Rest in Peace Jack Sullivan

A couple of months ago, when I learned Jack Sullivan had cancer, I went to visit him. Sitting in his room at the assisted living facility, he was smaller than I remember him being. But then, I've probably built him up in my mind in the years since I last saw him.

I knew him as JG; my boss from 1988 - 1996. He liked to tell the story of my hiring as him rescuing me from the gas station. In reality, I had just lost my job at a radio station, after the new owners replaced the entire staff. And, I had picked up a part time job doing the books at a gas station. I wasn't anxious to go to work for another radio station; I wanted to do something more. In high school I had worked at a newspaper and in college I had worked at a TV station. I liked it all -- radio, TV and newspaper. I started thinking there should be something out there that would let me be involved in all three. Turns out working at an advertising agency was the answer. I sent my resume to two agencies and was offered jobs at both. Not sure where I'd be today if I had selected the other one... not even sure they're still in business.

My favorite JG story is the time I asked him if I could have a typewriter. He said there was a girl in the front office with a typewriter and she was called the receptionist. If I had any typing that needed done, I should give it to the receptionist. Right then I knew he was setting me up for success.

I learned quite a lot from JG. The three things that strike me as being most important are attention to detail matters, give your client what they need which is not necessarily what they ask for, and make your message appropriate for your audience.

JG was pretty hard on me at times, but I always knew he was trying to teach me and trying to make me better. I had a basketball coach in 9th grade who was harder on me than on any other girl on the JV team. I couldn't understand why and got so discouraged that I quit the team. Only then did I find out that she was so hard on me because she saw potential and thought that pushing me would help me get good enough to move up to the varsity team. Had I not had that experience, I don't think I could have appreciated what JG did for me. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to thank him for it.