Edie and the rest of Mike’s family,
I just want to send condolences and prayers from Laura and I. I had the honor and privilege to work with or for Mike over 25+ years and 8 different companies. He was more than a boss and a friend. He was my mentor. Like me, he was passionate about his work. Unlike me he was diplomatic in how he handled problems.
I remember one project where Mike was my manager and I was responsible for managing the day to day activities for the project. It was a very important and high profile project for our company. There was a problem on the project and I informed the client in a very factual, straightforward manner. The message and the way I delivered it didn’t sit well with our client’s management. Mike and Iwere called to the office of the client’s Vice President. Neither Mike nor I knew what to expect upon meeting with the VP. Yes, we received a severe tongue lashing. However the VP seemed preoccupied with another issue that had arose before we met with him. Mike picked up that we weren’t the VP’s primary focus and asked the VP about what was bothering him?
Long story short, we met with our client’s VP, expecting to possibly lose a very high profile project. However, most of our time with the VP was spent discussing how our company could solve the client’s most pressing issues unrelated to our existing project. We walked out of our meeting, not only continuing our existing project BUT with winning a totally new and higher profile project. It was all due to Mike’s sense of understanding people and managing a situation that would benefit both parties. He was masterful and I was in awe.
Later, I asked Mike how he had accomplished this amazing feat? He told me he simply listened to the client’s problem and imagined what he would want if he were the client. He said if he were the client, he would want someone who could take this problem away and deal with it effectively. Mike said then it was just a matter of convincing the client WE were the ones who could take on and solve the clients problem.
Over and over again, I saw Mike take on difficult and complex issues, situations and relationships. He had an uncanny ability to break things down to much simpler and basic points and then tackle those one by one until the big problem was resolved. Mike also resolved or attempted to resolve issues such that both parties came out a winner.
He was one of the most ethical, responsible, professional people who I ever met and worked with. He was also one of the most compassionate Christians I ever met. He was a true gentleman and brother in Christ. I was blessed to have known and worked with him for so many years.
Steve Weldon
