Scott Dario, class of 1987, always had a positive attitude, whether it was toward his classes, sports, or clubs, and people liked being around him. Many of his best buds were from when he played football, starting with youth football, which his dad, Jack Dario, helped to originate here. After high school, Scott attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. He majored in government and enjoyed college, especially the location. He likes the cold; today, he and his wife, Sara, own a small house in Canton and try to spend chunks of time there. It is very cold country, and snowy too, but they love it … brrr!
After college, Scott moved to Chicago with friends and worked in the corporate world for about four years. Back then, all documents had to be done in triplicate for attorneys. Scott, as an account manager for a large copy firm, would be called out at all hours to supervise and deliver sensitive documents. He hated wearing a suit, so when some college pals were moving to Santa Fe, N.M. — and because he loved to cook — he decided to join them and open a restaurant. It was a successful venture in the developing tourist climate of Santa Fe. Scott stayed there for about three years, but then his dad called him, offering him a position at his Island gas station. Scott came home, and luckily for us, has been here ever since.
He eventually sold the gas station and signed on as president of Island Transportation and Martha’s Vineyard Sightseeing. It is a seasonal business, but it leaves several vehicles registered for Island transportation support (such as for the Masonic Lodge, the Wampanoag tribe, youth hockey, and Christmas in Edgartown). Today, Scott has a fleet of buses that meet the needs of large groups, and several trolleys that are used only during the summer tourist season. His business has provided many jobs on the Island, including summer jobs for teachers and students. He explained to me how, due to recent government policy, Canadian tourism has been so reduced that the Island has lost about 30 percent of revenue. Some of his largest patrons were Canada and England, and the number of visitors from both places has decreased. This was a wake-up call for how such policies affect our Island.
Scott is a big supporter of Island events. You can find him and his family at the Sharks games or the basketball courts in Oak Bluffs. Scott is wherever he can help out and support our Island community. Again, I am so impressed by our graduates who not only run Island businesses but continually give back to our community as year-round residents, especially supporting our Island kids. Thank you, Scott!
Marge Harris was a teacher at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School for 27 years. You can contact her at margeharris@comcast.net. This column appears twice a month.
