Saying goodbye to a friend and coworker
Thoughts from Tom Roberts
In late September, my wife and I, along with Matt and Michele Graf and Dave Volz, accompanied Bill Gibbons to the employee awards banquet in Winston-Salem, where Bill started his Cook career in 1999. The loyalty and love those employees in Winston have for Bill became very obvious soon after we arrived. They were nice to me…but they swarmed him. It was fun to see. When it came time for the awards presentation, Matt, Dave and I expected to just sit and watch. But Bill demanded we participate in the receiving line, and shake hands and hug people…just like we were part of their team. That is what Bill did—he made everyone feel like part of the team. I stood by Bill in the receiving line and got to see just how much he meant to everyone.
Soon after Bill Gibbons came to work for Cook at Winston-Salem as an engineer, someone (probably everyone) noticed his innate leadership abilities. He was named president three years later. Bill successfully led the group at Winston-Salem to work closely together and accomplish some great things. He came to Bloomington in 2009 to take on a larger role within Cook, leading the global engineering function. Much of the growth Cook has experienced recently came from the team he built to develop new products.
He accomplished a lot individually, but I think what he was most proud of was watching others succeed after he had given them the opportunity. You can see the loyalty in the folks who have worked with him. He earned that loyalty by being a caring and supportive person; by being a critical thinker and provider of really good direction; by being supportive through tough times; and by being fair but tough when he needed to be.
Over the last 14 months, as we transform our company approach to quality management and address the FDA’s observations, I worked with Bill closely. We worked together to reorganize resources and address some really difficult situations. Over this time we developed respect for each other’s work, but more important, we became close friends.
That is something that makes Cook different from other companies; we are more than just co-workers. And Bill Gibbons was a great example of that. You’ll see it reflected in the quotes,video,links and photos below. Please share your own stories and memories of Bill in the comments section, and you can email photos you might have of Bill to blogeditor@cookmedical.com. We will share all of this with Bill’s family to help them find comfort in the difficult days and months ahead.
Many, many people also shared their condolences and memories of Bill on our Facebook page. Thank you to everyone for helping to support one another as we move forward.
Coworkers share their thoughts about Bill
“Bill was so much more than a ‘boss’ — he was a friend. He was truly one of a kind — my mentor, always making time for me amid his incredibly busy schedule. I will miss his laugh, I will miss his quirky sense of humor, I will miss his ‘tough love’ when I stumbled, I will miss his genuine heart for people.”
–Tamisha Clark
“Bill took the most complex issues and broke them down into sensible terms that all could comprehend and somehow get excited about.”
–April Bradley
“Bill cared deeply about the environment. I will never be able to leave an empty room with the light on again without seeing Bill point a friendly finger at me and hearing his voice in the back of my head reminding me how irresponsible I was being.”
–Pete Yonkman
“I have worked with Bill since he joined the company. He was often the smartest person in the room. He was a strong leader and was interested in seeing others grow and have success. I am humbled to have been able to call Bill my friend.”
–Matt Carter
“He was a mentor to many, both directly and indirectly. He was the person you hoped to get an opinion from and the person you aspired to be half as good as.”
–Rebecca Walendzak
“Bill started the engineering social committee as a way to boost morale and say ‘thank you’ to all of engineering for their hard work during a strenuous time. We planned events like a picnic and bowling. However, Bill made it clear he didn’t just want a picnic, he wanted a hog roast. He wanted it to be something special.”
–Tyler Bunch
“Another thing that sticks out for me was how readily Bill could be coaxed into a smile and a laugh. He really did have a wry sense of humor, and despite his weighty job responsibilities, the joy and pleasure of life were always close to the surface.”
–Ken Kennedy
“Bill was a great listener. He admitted to being imperfect and thats why it was easy to talk to him. I think a lot of people leaned on him for feedback and guidance, including me.”
–Christa Curtis
“Bill was a tremendous leader and motivator and instilled in me and I am sure many others the confidence to get the job done no matter how big or small the task at hand. Bill always motivated me to do my best and I know if I needed Bill he was always there to help out.”
–Scott Sewell
“He always made time for you and made you feel that you were the most important thing he had to do. Many times I would ask him if he had just a few minutes to meet because he was so busy. He would always say, ‘I’ve ALWAYS got time for you.’ (even though I knew he didn’t).”
–Shawn Lawson
Photos of Bill
Read about Bill’s passion for sustainability in this April 2014 blog post.
Read a North Carolina business journal profile of Bill from 2008.
An unexpected loss for Cook
We have lost a friend, a leader, a mentor and above all a loving Dad and great husband. Bill had a unique way with people, he made everyone feel special through his warm smile and easy going manner. The only silver lining in this horribly black cloud is that he left us all much better people for having known him and he will continue to be our role model to aspire to for years to come. We love you and miss you Bill.
Barry
Heartfelt sympathy goes out to Bill’s wife, son, and extended family. Bill was such a down-to-earth, friendly man. Whenever we passed each other in the hall he would always smile and say “hi”. He was a man without pretense; he was who he was – a genuine, good man. It’s hard to understand why Bill and his daughter were taken so early in life but memories are a wonderful thing and my prayer is that these memories will get the Gibbons family through this trying time.
I was shocked to hear the tragic news about Bill and his daughter, it is truly surreal.
Bill was an amazing leader, a fantastic communicator and a gentleman. From first meeting him in 2006 up till his last Engineering Update meeting here in COOK Ireland – he has always been positive – even when things weren’t going our way. He was a very inspiring man – encouraging us to always focus on the patient and his belief in ourselves. I always remember when Bill was asked a question, he would stop, think for a moment and give a full and honest answer. He will be greatly missed. May Bill and his daughter rest in peace.
Bill was a truly genuine individual, he had this great capacity to always make time for people whatever part of the world they were in. He listened, and lead with both passion and compassion. I will miss his insights but mostly his presence.
I just walked down the hall and your door is open and the light was on – that is supposed to mean you are sitting at your desk waiting for me to interrupt you! I will miss those brief moments where we just checked in to see how things were going. I will miss your counsel, support, leadership and friendship. I will miss you.
My prayers and thoughts are with your family.
Bill was a tremendous mentor and leader. His leadership style was certainly one of a kind. He trusted and empowered each and every one of us as he knew that the entire engineering team had their hearts in the right place and would do everything possible to advance technology while protecting the integrity of Cook. People always remember their “boss” or manager, whether good or bad. But Bill was more than that, he was a true leader, and a true leader isn’t just remembered, they live on forever in those who they have mentored. I know what Bill taught us will be carried on with Cook for generations to come and I feel blessed to have worked with such a great person. My thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s family.
I deeply appreciated interacting with Bill on a multitude of projects over the years. As others have noted, his analytical thought process was par excellence, making it rewarding to work through difficult issues with him. One of Bill’s qualities I appreciated most was his willingness to roll up his sleeves and jump into the work that needed doing. The example foremost in my mind is responding to difficult questions from FDA on our products with hydrophilic coating a couple of years ago. Bill dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort to working long hours as part of the team, helping develop the most logical, accurate, and compelling piece possible. Bill, you will be missed, and your family will be in my prayers.
I am truly honored to have known such a wonderful person and friend.
You will forever be held in our hearts, as God now holds you and your beautiful daughter in His arms.
My deepest most sincere prayers are with the family during this time.
Wishing the very best of wonderful memories and the sure promise and hope of life eternal to the Gibbons Family. Life has been immeasurably rich because of Abbey and Bill.
Bill was truly a wonderful person. I will always remember how people flocked to him when he would visit Winston Salem. He had a superstar persona here, everybody loved Bill. He was a man that held great respect by many and he will be sorely missed. I am so thankful to have known him and to be able to call him my friend. Emily and Will will be in my prayers.
My heart goes out to Bill’s family, prayers during this tragic time. I got the pleasure of meeting Bill for the first time at the 2014 banquet for my 25th anniversary. As I was walking by his table he called me out to congratulate and thank me on my years of service, I was just wowed by that. He was in fact a genuine man and he will be missed.
Take comfort in knowing he’s in the arms of the angels and his little angel is with him.
Remember me with smiles and laughter for that’s the way I’ll remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don’t remember me at all. When a loved one passes they become a memory and those memories become a treasure.
The American business philosopher, Jim Rohn writes;
‘The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude. Be kind, but not weak. Be bold, but not a bully. Be thoughtful, but not lazy. Be humble, but not timid. Be proud, but not arrogant. Have humor, but without folly.
Godspeed William…We will miss you.
My memory of Bill will always be his wonderful smile, great personality, great leader and motivator. We all swarmed around him try to show him our good work, just like a father figure. Farewell Bill rest in peace.
Bill was a wealthy man in knowledge and caring. Thoughts and prayers to all during this extremely difficult time.
In an inspirational poem that a colleague shared with me many years ago, there is an excerpt that reads “What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone…. A life lived that matters is not of circumstance, but of choice.” Bill Gibbons clearly and resoundingly chose what “mattered” in life. May he and Abbey rest in peace and may their family find comfort in the impact that they both had on so many.
Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Bill knew right away what a great, caring guy he was. Bill was always so easy to talk to and a natural leader. He left a lasting impression on those around him and will be greatly missed.
My thoughts & prayers to Emily, Will and the entire Gibbons Family! He was such an humble guy, never wanted to be made over! He was so easy to talk to and made you feel as you were on the same level. I too was fortunate enough to see him here in Winston Salem two weeks ago, we chatted about how Will & Abbey were keeping them busy and how proud he was of them. I will cherish that last memory of him. Rest in peace my friend!
I was very shocked and upset to hear this extremely tragic news about our dear colleague and friend Bill, and also for the untimely loss of his daughter Abbey.
I’ve known Bill since I joined the Endoscopy SBU in 2000. I have always felt very positive after any of my meetings with Bill. He made me feel that my contributions were valuable and I felt that he really listened and understood everything. I never sensed any feeling of superiority or hierarchy from him in any of our meetings or talks. He kept in touch over the years and we always exchanged Christmas and holiday good wishes.
I truly feel that from a human side I have lost a very dear friend as well as Cook losing a very valuable leader and colleague.
I will keep the Gibbons family in my thoughts and prayers.
Nicola
My deep sympathy, thoughts and Prayers go to the Gibbons family. Bill was a great leader and Gentleman, it is such a loss, he achieved so much and obviously left a lasting impression on so many people.
Bill was a gentle, inspirational man who wore his emotion on his shirt sleeve. From the first time I saw Bill as the new R&D Engineer on a video conference to the last time I met him at a group meeting here in Cook Ireland where he addressed the Engineering Group on the direction of Cook Engineering and many times in between, once with tears in his eyes as he told a group of Endoscopy Sales Reps and Engineers how he was sorely missing his family after a couple of weeks on the road in his capacity of Endoscopy President I could sense and appreciate his intelligence, passion and love for his personal and professional life . May the way he lived be an inspiration to us. He will be dearly missed.
What a lovely tribute. Condolences to all his family and friends.
Sorry to hear this sad news, deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues.
Very sad to hear…our deepest condolence to Bill’s family.
Very sad news!! My prayers go to Bill and his family.
Can’t believe it… it’s so sad. My thoughts and prayers are with his Family.
Bill Gibbons was a great leader and one who I could talk with at ease, even as new rep in the field some twelve years ago. When he spoke he commanded my attention and the attention of others because he was a good man with whom we never doubted his integrity or his intentions.
He always asked me about my family and showed a genuine concern for me.
He was a good man who will be missed. Our prayers go out to him and his family.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to have known Bill. He was a great leader and a wonderful example for all of us. He had an incredible passion and enriched perspective that inspired us to work hard, have fun, do things the right way and for the right reasons. I am a better person, both professionally and personally for having had the opportunity to spend time with him. His positive impact will always be felt. My thoughts and prayers to his family.
our most sincere condolences to Bill’s family.
Still can’t believe I won’t see this tall guy walking around with his big smile when I come to Bloomington next time.
Good bye Bill.
My thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s family. I still remember Bill showed me around the engineering team when I visited P48 several years ago. He answered my questions very attentively and tried his best to use simple words to explain the technical complication. He came to visit China last year and spent some time with China office people, warehouse people, SBU people and dealers. People really like him. He showed great commitment from Cook global level to the local team. During that trip, he also mentioned that his son was learning Mandarin. He hoped his son comes to visit China one day. Bill won’t be forgotten.
Bill was excited about his kinetics, but much more passionate about his kids. He was in love with his work, but not as much as his wife. He believed in friends and faith over fabrication and finesse. Bill taught us his priorities as he lived them. Watching him, there are countless memories and lessons learned, but two will remain: 1.) Never use people to get work done; use work to get people done. 2) If you want encouraging people around you, you better encourage them.
I met Bill in 2007 when I was a Start rep with Endoscopy in Winston Salem. He was such a nice man and always had a smile on his face. My prayers go out to his family.
Bill will truly be missed by everyone. His kind words, his caring smile, his thoughtfulness, his unassuming mentorship is something I will always cherish and be thankful for. His leadership and authenticity were examples for all of us. My thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s family.
With deeply condolences to Bill’s family…
We lost a excellent leader of engineering. My prayers go out to Bill’s Family. We will miss him ever.
A real good bloke as we would say in Australia, a mate, one of the best, always had time for me, and gave great council, i will miss our conversations and our laughter and remember a great friend and a humble man that gave time to every one.
I just cant believe this happened, I am so sad for this loss and especially heartbroken for Emily and Will… Bill was such a kind, caring and compassionate leader and friend. One of my earliest memories was being on the corporate jet with him and my smile was very much on and he said with his big smile “your really happy right now aren’t you.” I felt at that moment so blessed to be a part of this great company then and do today. I enjoyed working with Bill on many occasions in California and Washington and every interaction was impactful. Bill, I will really miss your leadership and genuine nature. Rest in Peace and please watch over us all. We will continue to work very hard for you and I will think of you too like Pete mentioned when turning the lights off 🙂
A few weeks ago Bill and I had another brief hallway conversation taking a few moments to see how each other was doing. During that time we agreed that we needed to find time to catch up on a number of things. Little did we know………. those moments reinforced what many have said and felt that last few days, that Bill was a very humble, deeply caring person that made moments in time slow down. Bill’s dedication to family, co-workers and patients have and contine to be a halmark of this truly remarkable man. My thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s family.
Bill’s contribution to Cook and the countless positive examples he set is something I will remember and cherish forever. Bill made everyone feel so special and truly believed everyone’s contribution matters. He knew we were better working as a team, as “one Cook”. We’ve lost an incredible leader and a good friend. My prayers go out to his wife, son, family, and friends.
We will never forget the image of his gentle and bright face. Remembering him wonderful and gentle soul will forever remain in our hearts. May God give him rest and the family the strength to bear the great pain..
No words to describe the loss to the organization and what he meant to many of us personally. He always tried to make you see beyond who you thought you were and into what is possible. I was blessed to get to see him 2 weeks ago and share our normal banter and a smile. We will miss you greatly Bill! God took two beautiful people too soon. Rest easy….
Working indirectly with Bill since he came to Bloomington I usually found myself in conversations where I needed him to solve a problem or provide guidance in a tough situation. As you learn from colleagues in any company you see them for who they truly are in those type of situations. It only took a few conversations with Bill to know what kind of leader he was. Every organization needs more of such leaders.
Bill was a respected leader and a great friend to all. I always enjoyed my time with Bill and learned many things from him. I will miss our basketball text banter whenever NC State or Kansas was playing. And, of course, I will miss our conversations during our many gatherings. Bless you Bill and Abbey.
Bill I raise a glass to you and all you achieved in your life. I was lucky enough to share a few drinks with you over the years both in the states & here in Australia. You will be missed around the globe.
My thoughts & prayers are with the Gibbons family & the Cook family at this time. About a month ago, we had an update meeting regarding the various important projects that Cook is working on. Bill instilled a tremendous sense of urgency in all of us to keep going and have something to show for our progress. Over the weekend as I tried to comprehend this horrible tragedy, that memory really stuck with me. It’s something we should all strive for every day.
Bill was truly one of the good guys. A Great leader and an even better person. Bill never put himself above anyone. He’s truly going to be missed in Bloomington and Winston-Salem. Prayers for all of the Gibbons family.
Bill was a man i have always respected and always felt that he respected me. I was often coming into his office to fix something like his phone or computer, but Bill never missed a chance to engage the people around him and really listen to what they had to say. I was not walking into his office with the next blockbuster product idea, but he acted and believed that every member of our team had value. He was curious about everything. He wanted to know how things worked, and he wanted to know the people who he worked with as well. He was empathetic leader in a way that all of us should aspire to emulate. You would have done anything to avoid disappointing Bill, because you loved him not because you feared him.
We all have different relationships in our lives, some personal, some professional, some are only acquaintances and some are life lasting. Bill was always willing to talk with me, unfortunately it was mostly while working through problems. We always started with how are the families and especially the kids! He was so thrilled to be with Emily and have two “great kids”. One personal attribute Bill possessed, that I admired, was his willingness to be vulnerable when he didn’t know something or didn’t have the answer. Leadership is a challenging role and he handled it with dignity, respect and compassion. I will miss Bill tremendously and join the rest of the Cook family in the loss of a good guy……..
No words can begin to explain the feeling of loss since receiving the news about Bill and Abbey. Bill was an amazing leader and one who I could always turn to for advice on handling a problem. His soft smile, and calm as a cucumber approachability will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the family during these difficult times.
Thank you for sharing that Tom. As I’ve watched you, Bill, Pete and Dave V conduct meetings with our different teams over the last few months, it became clear that Bill’s integrity, authenticity and sense of humor were a very important piece of the communications. Our paths did not cross that often, but when they did, I immediately observed the insightfulness and listening that everyone has been talking about. His legacy will live on for a long, long time. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
Condolences to Bill’s family, friends and co-workers, such a tragic loss. I am thankful that I was able to meet Bill when he was here in Australia a couple of years ago at our yearly company days.
We lost a realy good man… my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family
Only in the last few years did I have a chance to work with Bill, and he was one of those rare individuals who in person exceeded his well-deserved reputation. It’s a great loss for so many, but also the chance to celebrate the contributions of someone who left a big footprint in a company known for impacting lives.
He was so many things to so many people, and all of them true. But what I will always keep with me is his incredible sense of compassion for others. No matter who you were or your stand in life, his genuine character for caring and compassion could make any situation less daunting. We will miss him terribly and I feel fortunate to have known him and to be able call him a friend.
Tom (& others):
Thanks so much for sharing the remembrances of Bill. I admired and appreciated his steady manner and approach to dealing with any problem, as well as his ready smile. Although he will be sorely missed in so many ways, his contributions to our organization will long endure. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Dexter
Thank you, Tom. I think the only way I could have a heavier heart right now is if it were my own wife/child/parent/brother that this had happened to. Many have said they wished to be half the man he was… I’d be happy with 10%.
The company will forever be grateful for the things Bill did, and the heart’s of all his co-workers will remember him as not only a great Engineer but also a great friend. Wishes of comfort go to his family (and friends).
My thoughts & prayers go out to Bill’s family. I am so glad I had the privilege to have met & known him. He will be truly missed.