The
global outsourcing industry lost a truly special compatriot this week. David
Coward, a colleague at TPI, passed away suddenly.
Memorial
tributes are often smarmy and trite, and I know that David wouldn't care very
much for any fawning over his contributions as a human being. Simply, he didn't
think of himself as being very special. He wasn't wrong about much, but on this point he was simply mistaken.
It's
ironic how special he was to so many others. I can't speak much for David's
family and friends, except to say that he adored his two children and greatly
valued his personal relationships. He
always made the time - which is a challenge in our business - to focus on the
life side of the work-life balance.
I
know that he often struggled with the demands on his time, and sought assurance
that it was OK to have a personal life outside of our workplace. He set a
great example of having priorities, and living them.
While
I could go on about all of the great client work David led, and the many
industry players he encountered, all that really tells us is how many lives he
touched.
David
was an expert in his field, but he was the most unpretentious individual you'd
ever meet. Humility was his middle name.
So...
- Whether you're in the ITO or HRO side of our industry...
- Whether you're part of ACS, EDS, IBM, Accenture,
Hewitt, Fidelity, Convergys, or other service provider colleagues...
- Whether you're a client such as General Motors, Cardinal Health, Dana, JPMorgan Chase, Metromedia Restaurant Group, Wyeth, GMAC, Delphi, Towers Perrin, Aetna, or countless others...
- Whether you're part of the TPI family, an alumni or competitor...
if you ever met David, you'll remember the experience forever.
The
sun will rise tomorrow, but one thing is for certain - we will miss our gentle
giant with the Texas twang. Rest in peace, J. David Coward. You are already missed.
