More than a family

Thank you, Barry, for facilitating the exchange and encouraging the extension of our connections to Reuters and each other.

Only those who have lived the Reuters experience: the commitment to excellence, the courage to break new ground, the determination to be heard, the humility to never stop learning, and curiosity to see the other side of every mountain, can truly understand the common bond of “family” within our fortunate community.

My wonderful life, tackling challenges in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, is due entirely to Reuters. Gene Nagler, in Dallas, TX hired me (against the wishes of his boss Bruce Masterson) and began teaching me the rich history within Reuters: the famous stories of making the world aware of the most momentous events, of introducing the world to electronic financial information, of the “87 dots” and, of course, the spirit of letting a thousand flowers bloom.

This young pup, fortunate to be offered, was ushered through training in all disciplines and across all products to Reuters. Tutored by the likes of Brian de Lacy, Hubert Holmes, Steve Levkoff (wow) and Geert Linnebank, I learned not to fear the never-before-tackled challenge. I learned to quickly assess a situation and team the resources to confidently prescribe a course of action. I learned to respect the culture of my environment and let it teach me how to find alternative options. I also learned to be a pretty damn good Spoof player and avoid having to pay that check.

To this day I remain barrel-chested with pride when the subject of my former company is raised. I owe everything to this venerable, old company and to the people who were kind and patient enough to support me. As I’ve always said, “my worst day at Reuters was a great day”.

Thank you again, Barry, for finding a way of keeping us together. ■