Before he migrated to academia, and long before he was globally acknowledged as a marketing maven, I knew Alan as the CEO of a mid-sized advertising agency. He was a big thorn in our competitive side. There were times when we lost new business pitches to Alan, and times when our agency eked out a win for ourselves. This back and forth competitiveness fostered begrudging respect, which overtime morphed into mutual goodwill and friendship.

Alan and I left the business about the same time - in his case, to pursue his PhD, while I ventured into ethics and writing. Our paths continued to cross, co-authoring a book on brand equity, and in various programs at Schulich. With that long history, I have seen Alan both continuously evolve and remain ever the same. His horizons are forever shifting, yet his integrity is steadfast. He is a professor who never stopped learning, and an administrator who sits happily in the confusing-yet-creative hybrid space between sectors. Having watched and admired Alan for so long, I know he is nowhere near done leaving his mark. For all he's done, and for all he will do, we are Alan's beneficiaries.