In loving memory of Joe Paul

On 11 September 2024, our dear friend and colleague Joe Paul died. There are so many memories of Joe that it’s very challenging to sum him up in a few words. Wise, loving, strong, Scottish, curious, brilliant, and open are just some that come to mind. Philosopher, river guide, friend, partner, intellectual leader, family man, and mentor are among the many roles he played with great skill and sensitivity.

When we first met in the late 1980s, I remember him coming to Atlanta to sit in on our relatively new Family Firm Institute study group. He wanted to learn from ours so he could set one up in Portland. He came bearing salmon as an offering. Then, there was our trip to Nepal in 1999 or 2000. We gave the first-ever program on family business there and rode elephants in Chitwan National Park. We rode them into the river. He balanced himself like an expert as his elephant overturned in the river, while I went for a swim!

We worked together creating new knowledge, materials, and programs. We shared divorces, deaths of our parents, and weddings of our children. But what was most special was our shared commitment to finding new ideas, tools, and solutions that would help others. He was a special partner in that endeavor. No one inspired me as much as Joe.