By Andrea Levene, Globe Correspondent, 6/4/2004

Brian Veasy had a knack for making people feel good about themselves. In his work with R.L. Stevens & Associates, a career consulting firm in Boston, he encouraged hundreds of clients to have confidence when making major decisions.

Mr. Veasy, who lived in Sharon for 16 years, died Saturday, apparently of a heart attack. He was 64.

"He was such a giver," Robert Taub said of his friend of 10 years. "He had a way of sitting with people for just a minute and being able to reach and touch them immediately. He just had a great way with people."

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Veasy graduated from Drexel University in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. After working briefly as an engineer he decided to go to Harvard Business School, graduating in 1965. He worked at various seafood companies and was executive vice president of the New Bedford Seafood Co-operative during the 1980s.

During the early 1990s he volunteered as a career consultant at Harvard.

"One day he realized that people got paid to do what he was doing for fun," Taub said. "He used to say, `I can't believe they pay us to do this.' "

In 1995, he took a consulting position with Bernard Haldane Associates in Boston and five years later started at R.L. Stevens & Associates. Mr. Veasy loved his job, friends and family said, and always gave it his full effort.

"It was the perfect job for him. He was genuinely happy all the time," said Pamela (Mosny) Veasy, his wife of 20 years. "Consulting was one of the best things that ever happened to him."

At work Mr. Veasy was known as a networker. His graduating class from Harvard included many well-known businessmen such as New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former IBM chief executive officer Lou Gerstner Jr.

"He never hesitated to use his connections to help clients," his wife said. "He was never afraid to ask for favors, which made him really effective."

Over the years, Mr. Veasy was an active alumnus of Harvard Business School. He was president of the alumni club and the reunion chairman, maintaining a close relationship with his classmates.

"We called him Mr. Network," said John Pierce, vice president of finances at R.L. Stevens & Associates. "He had the most impressive Rolodex."

His optimism always impressed his clients, colleagues said. When most coworkers saw six or seven customers a day, Mr. Veasy would see twice as many.

"His two favorite words were `splendid' and `terrific,' " Taub said. "His clients just loved him. . . . Everyone just loved him. Everything was about attitude."

In his free time, Mr. Veasy collected stamps. He started when he was 11 and continued through his adulthood, filling scores of albums, his wife said.

"He could sit still for hours working on his collection," she said. "He always tried to get other people involved. He collected stamps from all over the world."

In addition to his wife, Mr. Veasy leaves two sons, Brant of Sharon and Sean of Jupiter, Fla.; and three brothers, John of Palm Beach, Fla., Walter of Taiwan, and Joseph of Williamstown, N.J.

This story ran on page C23 of the Boston Globe on 6/4/2004. © Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.

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