It was extremely fortunate for me to have been able to renew my relationship with Bill in the last year or so. I was looking forward to continuing and building on that newfound friendship in the months and years ahead.
You see, thirty or so years ago, Bill was on the same team of executives as I, running a new, small, struggling life insurance company in Cleveland, Ohio. As always, Bill was the money man. He and his immediate superior, Frank Riha, and his junior accounting aid, Jeff Becker, made sure that our money was spent accurately and wisely, and I, as president, enjoyed the freedom and trust in the internal operations of the company to concentrate on its sound, but rapid growth.
Fortunately, the possibility of our making social contact after our reintroduction came easily in Florida. You see, our friendship renewal was made possible by our serving together on the Board of Directors of the United Transportation Union Insurance Association, which was meeting in Sarasota, Florida, my current residence. A few days prior to the meeting we were able to set up a golf date and include his wonderful wife, Dawn. The Sara Bay Club was new to them, but Bill and Dawn played quite well and seemed to enjoy the day despite the inherent difficulty of this Donald Ross course. We ended the golf round with a wonderful social meal at the club and talked about ways to get together back in Cleveland when I return for the summer season.
Bill was an impressive young man (at my age I can call him young even though he was retired). Whatever subject or challenge he pursued, he mastered it. That is proven by his performance record while serving in many capacities at the Ohio Department of Insurance, his executive abilities, his development of a high degree of golf prowess, his easy ability to make friends, but most of all, his devotion to and, with Dawn, his focus on family.
I am extremely sorry that we did not get the chance to further renew and build on our friendship. He will be missed by many.
