Though I have known him for only a few years, I am pleased and blessed to know such a fellow. Kim always speaks of hs wife, his son, his daughter, and his dogs - not always in that order. He speaks of his college trips with his son and visits while he is at school. I am always impressed with his pride and attention to his children. He tells me about the trips that the family has made amid their busy schedules.
Kim speaks with pride of his talented daughter and her performance work and the authors and storylines of the plays in which she performs. He tells me about each play and her role and storyline.
Spouse and dogs are never far from his thoughts. Kimi so mindful of his wife and home life and the mountain dogs that enrich their experience. He knows that I measure folks in how they align with these four-legged creatures that reveal the best in us. Kim and Karen are blessed with that linkage.
Kim is such a kind and considerate person, one wonders how such a gentle man had weathered the many business experiences of the sometimes ruthless airline and international businesses that have been a part of his journey.
Clearly, the body of his business experience gave him an acumen and passion for measurement and improvement in the operation and health of the enterprise. His Umbra initiatives reveals his passion for linking the authority of the C-suite and board to the measures of operations and the many dimensions of influence. Km's creative mind informs his models and interface in communicating messages to management. His relationship with the management school and Dean of the University of Tennessee speak to his interest in fostering the education of future leaders in business.
Family clearly dominates his attention along with his work interest on business impact and his commitment to inform. Still, the thing that stands out for me with my friend is his gentle and generous nature. He is interested in others and is always ready to help. He is a rare entity in the business leadership world. He is a wonderful family man, a kind human being, and a great friend. I wish only the best for Kim and his family.
2. From Bob Sanner Dear Kim,
While we have only been in touch in recent years through Christmas cards, it has been delightful to get your annual photos with your family, pets included. Barbara Sawyer has been keeping us up-to-date on your current medical situation. I wan to BE SURE you know that we are thinking about you and your family a great deal. We just received through Barbara Sawyer, the absolutely spectacular photos of Addie's wedding. We especially loved the one with the entire family, dog included. It's hard to believe that your children, whom we have watched grow up in the Christmas cards, are getting married.
I still remember the days on Sand Hill Road, where I met you and Karen. When you came into Arcata to interview for the first time, you made the rounds to meet many of the financial managers including me. I was mired in the accounting minutiae of debits and credit, but you wanted to discuss the "quantity theory of money supply" espoused by noted economist Milton Friedman. A real ice breaker!
Barbara and I want to be certain you know you and your family are in our thoughts. Warmly, Bob and Barbara Sanner
PS I picked this card because it seemed to reflect so much about this time... the rain and the clouds, but above them the brightest of all is the rainbow which might symbolize the friends and family who are so grateful to have you in their lives.
3. In remembrance... by Neil Dave
much is owed eternally to Kim
always available for counsel and guidance in all aspects - personal, business, arts, science, sports, family, southern life and people
has the creative and disciplined spark to drill down into the core issues of any situation admires life
a simple man
a great loss for me
Since I admired Kim, everything he said I took literally... Driving back on 101 from some meeting, we had bought some of our favorite pastrami sandwiches, and then... All of a sudden, he caught me off guard. "Let's pull over on the side here and eat our sandwiches. I got some beer stashed in the back." I didn't want to sound naive, so I said nothing thinking that we would do that in Johnson City or Nashville or anywhere in Tennessee? I am naive, but still admire Kim from this famous poet's thoughts. Here's the poem from Robert Frost that frequently comes to mind in thinking about Kim:
Two road diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
4. From Roger Spaeth Dear Kim,
You have been a friend and a mentor. I cherish our friendship immensely... for multiple reasons.
You have a great sense of humor and are a genus at practical pranks. I still chuckle over the afternoon when I received a long-awaited computer. When I came into the office, you revealed that my computer had finally arrived. I hurried to open the box, only to find an old, dirty laptop - not my new shiny computer. I was stumped - it couldn't be.
Your laughter caused me to realize there was more to this story. You suggested that I look at the bottom of the box. It had been opened - BY YOU!
You swapped a piece of junk for my nice, new, shiny computer, that was under your desk.
You have a wide breadth of interests: business events (of course), music, art, photos, and a unique spiritual awareness. Those make for memorable conversations.
The events you are suffering now are incredibly hard for me to accept. Our body is a vessel for our awareness. Your vessel has let you down. It has not affected the person you are or the insights and thoughts that make you so very unique.
Earth will suffer a loss when you leave, and I will truly miss your companionship.
With love and sympathy, Roger Spaeth
5. From Steve Yuen
Kim and I started golfing when we worked at Arcata in Menlo Park. (I was there from 1978 to 1983). During the summer months we left the office by 5 o'clock so that we could try to get in 18 holes at Palo Alto Muni.
We would continue to play after other golfers had quit for the night. I remember teeing off after the sun had set. We would stand directly behind each other so that we could see where the ball went. When visibility shrank to a hundred feet, we would lose the ball with every shot, and we knew it was time to call it a night.
We started buying those new yellow balls because we could see them better in the dark. Also, yellow could be distinguished more easily from white flowers, pieces of paper, and other golf balls.
Today there are LED golf balls that glow in different colors. They cost less than $5 apiece on Amazon, not that it would help me much since I would hit them into the water. Now, if they floated, I'd order some.
One of my most vivid memories includes Kim, golfing, lack of caution (mine), and laughter (his). I had hit the ball into a wide ditch. It had not rained for several days, and there the ball was, resting on what appeared to be level, brown dirt. It looked like a good lie so, of course, I leapt down to play the ball from the ditch.
I was immediately up to my knees in black, greasy tar that had been crusted over. Shoes and pants were ruined. After the immediate shock Kim couldn't stop laughing. He looked at my mortified expression and laughed even harder.
Today we would call it a real ROTFLOL moment. Kim would have posted a dozen pictures on Facebook, except that Mark Zuckerberg hadn't even born yet. Kim drove back. Golf towels and newspapers were laid carefully, keeping the car from getting dirty. It was a quiet ride, punctuated only by Kim's laughter.
There's an old saying when people want to reduce a friend's embarrassment - "We're laughing with you, not at you." Well, it was clear that Kim was laughing at me, but I didn't really mind. He's one of the nicest persons I've ever met, and there's not a mean bone in his body. In fact, I started laughing, too.
This song from the Sixties has been running through my head. I'll never forget the good times we had:
Once upon a time there was a tavern Where we used to raise a glass or two Remember how we laughed away the hours And think of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend We thought they'd never end We'd sing and dance forever and a day We'd live the life we choose We'd fight and never lose For we were young and sure to have our way La la la la la la, La la la la la la La la la la, La la la la la la