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Industry Insights Lessons from Ira What We All can Learn from a Life Well-Lived Intro by FEDA Executive Vice President Ray Herrick What is a well-lived life? What is the story beneath their story that makes you pay atten- tion? How do you measure those who have lived beautifully? Is it their bank account? Their collectibles? Their charitable offerings? Who they knew? If you say you do not know, look back. –Dr. Kara Barker Where to start? That's a hard ques- tion when consid- ering the impact that Ira Kaplan has had on my life and so many others in our industry and beyond. He was a great per- sonal friend to my family and a very special mentor to my daughter Kate. Then again, Ira was a friend to many. His trade- mark response to "How are you doing Ira?" was a bright smile and a one-word response— "Spectacular." That's how Ira lived his life, in a spectacular fashion. He contributed much to FEDA over the last 30 plus years and will be m i s s e d for his a b i l - i t y to continued on page 26 see the brighter side of life, radiate joy wherever he traveled, and bring peo- ple together to selflessly help others and improve our industry, which he loved dearly. The author of The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren, wrote, "Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back." "Thank you Ira." Your kind, generous and gentle spirit will be greatly missed by so many lives that you touched. Here are thoughts from a few of the people who knew Ira best. His stories are now their stories. Play close attention. Ira is still teaching. Ira the "Most Unforgettable Character" Memories from Louise O'Sullivan, Prime Advantage There was a Reader's Digest column called "The Most Unforgettable Character I've Ever Met." Ira Kaplan is that person for me. I have hundreds of Ira stories, as do most of us in the Foodservice Industry. Here are just a few to illustrate the many wonders of Ira. First Meeting Ira Ira and I met at my very first public business presentation in 1978. I was up Ira Kaplan 1944 - 2016 6 FEDA News & Views