Dear Friends of The Center:
I am familiar with sharing stories about the life of an object of art but not about the life of a person. It is with great sadness that I share with you that Bob Glick, one of the long standing and dedicated contributors to The Center’s Advisory Board team, recently passed away on April 15, 2017.
Bob contributed to the success of The Center in immeasurable ways. I had been working for The Center since 1989 and was in the process of purchasing the company from the original founder. Right at the time I was trying to finance the purchase, I met Norm Bobins through Marshall Field V. We had a grassroots concept meeting about how to do the purchase without investors and Norm offered to help me apply for a Small Business Loan (SBA) through LaSalle Bank, since I did not have collateral to finance the purchase. After all the paperwork and due diligence, I received the SBA loan through LaSalle Bank. In August of 2003 I was able to complete the purchase of the company without investors or partners.
After going through this process, I decided to create an Advisory Board for The Center with special people, like Marshall Field and Norm Bobins, who had all the skills, wisdom, and leadership I wanted to be exposed to when making decisions for the business. I was 36 at the time, and was very swiftly humbled when I realized all that I did not know about running a business. Norm quickly mentioned the need for a wise lawyer and suggested I meet with Bob Glick. Bob graciously joined the Advisory Board in 2004 and served all these years as our lawyer, mentor, and friend.
Bob was simple and direct with his thought process. At first his clinical comments seemed jarring, but once I stopped and listened to his short yet wise words, I was often stopped in my tracks with his power of clarity and perspective. I wanted to share a few of his reflective advisory tools:
· What is our perspective or angle?
· Is this a battle you want to fight for?
· Are we in denial, distracted, taking it personally?
· Are we creating an unnecessary mental state for ourselves due to pressures?
· Are we being judgmental or are we looking at the facts?
· Be realistic about the situation.
· Just state and share the truth.
· We leave here empty-handed so why carry around old baggage.
· Just keep moving forward with empty arms and a battlefield stride.
One of the toughest periods was when Bob was advising me in 2008 through the beginnings of the US recession. The Board was suggesting I make major cuts early to survive what was about to come. It was some of the best and hardest advice I have ever had to hear and execute. Letting team members go was an extraordinarily difficult process and Bob assisted with every step. With his guidance, the company pulled through the hard times and I am very thankful to all the Advisory Board members for getting us through that trying period.
I always found Bob’s comments very reassuring—reminding us to enjoy the great times at The Center and quit worrying about the next hurdle until it presents itself.
In addition to serving on the board as an adviser, Bob and his wife Linda are great connoisseurs of unique works of art and artifacts, illustrating another reason why Bob was sincerely engaged in the process and importance of what we do at The Center on a daily basis.
In 2015 we restored an important Chicago painting by Roger Brown for Bob and Linda. The painting exhibited areas of cracking and lifting paint. After treatment we then exhibited it in our educational conservation booth at EXPO CHICAGO in September that same year.
I find this painting symbolic of Bob’s philosophical and practical wisdom. It is the study painting for the 1991 mosaic “Flight of Daedalus and Icarus” for the 120 N. LaSalle building entrance/lobby in Chicago. It is still on view today. The mosaic was made with 900,000 tiles. The story of Daedalus and Icarus concerns a father and son imprisoned in a labyrinth. Daedalus created wings of branches and wax, and taught his son Icarus to fly in order to flee the labyrinth. Icarus gets caught up in the thrill of flying and forgets his father’s warning about flying too close to the sun. His wax wings melt and Icarus plunges into the Aegean Sea.
To bring this reference full circle, the image featured here shows the poetic and positive moment of freedom and flight shared between Daedalus and Icarus. As all natural forms have a life cycle it is important to focus on those precious moments of creativity, passion, and truth, while knowing that the flight will have a unique natural ending.
Let’s all follow the sound advice of Bob Glick and live in the moment.
We love Bob and will miss him dearly.
Heather Becker
CEO, The Conservation Center
We also wanted to share with you some comments from loved ones and friends of Bob Glick:
Bob was a smart, generous, caring, thoughtful, fair, honest, elegant man. He wanted everyone to know that he enjoyed his life! I was extremely lucky to have him in mine!
-Linda C. Glick
My father insisted that he never wanted to retire. As he wanted to be a part of it all even to the very end. As his career shifted towards his later years - he was fortunate enough to be able to spend his time focusing on only things that interested him. From his work on the Board of Directors of EdCo, to Roosevelt University to First Bank of Highland Park to the Conservation Center, these all encapsulated his various interests and passions. With the Conservation Center, he enjoyed being around a younger group that allowed him to feed off their energy and give back to the arts. As an avid collector and businessman, the Center allowed him to merge both of his passions seamlessly.
-Jonathan Glick
Bob was one of the smartest and kindest people I have ever known. I have always admired him as a wonderful husband, father, and attorney. But even more, I treasured him as my mentor and friend. I loved him like a brother. I picked Bob for my friend, and he became family.
-Norm Bobins
Bob was a great asset to the Center, as well as being a great guy!
-Marshall Field V
I had the good fortune to know Bob Glick both as a friend and a law partner. Bob was always cordial, considerate, and the quintessential counselor. A rare combination. He was always fun to be with and had an incredibly positive attitude --- enjoying life and grateful even when he faced a serious medical condition. Truly a unique person and irreplaceable. We all treasure our time with him.
-Richard M. Horwood
Bob was a good friend and business partner for over 15 years. He was very smart and always spoke directly, with solid insight. He was a competitor and led his life his way. I will miss him.
-Buzz Ruttenberg
Bob was an extraordinary adviser, and a constant sounding board for Heather and myself throughout the years. No matter the issue or hurdle we had to overcome, Bob was always there with a usually very short but profound answer. He always ended our conversations with great advice to move forward. He will truly be missed at The Center.
-Laura Jagger
CFO, The Conservation Center
