Two weeks prior to the start of the 2021 Summer Conference, we learned of the passing of a dear WMS member and conference registrant, Gary McLean, a recent FAWM recipient and current DiMM participant. Just one week later, we received another enormous blow – Co-Founder of the WMS Paul Auerbach had lost his battle with brain cancer.
In the midst of all the last-minute conference details, many of us switched gears, seeking to honor these incredible individuals in the way they deserved. In our communications to the board and membership, magazine article, and Facebook tributes, I gained a better understanding of just how far the WMS has come since it was created in the early 1980’s. Paul pushed people to do more and to do better. His involvement and desire for excellence in the organization spoke to the kind of person he was, and the organization wouldn’t be the success that it is today without him.