It was well known around the EBN/EBA offices that when Robert challenged you — questioned your way of doing something or pushed you to do better — it was his way of showing you that he cared. In that case, Robert cared about me an awful lot. We had some infamous "discussions" over the years about the direction in which to take our magazines — some of them so confrontational that at first glance, you might never know that we were truly close colleagues and friends. But although we rarely started out on the same page, Robert and I always were on the same side. As much as he challenged me, he encouraged me. If I was at the end of my rope, he was there to pull me up again.

He frequently would tell me, "Iron sharpens iron." It was never truer in our case. Our constant loop of feedback and pushback helped us to take our two publications farther than we could have thought possible. For my part, I am undoubtedly a smarter, wiser, more accomplished and just an overall better professional and person for having known him.

In the few weeks since his death, I've lost count of the number of times I've walked the 10 or so feet between our two offices to get his take on something, only to find him gone and have to grieve anew.

Then I remind myself of his simple mantra, "Don't plateau," and resolve once more to think beyond my borders and work without boundaries.

I ask all of you who knew and loved Robert to do the same. I believe it's the best way to keep climbing higher and to take him along with us. — K.B.

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You never knew what was going to come out of Robert's mouth, but you could always count on the discussion being framed in a series of questions: Why not? Why couldn't we? Why wouldn't we? Why shouldn't we?

You were never sure how far he'd be willing to ride an idea until he either finally said, "Ah, I guess that wouldn't work," or you found yourself marching alongside him down a path that would undoubtedly produce some piece of provocative journalism. He never took things at face value. Rarely took no for an answer. Never seemed to give up.

I'll miss that.

But for all the creative thought and energy he devoted to his profession, he was always able to find time to care about his friends and colleagues. I can't think of one person we knew in common for whom Robert did not at some point do something, say something or arrange something that had that person's well-being in mind. I'm grateful to be able to include myself on that list. His passion for his work may even have been surpassed by his caring, concern and compassion for others.

I may miss that most of all.

George Lane,
Principal
Mercer Consulting

 

"If you want me to eat bugs, then I'll eat bugs," Robert wrote in a November 2007 EBA Editor's note. Robert was portraying how advisers sometimes overreact to clients demands for expanded services. This was "classic Robert," because he always found a unique and fresh way to communicate with audiences.

But it was not just in his writing that he found ways to turn the ordinary into extraordinary. Over the course of the past several years, I've been in a variety of settings including dinner meetings, conferences and phone interviews where Robert would push me to think of issues impacting the business world from many points of view - not just from my particular frame of reference.A conversation with Robert was something to be cherished, albeit mentally exhausting most of the time.His critical thinking and writing skills helped all of us who knew him become better professionals and people.

That was Robert's unique gift.His legacy will be lived out in all of us as we push ourselves and our industry to come up with new and fresh thinking for the complex business challenges we face. Personally, I will miss Robert's unique style of communication, his disarming smile and dinners where we solved the world's problems while dining on kimchi and sushi.

Kay R. Curling, SPHR,
Director of Human Resources
Serco Inc.

 

Robert and I talked monthly for over six months while he was reporting on the article he wrote about my wellness challenge.While we did much talking on the record, we spent a great deal of time having real-life conversations about how important wellness was to each and every one of us.

As a writer, Robert was a true professional. In addition to the wellness article, he frequently tapped me for quotes or ideas, and I could always count on Robert to be fair and accurate in his writing.Robert's passing will befelt by many, and he will be missed.

Thomas Mangan
President, Employee Benefits
Division
HUB International

 

I knew Robert for quite a while, though we only met in person about two months ago in D.C., in the heat of the health reform discussions.

In all of our conversations, I found him knowledgeable, interested, pointed and reductionist - although none of that is out-of-the-ordinary for a reporter or an editor. What was remarkable about Robert was his ability to rapidly quantify the essence of the person and the "fit" in the situation. In each conversation, I learned as much or more than I gave; I shared visions of improvement with a willing listener; I was inspired to reach higher and move more and dream larger, because he believed I could.

That is what made Robert remarkable. He dove for the essence and then extracted it, posting vision into reality. He believed it; he made me believe it. That is a true gift.

Cyndy Nayer, President
Center for Health Value
Innovation