Everybody Deserves Respect

One of the things that was special about Harvey was his respect for everybody no matter what their role or station.  He believed that everybody had a special role.  He felt very passionately about this and my first experience with this was with the support staff.  He watched very carefully how people treated support staff and demanded they be treated with respect.  He certainly modelled this behaviour in everything that he did.

I am sure all the support staff at Gellman Hayward felt very important and special.  He also demonstrated this with the maintenance staff in the office building.  They had such a positive feeling for him they came to his retirement party in the office.  He also knew about all our children and my children all remember Harvey. 

This characteristic is most interesting because Harvey was not a warm and demonstrative person.  However there was no question he was quite fanatical about everyone deserving respect.

All the support staff in our office building experienced the respect of Harvey.  The cleaning and the maintenance staff in our building all knew Harvey and he knew something about each one of them.  For many of us, these people are transparent but not for Harvey.  He knew something about them all.

When a reporter came to interview Harvey, one thing I noted is that Harvey would find out something about this person was and established a relationship with them.  He sincerely took and interest in each and every person he came in contact with.  He was always ready to help and support people. 

One lasting image I have of Harvey, the President of our firm, is him cleaning up the coffee stains and coffee mugs in our kitchen in the office.  He was a man of service with respect for others

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