executive Chairman and Chairman of Executive Committee^[2]. He is also a part-owner of the Washington Redskins football team, ^[3][4]and the Finance Chairman for the Republican National Committee^[2]. Schar sits on the Board of Directors for Six Flags, Inc.^[5] and for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University^[2]. Schar lives in McLean, Virginia.

Background

Dwight Schar grew up in rural northeast Ohio and graduated from Norwayne High School in 1960. Schar then attended Ashland University (then Ashland College) in Ashland, Ohio, where he majored in education. After graduating from Ashland in 1964, Dwight began teaching, and on the weekends, he had a job selling homes for Ryan Homes^[6]. Schar soon left teaching to pursue a career in real estate.^[7] In 1980, Schar founded his own company, NVHomes^[8], which eventually acquired his former employer, Ryan Homes, in 1987; the company was thus renamed NVR.^[2] Today, NVR is the corporate umbrella under which NVHomes, Ryan Homes, Fox Ridge Homes, Rymarc Homes, and NVR Mortgage operate.

Political Involvement

Along with his involvement in the Republican National Committee, Schar is also a well-known financial supporter of the Republican Party and numerous Republican candidates, making contributions through his company^[9] as well as private contributions from both his McLean, VA home^[10] and his home in Palm Beach, FL.^[11] In both the 2000 and 2004 Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns, Schar was not only a donor, but also a major fundraiser. In the 2000 campaign, Schar was a Bush “pioneer,” the distinction given to those committed to raising $100,000 or more for the campaign. In the 2004 re-election campaign, Schar rose to the new level of “ranger,” raising $200,000 or more.^[12][13]

Philanthrophy

In 2004, Schar donated $100,000 to Norwayne High School, his former high school in Creston, OH to go toward the construction of a new track and football stadium. The school named the new track the "Dwight Schar Track" in his honor. In 2006, Schar donated $5 million to his alma mater, Ashland University, to help fund the construction of their new education building. The university named the new building "Dwight Schar College of Education" in his honor. Schar again in 2009 made a substantial donation towards the new Ashland University on-campus football, track & field and Soccer facilities, named appropriately "Dwight Schar Athletic Complex" in his honor. ^[14]

References