Remembering Raymond
by John Lindner

Raymond once called me the “Chairman of Hugs” because of my notoriously soft touch when it comes to dealing with the human side of business. But the truth is, behind closed doors, he was much more of a softie than me.

Like many businesses, we faced difficult circumstances in the past year. And while a lesser man would have approached decisions primarily from a business perspective, his first thoughts were always for his staff. Every decision was made with their welfare as the primary objective. They came first, even if it meant he came last.

Raymond was generous. He never passed a panhandler without rolling down his window and handing them a $5 bill. And if he had no money, he’d borrow it from one of us. He supported innumerable charitable causes, and helped fuel our corporate food and toy drives at the holidays. And over the years, he championed multiple charitable projects for clients such as Tennis4life, Collegiate Schools, and Metro Richmond CASA, to name a few. Raymond had a soft spot for anyone in need.

Raymond was wise. He was the kind of person you would go to when you needed perspective. He had the uncanny ability to see past emotions to the larger picture. There were numerous times I came to question, rail, or complain. Raymond was famous for saying “Fair is a weather condition.” He was not interested in finding a fair solution, so much as the right solution, even if that meant accepting the short end of the stick.

Raymond was funny. You couldn’t write about Raymond without mentioning his famous, wry humor. He had the ability to see the humor in situations that no one else could. And whenever we got too serious, he was always there to remind us that “it’s only junk mail.”

There are many people who profess values to which they fall short. Raymond was not one of them. He didn’t like to talk about his values, so much as he lived them out. And what he left us is an example for all of us to follow.

Fiercely loyal, savagely funny, incredibly generous, Raymond passed away in his sleep on March 6th. His absence is a great loss for not just his family and friends, but for his family here at 93 Octane. We miss him dearly.

Memorial donations in Raymond’s honor may be made to the Richmond SPCA or the Daily Planet.