Dear Alan,

Our journey together began almost 2 decades ago when I was enrolled in one of your classes. You taught the compulsory Marketing course and I, your International MBA student, was immediately captivated by your humour, intelligence, worldliness and innate knack for telling a compelling story. Little did we know then that our journey together would span decades.

Fast forward a few years; I had returned to Canada after spending some time working abroad in Sydney and Paris. I was presented with the opportunity to work at SEEC and was interviewed by you at the final stage of the process. Sitting in your office, I vividly recall how nervous I was; your former student that I did not know if you remembered ready to work under your direction. You made me feel immediately comfortable; ‘let’s just have an informal chat’ you uttered with your British accent and authoritative voice. I don’t know if it was my persistence that finally convinced you to hire me or my ‘charm’; what I do recall is the feeling of wanting to work for you.

Alan, over the years you and I have come to know one another both professionally and personally. In the entire time we’ve known each other we never had a fight, not once. Although we differed in our opinions on some issues, that never manifested itself in strife or anger. In fact, I vividly recall an instance where we were in your office discussing a very stressful situation (and there were many) and you took out a bottle whiskey from your drawer, called Stephanie Sarik, and said, ‘there is nothing we can do about it any longer - no need to worry - I think we all can use a drink.’ And with that you opened the botte and I, who cannot stand hard liquor, took a sip. You taught me to let go of things and not worry about situations that are out of my control. A valuable lesson to an individual with ‘type A’ personality like myself.

Travel has, and I’m confident will always be, an integral part of your life (as it is for myself and so many of the people in our circles). I remember many of the incredible and unusual trips that you have taken over the years; you’ve visited so many destinations and exotic locales, many of which off the beaten track including trips to Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and even Antarctica! I recall examining the albums that you so diligently put together upon your return and listening attentively to the way you so proudly showcased and discussed each place that you visited. I, who also love to travel, looked on with amazement at all of the places you’ve explored and was inspired to continue exploring unusual and unique destinations myself. And that truly does describe you Alan, unique and unusual in every positive sense of the words. Your love for travel and sense of wonder is contagious and is a testament to your sense of curiosity. It is a bit strange that In all of our respective travels for work, we have only been on one trip together, Dubai quite a few years ago, I remember it fondly. You laughed when, in between meetings and client visits, I bought a garment for my newborn daughter. You waited patiently as I carefully chose it and, in typical Rami fashion, negotiated (and re-negotiated) the price. And therein lies your true character Alan, someone willing and able to support others, patiently.

If patience is a virtue, then it is an attribute you possess in spades. You have had an infinite amount of time and patience for your staff, your clients, your students and your community. In fact, anyone that truly needed your time, you always ensured they were valued, never rushed, and supported. You possess a knack for making us each feel as if we are the most important individuals at that moment. Your generosity with your time is unmatched and a testament to the culture you helped to foster.

Indeed, it is this culture of making everyone around you feel important and forging lasting relations, that manifested itself in the mentorship and advice that you so generously offered, even when not solicited ;p. I have never met an individual who possesses such a vast knowledge about nearly every topic. You have always been able to intelligently convey a point of view on what seems to be a varied array of topics, based on facts. You have a way of articulating this like no other and are undoubtedly the best public speaker I have ever met, and I have met many throughout my career. You are the definition of storyteller; someone capable of telling a ‘compelling story’ in a way that engages, never alienates, and is full of humour.

Alan, to say that you will be missed seems like such an understatement as your DNA makes up every fiber of SEEC. You are one of those rare people who instantly became a friend instead of just ‘a boss’ to me and to so many others. I will miss so many things throughout our tenure together. I will miss the ‘Alan intercom’ whereby, instead of dialing any one of us by our extension, you yelled in that commanding voice of yours - ‘Rami’, ‘Jack’, ‘Red head’ and the names of many others – and we would come running! I chuckle just thinking about it. Although at times we’d think ‘I wish he didn’t do that’, I know we will all miss it; I certainly will. I will miss your presence, your advice, your laughter, and your loud voice. I will miss walking into SEEC and knowing that I will no longer be able to just walk into your office. I will miss our wins and how I would excitedly barge into your office and report on whatever big client or big win we just had and seeing your reaction; how you would relish in my excitement. There are so many good moments and memories, far too many to count, all of which will remain with me fondly.

Now, after 20 years, as you step into retirement and figure out how to continue to contribute to society, one thing is for certain: you and I will remain connected until the end of time. You have been my leader, my advisor, my mentor, my inspiration, my confidant and my friend. You are the person I look up to, have grown because of and have been inspired by. I will forever cherish the time we had together, the privilege to have been under your tutelage and the guidance and support you provided me all these years. You and I are family and forever will be connected. I look forward to being a part of the next 20 years as you no doubt will write the most beautiful chapter yet.

Thank you Alan, for all you have done.
I will leave you with these small words of wisdom (and I couldn’t resist :):

Retirement is when you stop living at work
and begin to work at living
(-unknown )

Rami