Gary died peacefully of natural causes on May 1st, surrounded by family and in the arms of his wife, Mary. Born in Fargo, North Dakota in 1936, it might have been the austerity of the era that contributed to Gary’s buoyancy, resilience, delight in the amusements that life can offer, and gratitude for its bounty. His youth was spent (or misspent) as an athlete, good pal, and occasional rascal. At North Dakota State University he served in the Naval Reserve Armed Forces. Graduating from Moorhead State with a teaching degree, he became the Youth Director and Camp Director for the YMCA. He has said that being responsible for the safety of 120 campers for those summers was the most stressful job he ever had. From the “Y”, he went on to Personnel at Honeywell. He finished his career there in 1974 as VP of Sales, and it was then that he found his ideal niche-the perfect vocational fit of problem-solving, decision-making, and strategy at Kepner, Tregoe & Associates. In 1984 he became involved with The Executive Committee and partnered to expand TEC into the Midwest and East Coast, where for many years he was a mentor, coach, and trusted advisor. In 1989, as a staunch supporter of manufacturing during a tumultuous time for the industry, Gary founded The Center for Competitive Excellence, (Paradigm Groups), where manufacturing leaders could seek his counsel and share best practices.