John J. “Jack” Harvey
John J. (Jack) Harvey, a Montecito resident since 1986, passed away at Serenity House on January 17th with his wife and children by his side.
Jack was the epitome of the American Dream. Through honest hard work, determination, and the willingness to take a risk, Jack became a successful business-man and was recognized as one of the top 10 executives of mid-sized Corporations in America.
Jack was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 16th 1931 to John Earl and Dolores (Lori) Harvey. After serving in the Naval Air Reserves during the Korean War (the photo shown was used for recruitment), Jack graduated from Lake Forest College with a dual degree in Economics and History, with a minor in Archeology (elected to MENSA). He later received an MBA from Northwestern University.
After a short career as a stockbroker, Jack moved to the Silicon Valley in 1960 and became involved in the nascent semiconductor industry. In 1965 he became Chairman of Microscience Corporation which was involved in reducing the size of electronic components in consumer devices. Jack’s biggest regret was refusing to invest in a company started by two young inventors, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, because he didn’t like the name of their company, “Apple”.
Jack became one of California’s preeminent investment bankers and turned around several well-known companies , including Dutch Boy Paint and Baltimore Paint and Chemical. Jack then started his own company, Artra Corporation, which was traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1979 Jack was invited to the White House and honored by President Jimmy Carter as one of America’s leading corporate executives.
After retiring to Montecito with his wife, Phyllis, he found time to enjoy golf, (often winning trophies for the “Longest Drive”), bridge, poker, and support local charities, including Cornerstone, an organization for disabled children.
Jack is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Phyllis; four daughters, Lori Harvey (grandchildren Christopher & Trevor), Julie Valeriote (husband Chris, and grandchildren Matthew, Jonathon, Dominic & Christina), Katie Clapp (husband Jim, grandchildren Jamie & Nicholas) and Kim Harvey; and his step-children Stephanie Umstead (husband Ed, grandchild Sydney) and Stephen Young.
Jack will be deeply missed and dearly remembered by his friends and family. A celebration of his life will be held at a future date.