Rick,

So this email has sat in my drafts for a few weeks now and I'm not really sure why it's been so hard to hit send. Maybe it's because so many of my daily tasks make me think of you and I start to think of more things I want to say. Maybe it's because once I hit send it feels final and I just don't want it to be final. I'm not sure what it is exactly but here goes. I'm going to hit send....

Sorry for the rambling below but I have a lot of thoughts going through my mind right now of how much I miss you and love you and how grateful I am for you.

First off, thank you. Thank you for being you. Thanks for the time you took to be more than just my uncle. For the time you spent mentoring me and not just me, but those that I had surrounded myself with. Our whole team is truly appreciative of the time, love and wisdom you poured into all of us. And while the conversations were great and full of wisdom, I think I learned more by just watching you live, work and play. I love that we had the opportunity to travel together to many different places, to experience new cities and food and to work side by side. Spending that time together allowed me to see your work ethic but more importantly, how you balanced that with being present. For every email or call you responded to, you still made time to sit and enjoy a meal with me, and make me the focus of your attention. Your ability to put your family first while excelling at work is inspiring. It reminds me that work is never more important than my family but that it's not at odds with striving to be the best at what I do.

Another part of your character that inspired me was your prioritization of relationships. As I work with clients and my team, I think about how you always treated everyone. The way you extended grace to clients and valued them as friends even when we had just met them challenges me every day to do the same. I can't recall a time you criticized my work or decisions; instead, you offered positive feedback to help improve the project. You always viewed me as a collaborator and equal when you didn't have to. You had more expereince, you were the boss, but you never made the relationship feel that way and that confidence you had in me helped me realize what I was capable of. That's the type of leader I try to be.

You were a great travel partner. I'll never forget the great times we had. From Vegas to DC, LA to Indiana, Texas to NY, those are moments I will cherish forever. I am full of joy when I think about the meals we tried, the conversations we had, or shopping for my kids and just hanging out. Every trip I had a story to tell that made Kaela jealous because you always ensured our time together was the best it could possibly be.

Below is one of my favorite pictures. It was goofy but everytime I look at it it reminds me that you always offered your shoulders for me to lean on. You are a huge part of my success and who I've become.

Love,

Austin