John Kordyback, a treasured colleague and pal, died final week, aged
64.
As soon as the bus from Denver airport had pulled into the Colorado ski
resort, and I might deposited my luggage in my room, I got down to start the
weekend. It was June, so there was no snow on the slopes, however I wasn’t
right here for the mountains, despite the fact that I like to hike in them. My consideration
as a substitute was to my colleagues, a pair hundred of which have been there with me
for a North America “awayday” – a weekend gathering of staff of
Thoughtworks. Strolling alongside I used to be quickly hailed by a welcome face in a flat
cap, sitting exterior with a glass of beer as work-in-progress.
I might first met John Kordyback ten years previous to this. I used to be visiting
our new workplace in Calgary and one in all my co-worker associates mentioned “you’re
actually going to love this new rent” and was rapidly confirmed appropriate. Whereas
the elders within the firm have been individuals simply into their 30’s, John was my
age. Fortunately I found that he additionally shared my humorousness, and
took enjoyment of pleasant banter. Of extra skilled significance, he discovered a lot
that appealed in our embrace of agile software program growth.
The world of agile software program was very completely different within the early 2000s.
These have been the times when agile concepts about embracing change have been
thought-about irresponsible, when no one thought that actual programmers ought to
be testing their very own software program, and deployment into manufacturing solely achieved
a couple of times a 12 months (not counting bug-fix emergencies).
Once I sat down with my very own glass of beer, agile had grown into
desirability, and many consumers wished of us like John to steer their very own
journey into this type of software program growth. However John had discovered a
significantly difficult route, making use of agile methods to legacy
techniques, particularly: Mainframes.
Most of my colleagues have been cautious of working in legacy techniques. They have been
often pissed off by poor modularity, few automated checks, and fiddly
deployments. However John acknowledged that these have been referred to as legacies as a result of
they have been invaluable to their recipients. On daily basis we carried out
interactions with software program that led, ultimately, to transactions on
mainframes. I wished to listen to what he’d discovered and the way he coped with the
challenges.
John was nicely suited to this work as a result of he understood the core
ideas of agile pondering, ones that have been typically misplaced in a world of
two-day Scrum masters. He was conscious that the journey from Mainframes to
Steady Supply was one in all a thousand small steps. (The title of one in all his few convention
talks.) To hold these out he’d discovered an important factor was
to introduce thorough testing, and regularly simplify the trail to
manufacturing.
However an important core precept of agile that John understood was
that agile habits have been based upon people working collectively. When John
went into the mainframe world, he listened to these already there. There
have been a lot of of us in mainframe growth who have been eager to attempt higher
methods, however wanted somebody who, whereas they understood newer methods,
would not inform them the right way to do issues that would not work, however as a substitute would
would mix with their expertise to find the right way to enhance mainframe
growth
John naturally labored this fashion as a result of above all issues, he cared
deeply concerning the individuals he labored with. When the subject of John has come
up, the factor that at all times dominates our reminiscences is his kindness. His
humor was infectious, however not merciless. When he confronted opposition, he tried to
perceive the place it got here from, understanding that usually individuals do dangerous
issues as a result of they’ve been taught to undergo such habits the onerous method.
His aim was a lot better than agile, it was to carry decency and
happiness to individuals’s working lives. To create an surroundings that may
allow to better of us to thrive and multiply these environments.
I have never seen John for a lot too lengthy. Throughout his sickness we regularly
talked on zoom. Simply as he was together with his work issues, he confronted the demon of
most cancers with a constructive air, even when the information was grim. He had hoped for
a neater battle, one that may enable him to work with me to jot down down
his discoveries whereas he was briefly away from his shoppers. Sadly it did not end up
that method, and I will not be capable of search him out
at a gathering. However the reminiscence of his smile and banter won’t ever go away.
That a part of him will dwell in our reminiscences for a few years but.
Martin Fowler : 26 March 2024
John has impressed and influenced many individuals in his profession. Right here a number of
of them add their ideas on his skilled life.
Joanne Molesky
creator of “Lean Enterprise”, John’s spouse
My first profession was in well being care. I left that subject within the early 1990’s because of the stress of regularly working in underfunded circumstances (to not point out diminishing alternative for work). As I looked for a brand new profession, John inspired me to learn to use electronic mail and train others the right way to use it. From there, he consistently inspired me to maintain going and choose myself up and transfer on after I stumbled and had doubts that I used to be sensible sufficient and adequate to work within the Tech business. He caught his neck out many occasions by vouching for me in stretch roles that turned accessible. I might by no means have been thought-about for them if he hadn’t achieved that. He informed me as soon as it wasn’t as a result of we have been married, it was as a result of he knew I might do a extremely good job and I might not fail. He has a beautiful reward to assist individuals see the brighter aspect of life and provides us hope that we are able to do an excellent job regardless of the quite a few limitations that should be overcome.
Like many people of a sure age who’ve labored in tech, John by no means obtained a proper coaching in software program growth or administration. His diploma is in Philosophy. He took some stats programs at college. He taught himself the right way to code, take a look at and perceive techniques. Earlier than John began working in Tech, he labored with disabled individuals in group houses. He has a substantial amount of compassion for the much less lucky on the planet and would stand as much as bullies when he noticed them behaving badly in the direction of the susceptible. He talked about that slightly than confront and punish, he would use constructive reinforcement behavioural coaching methods with downside individuals at work so they may turn into a productive a part of the crew. I believe these years working with disabled individuals (drastically underrated and underpaid work) paid off in spades later in his profession.
Ian Robinson
creator of REST in Apply
Jim Webber and I labored rather a lot with John, in Calgary, over 2007 and 2008. We went from a one-week troubleshooting gig to a big change programme nearly in a single day. I believe John had a tolerant skepticism in the direction of our huge idea and broad-strokes consultancy: whereas many people misplaced ourselves for some time in an abstracted, considerably confused, big-picture tackle proceedings, John sought to offer a gentle counterweight, working in his affected person, humble strategy to set up belief and credibility by instructing and inspiring good practices within the engineering groups on the bottom.
John understood that software program is a social exercise, and that change is usually greatest rooted in day-to-day actions and habits, in belief, and could be most enduring when it emerges from the bottom up. He led by doing, by being candid about experiments and errors, by creating area for younger, upstart concepts and enthusiasms, and by having enjoyable.
When it comes to influence on my profession, I believe there was a sensible influence then, and an affect now, as I proceed to work out how I’d dwell a big skilled life. Someday within the early 2010s, I believed I wished a “identify” for myself in our business. Someday later, I noticed I didn’t. I’d had mayfly ambitions: John’s lengthy profession confirms for me now {that a} important skilled life shouldn’t be a once-and-done affair. Each engagement is at the start an engagement with a recent group of distinctive individuals. Success, belief and respect don’t simply roll over from one engagement to a different – each interplay begins afresh to construct at present’s method of working collectively. There needs to be a powerful core of compassion and openness, of here-and-nowness, for somebody to take care of that means to construct crew foundations time and again, over a few years – and John had that core.
Apart from our software program pursuits, we shared a number of touchpoints round British comedy and science fiction, and we laughed rather a lot – principally at ourselves, which I believe is the kindest laughter. I believe that characterises John’s skilled life: an effortlessly inclusive interaction of concepts and actions carried out with a light-weight contact of endurance and humor – he was a humble however vastly influential instructor, chief and pal.
Sharlene McKinnon
This memorial was each straightforward and onerous to jot down. It’s straightforward as a result of John had such an enduring influence on my profession, and it’s straightforward to tease that influence out of all of the silliness that we cope with as consultants. It’s onerous as a result of it feels so unsuitable to be saying goodbye. It’s far too quickly.
John is a storyteller, and he has a method of utilizing tales to attach and produce out the very best in individuals. I keep in mind assembly him in 2008. I went to a consumer website on my first day at Thoughtworks, and I used to be so inexperienced. I frightened that I’d mess up as a result of I didn’t know “Agile.”
I ended up on his crew and the very first thing he mentioned is, “Don’t fear about that stuff. Crucial factor is to get individuals speaking to one another.” And, that’s what we did. We spent months simply specializing in strengthening the human connections whereas adjustments in know-how swirled round us at a blistering tempo.
What strikes me is that I keep in mind the human parts from that point—the laughter, John’s tales, his knowledge and real need to assist. And I’ve forgotten the tech and venture particulars, as a result of they weren’t that vital. Expertise is fleeting and like a high-speed prepare that strikes at an unmanageable tempo. It was the conversations and connections that we had on that prepare that glued us collectively and made the journey memorable.
One of many issues that John used to say to me was, “That individual is caught within the weeds. Go assist them see the forest.” I’ve constructed a profession out of serving to individuals get out of the weeds. This was one thing that John acknowledged and fostered in me in these early years (I didn’t see it). I really feel blessed to have recognized him.
picture: Suzi Edwards-Alexander
Steven Deobald
It’s been over a decade since I labored with John, and I don’t have any particular anecdotes to share. Nevertheless, I did wish to describe the way in which through which he dealt with a (generally troublesome) crew. He was not the type of one who would both dominate conversations and current himself because the authoritative chief of the group, nor was he the type of one who would sneakily “seek the advice of” his strategy to the precise conclusion.
As a substitute, John simply spoke clearly and truthfully. A standup with John was at all times a type of palate cleanser, irrespective of how troublesome yesterday had been. His sense of humour was typically the key sauce that helped a crew gel.
He was a really pure mentor and chief, in that he would largely stand apart and let individuals develop on their very own. As a substitute of pushing or pulling, he would calmly step in — like an skilled gardener — to information and defend the youngest amongst us as we found out what the heck it was we have been actually doing. Typically this steering was technical and inner, generally it was political and client-facing. Typically it was only a hug when somebody clearly wanted one.
On a for much longer timescale, John’s mentorship meant instructing others to be mentors. Not by teaching or working seminars, however by his personal instance. Sadly, a big a part of what I loved a lot about working with John is ineffable. However everybody who had the privilege of working with him has absolutely felt it.
Mike Jones
My very first introduction to “QB” (a nick-name for John) was previous to my TW employment. I used to be an integration developer co-located with a TW crew. At one level throughout my very first day on the venture, QB jumped out of his chair, yelled ‘Dopio’ and walked out of the room. I had no concept what was taking place however then the complete TW crew additionally popped up and walked out of the room. I used to be caught off guard however they motioned to me to hitch them and I rapidly found that ‘Dopio’ (double espresso) was QB’s favourite drink at Starbucks. Proclaiming ‘Dopio’ was QB’s cryptic method of claiming ‘Come on crew, let’s go for espresso’. That may be a very fond reminiscence of mine.
James Pickett
John and I labored intently collectively in 2018 via early 2020. Throughout that point, I believe John and I had extra meals collectively than I did with my household! Once I joined Thoughtworks in 2017, I used to be each a lateral rent and an individual with expertise/expertise that have been “non-core” to Tw on the time. I rely John as one in all a handful of Thoughtworkers that actually helped me discover a strategy to have an effect for our shoppers and the corporate. We additionally had so many conversations about so many matters past Thoughworks (household, youngsters, tech business, and all issues Canada!).
Evan Bottcher
John was a presence in Thoughtworks from the time I joined in 2006, a type of voices within the noise inside our mailing listing, who when he spoke up you listened to what he needed to say, as you may inform it was reasoning from a large expertise base and a excessive mind. I inherited him as one of many “elders” one in all whom I felt that I turned later in my time at Thoughtworks.
I believe the factor I might spotlight was his expertise in working with groups making use of agile strategies to mainframe growth, together with take a look at pushed growth. I do know for a number of years afterwards I might join John with Thoughtworks groups everywhere in the world after they would stumble upon this bizarre world of mainframe and wanted somebody to assist in giving them the ‘Rosetta stone’ to have good conversations and affect with them. John would graciously take the calls and supply that bridge to a distinct period of growth.
Aleksandar Serafimoski
John was an incredible pal, mentor and an incredible human being. He at all times cared about individuals, and method out of his strategy to really feel individuals heard, acknowledged and really feel as a part of the crew. His information and expertise with legacy modernization and testing has been invaluable. He was at all times prepared to share his perspective and to assist individuals after they have been struggling. I’ll positively miss him at TW and in life! Relaxation in peace John.
picture: Kelly Cronin
Angela Ferguson
I had absolutely the privilege of counting John and Joanne associates since they have been right here on project in Melbourne. One of many issues that actually stands out to me about John is his means to actually really feel the enjoyment in (nearly) any scenario and to wish to share that pleasure with others, whereas concurrently not hesitating on calling bullshit when it must be referred to as. His need to take colleagues alongside on his skilled journey, to champion for them and to assist them to additionally see the enjoyment in working with nice individuals was good. Despite the fact that I’ve solely seen him sporadically up to now years – and I really feel very fortunate to have been capable of see him this previous September – I, like many others, will miss having him right here.
Brandon Byars
creator of Testing Microservices with Mountebank
All people wants a mentor after they transfer right into a stretch function. The primary time I took on a management place at scale, I used to be lucky to have John Kordyback mentor me. He taught me to “lean in” to issues slightly than run or conceal from them. He taught me the significance of strolling the halls and speaking to individuals, as a result of working at scale meant constructing and relying in your community to get issues achieved. He taught me to snort on the each day tribulations slightly than turn into burdened by them. He helped me assume not nearly know-how, however the right way to implement know-how via individuals, and the right way to keep resilient when the challenges felt overwhelming. John did excess of assist me turn into a greater technologist and a greater chief; he helped me turn into a greater individual.
Stefania Stefansdottir
I had the fortune to very briefly meet and work with John in 2020 at
Thoughtworks. John was an individual that by some means managed to go away such a
constructive impression on the individuals round him. How he approached
structure and software program supply tied to legacy techniques was by some means
so tied to empathy for the individuals working with it and understanding
the worth of the system that it nonetheless stays with me 4 years later and
has influenced how I work together and work each with legacy techniques and
shoppers.
Martin Andersen
Once I met John I used to be working within the Calgary workplace, which on the time was the epitome of TW’s “like school however with cash” slogan – we have been all younger, it was considerably unhinged, and it was a number of enjoyable. At some point I heard there was some pleasure that we’d managed to rent this senior man from TransCanada, older and extra skilled. I might see the worth in that, however to be sincere I actually wasn’t trying ahead to it. I felt just like the temper would shift, get extra critical and boring. In fact as soon as he arrived it didn’t take lengthy to appreciate this wasn’t the case. John was at all times an extremely youthful individual. He was enthusiastic and curious and at all times filled with power. And he liked each the issues most crucial to make this business work its greatest: know-how and other people.
I used to be at all times impressed by his means to stay thinking about and focussed on detailed technical issues. Lots of people age out of this as they shift or drift extra into management and administration, however John at all times wished to be near the metallic. And whereas it’s not unusual for individuals to wish to stay concerned, in an business at all times altering as quick as this has, so many don’t sustain. However John did. He by no means bored with studying, and you may at all times see clearly his pleasure about no matter it was he was pursuing.
I used to be extra impressed, although, together with his curiosity in and give attention to others. Whenever you have been with John he was with you. He was and engaged. He had a wry, playful sense of humour. Might be critical as wanted, however would at all times slightly be smiling, which he often was. In all places he went he made associates and put individuals relaxed. He’d land at a consumer website and have all of it mapped out earlier than you knew it, joking round with VPs and junior devs alike. Some individuals make forging these enterprise relationships seem to be work, transactional, however I by no means acquired that sense with John. It felt like he actually did simply take pleasure in making connections. Actually, he had the identical enthusiasm and curiousity concerning the individuals he labored with as he did concerning the issues he labored on. He made all of it appear enjoyable. Greater than that, he made it truly enjoyable. It nonetheless makes me snort that I ever thought he may be some gray stultifying presence. I’m glad I had the prospect to spend as a few years round him as I did. I’ll miss him.
Ranbir Chawla
SVP Engineering, RB International
I met John throughout a Undertaking Discovery whereas I used to be working at Thoughtworks, and I used to be instantly impressed together with his means to hearken to the shoppers, ask perceptive questions and attain a fast understanding of the deeper below-the-surface points at hand. John at all times displayed a deep empathy for individuals, and on the identical time a really sensible mindset that helped us all see how we might break down a big downside, perceive the human points and the way they intertwined with know-how issues. He was a unbelievable communicator, capable of break down a posh resolution into one thing very comprehensible by the viewers he was with. He and I used to joke that one of the best ways to be sure you understood an issue was to clarify it to your mom first, and if she get’s it, nicely then you could perceive it as nicely; so now you might be geared up to assist take your shoppers on a journey to their finish targets with out shedding them in some deeply technical presentation or planning cycle.
With that stage of practicality and communication John and I have been capable of companion with our consumer leaders to point out the worth of small-batch work, frequent deliveries of software program to their product groups (weekly vs. quarterly to start out) and ultimately modified throughout the group how software program was delivered, dragging their different consulting companies into the method. All of the whereas John stored smiling, joking, and taking individuals on that journey in his personal particular method.
Most of all, John made that fixed on the highway time away from residence enjoyable and cozy. I’ll treasure the straightforward dinners on the native Indian restaurant in Spring Texas, or burgers on the native bar and grill he liked that we named The Kordy Shack. His humour, empathy, and talent to climate no matter storm hit us left an timeless impression in my soul. As an older man solely 3 years youthful than John, I nonetheless would inform him “Sometime I’ll develop as much as be identical to you sir 😊”.
picture: Aleksandar Serafimoski
Vanessa Towers
I first labored on the identical account as John in 2013 after which afterward in 2020. John was a standout in each cases, rapidly incomes a powerful fame as a technical chief, modernization guru and all-round variety hearted human. John’s humor acquired everybody via probably the most difficult occasions throughout formidable consumer engagements. John’s dedication to our shoppers was second to none, engaged on a distributed account at scale from the US West Coast meant John and I might typically begin our working day at 5am, with John sometimes taking cost of driving essential conferences and dealing periods right now, with a number of cups of espresso wanted to maintain us going via the early hours. John’s dedication to rising the following era of Thoughtworks leaders was an unimaginable reward to these round him. John was an inspiring colleague, fiend, gardener, cook dinner, father and devoted husband to Joanne. He shall be drastically missed by his associates and colleagues at Thoughtworks.
Miguel Enriquez
Principal Software program Engineer at Subsequent Knowledge
Like many others, I met John at work throughout very troublesome occasions each private
and professionally. Like many technologists I knew from that point, I used to be very
captivated with a number of matters however John at all times had these pearls of knowledge to
share with me relating to know-how, management and, extra importantly, private
relationships.
I at all times questioned why he at all times would transfer between conferences with executives to
our little conflict room downstairs with a smile that was contagious. Everybody was
virtually smiling and laughing at any time when we noticed him stroll the hallways. I slowly
realized, via conversations that I keep in mind fondly, that he was a superb
human being and he cemented this with nice talks about tech, sensible banter, nice
ebook suggestions, a shared love for cats, and particularly a contagious sense
of humor. I’m at a lack of phrases about all good the issues he was and I’ll
keep in mind him fondly, smiling all the way in which, as a mentor and fellow technologist.
Patrick Kua
Founding father of the Tech Lead Academy
John confirmed me early in my profession what on a regular basis management appeared like. I first noticed his identify on inner mailing lists. His contributions at all times felt well-balanced and considerate, contrasting with a few of the heated debates on a software program growth listing. When he posted, his phrases appeared to maneuver individuals, and other people actually listened to him.
I understood this extra whereas engaged on an project in Canada. We labored on the identical consumer, albeit on completely different tasks, so I lastly acquired to place a face to the identify. Though we labored on completely different tasks, we sat in the identical cubicle space. I keep in mind he would at all times greet me on arrival, say goodbye earlier than leaving, and, regardless of his difficult venture, at all times had a smile or a joke to share. Extra importantly, I found I might at all times flip round and ask for enter when not sure about something. He at all times made time to rigorously hear and noticeably pause and assume earlier than responding.
In management circles, you typically hear the saying, “On the finish of the day, individuals received’t keep in mind what you mentioned or did; they may keep in mind the way you made them really feel.” John made everybody really feel listened to. Since you felt listened to, you additionally listened to John when he mentioned one thing. Despite the fact that my venture solely lasted a number of months, his role-modelling underscored how everybody can present management with out being a proper chief.
Amit Uttam
Earlier than becoming a member of Thoughtworks full-time, I had the great fortune of being a part of a crew that had introduced in Thoughtworks for what was speculated to be a quick “consulting and technical” steering engagement. Simply prior, I keep in mind feeling slightly drained from consistently being pulled into non-technical areas of crew and enterprise administration, whereas nonetheless making an attempt to maintain my ever-fading technical embers alive and stoked.
It was in that transient engagement that I met John Kordyback, and he confirmed me that it was okay to be wizened, quirky, politely irreverent and unapologetically technical. I finally turned John’s colleague and teammate at Thoughtworks Calgary, and I can say with full confidence that a few of my most vital profession selections and trajectory forks are laced with a little bit of his particular salt.
I’m a greater individual for having recognized John, my pal.
Kelly Cronin
I solely labored on one venture with John, about 3 years into my tenure at TW, however he and the actual foxhole we have been in there left an enduring impression on me. My first assembly with him was, delightfully, within the bar colloquially recognized account-wide because the Kordy Shack, the place he grinned a welcome at me, handed over a menu he didn’t want, and made a number of suggestions, ones which I used to be silly sufficient to not take.
Over the following few months, as a “pre-technical” addition to a really technical technique group, I made an insane pest of myself badgering everybody for particulars on the whys, in an effort to perceive, and assist inform the story of, what we have been doing there. Anybody coming into our communal convention room in between grueling consumer conferences was instantly waylaid and set to narrating my more and more unreadable whiteboard diagrams. However John had a present for rationalization, even when explaining to somebody as hard-headed and pre-technical as me; a present he’d honed through lengthy years of seeing round corners for his shoppers when all they may see was a legacy spaghetti diagram; for serving to them discover a aspect door out of the technical corners they’d painted themselves into.
He had unimaginable endurance for that type of dialog. He gave me diagrams explaining some fundamental information precepts and defined a few of the steps the consumer was going to need to take alongside the way in which to the transformation they wished; then gave me the fact of what they have been prone to do after they ran out of time and cash, and the place that may possible land them. He helped me fill in a giant hole in my understanding of knowledge platforms broadly. I won’t ever learn to hear like John, however I definitely discovered I ought to hear to him. I won’t have had the talents to acknowledge how deeply his information truly rooted, however even I might inform the person was seeing the forests, the timber, and all of the leaves and bugs and sub-bark phloem and xylem that stored the entire rattling factor alive.
That is to say nothing of his dry Canadian wit, his willingness to be foolish, his abiding love of an absurd headline or an excellent dad joke, and his utter graciousness within the face of this unfair, infuriating analysis and sickness. To have such a person be lower quick is definitely tragic; for him to be praising his luck on the way in which out, for the remedy he obtained and the help of his household and associates, and the care of his medical crew, and the life he acquired to steer up till…. that’s to his core the person that he was: following hope the place it led down an arduous path, then gracefully bidding hope adieu to stroll the remainder of the way in which with realism and peace. We who knew him have been fortunate; and we might be fortunate to face what he did as he did, with vulnerability, equanimity, and take care of these he left behind. It was yet one more hole in my information that he stuffed for me, and I like him for it.
Michelle D’Souza
John and I labored collectively in 2008 for quite a few years on my very first account at Thoughtworks. It was a big and nebulous account and more often than not I felt I didn’t know what I used to be doing. However John, together with his huge and reassuring smile (the factor I’ll miss probably the most about him), made me really feel like I used to be able to something.
He was a powerful believer in recognizing an individual’s strengths and amplifying these. He was one of many first few individuals to point out me the significance of the human aspect of know-how. Irrespective of how busy he was, he regularly popped by our cubicles to share a random bicycling story or to speak about consumer technique or the brand new hotness in tech.
He was a mentor not simply to me however to anybody who was prepared to hear. He shall be dearly missed…..
Nick Thorpe
The primary time I met John Kordyback, he swept right into a consumer we have been working at. It was my first job, and I used to be nervy. I requested him what he was doing there. He pointed on the sky, and mentioned “Air Cowl”. I had no concept what he meant, however as we turned associates, I got here to grasp it meant “influencing individuals many ranges up from what you see out of your vantage level”.
John was at all times involved about individuals, however he by no means purchased into bullshit. In a while, we have been speaking about how a few of our colleagues have been deriding the venture as “waterfall”. I had no concept what to say to that, as a result of it was true! He put his hand on his mouth in mock horror, after which got here that wolfish Kordyback grin. “Inform ‘em to recover from it”. He mentioned.
David Robinson
I had the privilege to work with John Kordyback on 3 events throughout my tenure at Thoughtworks. I’m a greater human and a greater advisor due to him. I aspire to be the form of Thoughtworkers he was. His humility and kindness made a constructive impression on his colleagues, associates, and shoppers. I actually appreciated his relaxed angle, even when issues acquired “attention-grabbing”. I’ll miss him
Tom Clement Oketch
I had the wonderful privilege of working with John extensively at a consumer in Houston from 2018 to 2019. His information of enterprise structure, testing in all its kinds, mainframes, and legacy modernization was unmatched. His means to command respect and restore calm to chaos in a room filled with executives was magical. Nevertheless maybe my favourite trait of his was the endurance and empathy with which he handled everybody round him.
It’s not typically that somebody as sensible and excellent as him could be prepared to put apart their lofty accomplishments to have deeply impacting conversations about all the things from work and profession, to household and the goofiness of American versus Canadian tradition, to random conversations concerning the wonderful pictures he had taken of his cat. I learnt rather a lot from John, and for that I’m deeply grateful.
Relaxation in peace, variety pal.
Ben Escudero
I’ve nothing however fond reminiscences of John’s prolonged tour of Australia that go nicely past studying about how watching ice hockey could be thought-about a marital exercise in Canada. At all times prepared to inject his rascally humour and a depraved smile into an interplay, John introduced a deep sense of humanity and social connection to all of his technical engagements.
If John was on the crew, you at all times knew that each single member of that crew would have him searching for them, supporting them, encouraging them to contemplate a distinct perspective to the scenario at hand. This went method past being beneficiant together with his time, John merely embraced the concept offering pastoral care was in step with the years of expertise that he introduced to each interplay.
Listening to John categorical his timeless love for his gal, often within the presence of mentioned gal, was a lesson within the energy of vulnerability, of the enjoyment of being in love, and the significance of expressing gratitude for all that life has to supply. John helped form and information many technologists who have been lucky sufficient to have had his help on the powerful issues that wanted to be solved. His considerate, loving care for everybody inside his orbit stays with me even after a decade of our final venture collectively, and by gosh I like that fella for it.
