Dawn Patrol: Remembering 罗伯特•克鲁格

This morning I awoke to hear 罗伯特•克鲁格, a friend 和 industry colleague of 20 years passed suddenly from a heart attack. He was about to the same age as me, 和 he was taken far too soon.

Robert was an early innovator in the streaming media industry. I remember first getting to know him when I was living on the Sunshine Coast in Gibsons, 英属哥伦比亚, 在21世纪初. He was on my call list, 和 his company 流媒体托管 增长得很快. We had an instant connection, 和 we soon found our way to doing business together. He left quite the impression on me—indeed, a personal one that I’ve been carrying around for almost two decades. 不知从哪一天冒出来的, a surfboard showed up at my door with a short note that read, “Thank you for making a difference.”

Although I don’t have that note, I still remember those words 和 will never part with the surfboard. Not only is it a genuine Robert August, but is was one of the first 和 few times a client had ever sent me a gift. I treasure the surfboard, but the words on the note are what really stay with me. That’s the kind of person that Robert was. He wanted you to know that you meant something to him personally 和 专业. I took so much pride in knowing that the business we did together truly helped each of us. I have to say that it really made me a better salesperson.

In 2007, Robert wrote an Executive Vision of where the industry was going. 它不在网上, but it demonstrates the kind of foresight he had, as well as his passion for rock 和 roll: "Perhaps then, rather than history merely repeating itself, we will transcend history as we are freed from the constraints of time 和 space to interact in myriad ways. To quote the Who’s Pete Townshend, a visionary of another historical epoch of unbridled optimism, we’ll be able to access what we want “anyway, 不管怎样, 任何我们选择的地方!" Then, in 2009, Robert’s company won the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Regional (North American) Delivery Network.

Our friendship 和 business grew, 和 by the time 2010 came along, Robert gave me a tour of his impressive facility in Los Angeles. 比特的嗡嗡声, 巨大的电源开关, 冷却系统, 和 the racks made for an inspiring sight.

 

Robert had a passion for the industry, innovation, 和 most of all, people. 随着时间的流逝, he pivoted to where the puck was heading 和 found success working in live event streaming, 和虚拟现实. 如果你去拜访他 Facebook页面, you’ll find photos of him with people like Dave Grohl 和 Tom Petty.

一生都在冲浪, Robert just loved his toes on the board 和 the thrill of riding the next barrel, 和 he brought that passion to every aspect of his life. While I only got to see him about once a year when we'd bring our 流媒体 West conference to California, it was always something that I looked forward to. We'd always make plans in advance for a dinner, a drive to the beach, or a "make it up as we go" time.

His easy smile, never-ending creativity, 和 spontaneity made him a joy to be around. He always had a way of making me feel good about myself, 和 I’m certain I was not alone—it felt like that was his mission. He wouldn’t let a moment that we spent together go to waste.

我会非常想念罗伯特的, 和 I believe his sudden passing was yet another reminder to me 和 everyone who knew him to squeeze the most out of every single day. Life is precious, 和 it will throw all kinds of challenges at you. Don’t let those challenges win. Find a way to laugh, to dream, 和 to be there for others every single day. Because today will never come again.

好好休息，我的朋友. Thank you for bringing out the best in me.