The third-floor space is spare and overlooks the Magnolia Village. On a file cabinet behind him are a few pictures of his children and grandchildren.
The wall in front of his desk is the only thing that advertises his connection to the business of real estate sales: Hanging there are two Monopoly game cards - Boardwalk and Park Place - blown up to poster size and framed.
Wearing a gray mock turtleneck and black pants, Van der Wel sits behind his desk with a big smile and body language that read self-assurance. Yet he comes across as pretty modest.
Van der Wel has been successful, one of the fortunate few in life who discover their calling early and make good money at it. That success has allowed him the time to pursue other activities outside of selling real estate, like civic projects and philanthropic work with the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce and the Moyer Foundation.
Behind Van der Wel's humility, though, is a drive to help other people. Which has not gone unnoticed. At the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce's Jan. 23 meeting, the members awarded Van der Wel the Magnolia Businessperson of the Year for 2002. It's an honor he never expected to receive.
"I guess [they gave it to me] because maybe I've been here long enough," he joked.
Carol Whitfield, a current Magnolia Chamber member and past vice president of the board, remembers the expression on his face when his name was announced at that meeting.
"He looked surprised and pleased," said Whitfield, who went on to describe Van der Wel as modest and low key.
Picking a businessperson
Every year the Magnolia Chamber's board of directors elects a businessperson of the year by secret ballot. The criteria are brief, Whitfield said. A nominee has to have made a heavy personal and financial contribution to the community during that year. There isn't a set dollar amount, though, she added.
Whitfield, who was vice president of the board at the time, liked two things about Van der Wel's commitment: He works behind the scenes and is willing to tackle any project.
Whitfield gave the example of Van der Wel's involvement when the Magnolia Chamber was working on the project to renovate the Magnolia Village shopping area. The benches and planters around the Village were in bad shape, so the Magnolia Chamber asked for help.
Van der Wel stepped forward with financial and moral support during the fund-raising. The Village Renaissance was completed in three phases, with matching funds from the city helping to buy new benches and planters throughout the Village. Van der Wel was one of the main donors of money for the project, Whitfield said.
"Those were the two things that stood out in my mind when I voted for him," Whitfield said. "He's just a really all-around great guy with a heart as big as Texas."
As the Village Renaissance was completed, it needed to be incorporated into the city's Magnolia Plan, so the Magnolia Chamber could apply for grants to further revitalize the area. Van der Wel came forward again and spent 18 months working on the Magnolia Plan with the Magnolia Chamber and the city.
The amount of time Van der Wel put into the Magnolia Village renaissance can't be measured in hours, he said, because he didn't keep track. But it's the end result that counts, he added.
"It is important for me to work with the Chamber and have the community grow and look good, " Van der Wel said.
With the plan done, it's now a matter of implementation, he said. "It's going to be a long process" because there's no funding for it right now, he laughed.
His commitment doesn't end with civic projects. He and another Magnolia realtor each pay half of the rent for the Moyer Foundation offices.
Starting out
As a young man in the 1960s, Van der Wel looked at the instability of the stock market versus the stability of real estate.
"Maybe real estate's where I want to be," he said. "I found out that you can have real estate and have other people pay the mortgage."
Van der Wel received his real estate license in 1967 and opened his first business soon after. In 1975 he set up shop in Magnolia Village and hasn't looked back since. By 1984 he had five offices and almost 300 employees.
Van der Wel found there was a hitch to his expanding enterprise: He had moved out of the real estate business and into the people management business.
So, when Windermere Real Estate offered to buy Van der Wel's offices, he jumped at the opportunity. The sale allowed him to get back into being a real estate agent.
"That's what I like to do, sell real estate," Van der Wel said. "That's where I get my joy, making the deal happen."
Business is pleasure
Van der Wel's modesty was evident when asked why the Magnolia Chamber chose him as Businessperson of the Year.
"Boy, I would have to ask them," he said.
Van der Wel was shocked, he said, when the award was announced. The award is the first one of this type that he has received, and he thinks others were more deserving.
"There's other people that do a lot of work here," he said.
Van der Wel is no stranger to working hard. He explained that arriving at work early, leaving late and accomplishing as much as possible in between is something he was probably taught growing up, so he couldn't help but be that way at work.
Although he does say that enjoying his work is likely the key to his success. A friend of Van der Wel's once asked why he didn't have hobbies. "Well, I do. I like doing real estate," he replied.
He enjoys looking at new buildings, likes improving them, likes meeting people. That may be work for others, but it's fun for Van der Wel.
He sums up his philosophy of work and life.
"I can't sit at home and have people call me and not be able to help," he said in his office. "I like helping other people."
Bill Putnam is assistant editor of the Kirkland Courier, an associate publication of the News. He can be reached at qanews@nwlink.com.
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