Hilton Head’s last dictator standing: ‘Don’t break the egg and scare away the goose’

The godfather of Hilton Head Island has left the building.

An amazing chapter in island history closed when Robert C. Onorato, the last of the “benevolent dictators” who set the course for the island’s modern era, died March 23 at age 91.

He was president of Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort from 1972 to 1985.

He didn’t own the land like the other major developers: Sea Pines founder Charles E. Fraser and the Hilton Head Company’s Fred C. Hack. Yet he joined them at the table, not too many years after Palmetto Dunes had morphed from a hunt club.

More than $300 million worth of resort and residential properties were developed, marketed and operated under Onorato’s oversight at Palmetto Dunes under owners Phipps Land Co. Inc. and then Greenwood Development Corp.

Onorato was called the “godfather” because of his Italian lineage and his aggressive, New York-style, street-wise approach to life. He was the boss, and he commanded a seat at the table when an island at the precipice of becoming a boom town — with no municipal government and slack attention from county government — was literally planned and executed by the three major landholders.

“Bob had a photo of Marlon Brando as The Godfather in his office,” the Dunes’ Karen Cerrati said. “He was in charge, he took care of his people, he honored his heritage, he wanted recognition and respect. And, from my perspective, he deserved it.”

A 10-story oceanfront hotel came to life in Palmetto Dunes during his tenure, despite loud opposition from the island’s few residents at the dawn of the 1970s. But Onorato joined in the “gentleman’s agreement” with Hack and Fraser that no more buildings would exceed five stories on Hilton Head – resulting in a sharp contrast from the high-rise canyons that define Myrtle Beach or Miami.

“Development was fun when the three major companies did what they thought was right with a sense of stewardship,” Onorato is quoted as saying by Michael N. Danielson in his book, “Profits and Politics in Paradise: The Development of Hilton Head Island.”

“And it worked; the benevolent dictators produced lovely places on a beautiful island.”

LAST DICTATOR STANDING

Onorato was the last dictator standing when he stepped down at Palmetto Dunes more than three decades ago to pursue “new and exciting opportunities that others have presented to me.”

The three had much different personalities, and they were stiff competitors. Yet, they shared the common, and somewhat schizophrenic, goals of drawing people to the island while also trying to stave off the hot dog stands and wax museums that give other beach towns their character.

Although a lot of islanders never wanted to hear it, Onorato pointed out in his heyday that tourism was the fuel that drove the island economy. “Construction, development, real estate sales, retail and service businesses are the engine.”

He warned that some people were trying to “break the egg and scare away the goose.”

Palmetto Dunes led the three major companies in resort-oriented development, highlighted by Shelter Cove Harbour.

Under his watch, Palmetto Dunes added the Mariner’s Inn (now Omni), 18 condominium projects, more than 650 single-family home sites, the George Fazio Golf Course and Rod Laver Tennis Center.

During the oil embargo of the mid-1970s, Palmetto Dunes offered vacationers a free tank of gas for the ride back home.

Onorato was always aggressively priming the economic pump.

Yet, he also participated in the “Save Our Trees” march that was led by “little old ladies in tennis shoes” down Pope Avenue in 1983. He reminded them that his company made it possible for that beautiful canopy of oaks to be spared in front of Palmetto Dunes and Shelter Cove when U.S. 278 was widened to four lanes.

Onorato served on the Town of Hilton Head Island’s public art committee when the statue of Charles Fraser was erected in the Compass Rose Park.

And he gave our famed local artist Wayne Edwards a quick “yes” when he proposed something bold for Shelter Cove: a 12-foot bronze statue of Roman sea god Neptune holding a trident on a long pole. It would actually be the world’s largest figurative sundial.

“I told him it was an opportunity to make a statement: Who you are, what you are doing, rather than a row of flags,” Edwards said. “He loved it.”

WE KNEW THEM

Onorato helped facilitate land for the new island hospital in 1975.

And he served on the hospital’s board, along with the boards at May River Academy and Hilton Head Preparatory School, and more. He was a local and regional Rotary leader.

He moved to the island in 1971 with his wife, Patti, who died just two weeks prior to him, and their little girl and boy.

Like Fred Hack and Charles Fraser, we knew him. We knew his family. We knew them when they aggravated us, and when we aggravated them. We know that the Self family of the Greenwood company that bought Palmetto Dunes in 1979 is like the Frasers and Hacks before them in extensive benevolence to the island. The dictators were personally vested in the community, and wanted it to be a cut above.

The benevolent dictators — especially Fraser — also attracted a lot of great talent that helped the community in many ways.

Onorato’s list would include real estate gurus Bill Byrne and Phil Schembra.

Marsha Smelkinson was hired by Onorato as head of marketing. She brought in Karen Cerrati as her assistant.

“Back then, all the developers had to lure potential property buyers through off-site advertising, events, and direct mail in places that are still the ‘feeder markets’ for Hilton Head,” Cerrati said. “It was a big, ambitious, well-funded marketing program.”

Two years later when they wanted to open their own shop, Onorato supported the idea, gave them their biggest account, and lent them two typewriters.

Cerrati said, “Very early on, when we were working for him, Bob gave us advice: Think big. Let everyone win — with a program, event, activity, communication. Be inclusive.

“Know what you don’t know — surround yourself with folks who can help you. Don’t think you can do it all alone.

“For us, Bob was a supporter of women, entrepreneurs, friends, young people with big ideas. He was one of the good guys.”

David Lauderdale may be reached at LauderdaleColumn@gmail.com.