I met Herb at Canlab nearly 45 years ago, and we remained close friends for all these years; we met many times during this period, in business meetings and at home.
I was a new product manager at Canlab and Herb was a V.P. Sales at Bel Art. Herb was great at brain storming, sharing brilliant new ideas and developing a strong team. We worked together very effectively and expanded our mutual business very successfully.
Personally, I picked up many new ideas and business development skills by observing Herb's smooth, warm, caring approach and thoughtful, high energy style, which helped me throughout my career.
Herb was very generous and credited me for some his success stories.
I remember that there was a small 3M product line that was too small for them and they decided to phase it out promptly. It was a small but pretty good, profitable product line for us, and did not want to loose it. I tried to get many companies to acquire this product line , without any luck, since they all would need a few months to make a decision. Finally, I phoned Herb and explained the situation. Herb told me " Leave it with me, let me see what I can do". Within two weeks, Herb managed to get Bel Art to acquire this product line and it was available again as a new Bel Art product and did very well for many many years. There were some other products that became successful new Bel Art products which were used across North America, thanks to Herb's smooth, focussed efforts and ability to handle details quietly but effectively.
Herb made many Sales calls in Canada with our Sales Reps - Territory managers. One of them, John Bray, a highly successful and respected gentleman often took Herb to call upon his customers at University of Toronto. And John still remembers, even after some 45 years, how Herb will start talking with the Researcher who had no time , and end up discussing unique and new Bel Art products for half an hour, and that the researcher would thank Herb for stopping.
Our teamwork, with Herb's coaching and brain storming with me , a new Marketing manager, our business developed impressively, and Canlab was well recognized by Bel Art. Mr. Landsberger Senior visited me in Toronto. And later David, the new President flew to Toronto with his wife and took us for a nice dinner. During all conferences, we always made it a point to get together, and Herb was the Guiding Light during this long, successful business association.
In our Lab industry, Herb was a highly respected friend for many individuals. He was always warm, friendly, thoughtful, considerate, generous, cheerful and sweet . He would easily give credits to others for mutual successes. Also, he had the ability and strength to sail through occasional stormy waters of the company and industry.
And if Herb started talking about Antiques, you would be fascinated. He had absolutely amazing insight in most interesting, unique products from all over the world!
Herb also had an entertaining side. He was cheerful, jolly, enthusiastic and never seemed to get tired, exhausted or upset. Once we were at a dinner celebrating completion of a highly successful project and Herb said : " I am so happy this evening that I have to home and do my special dance. You know , I am very good at it!".
Herb considered education very important and once told me that he recognized that Education was the most effective asset for developing a successful career path and life style, "especially for a young Jew in New York" when he was growing up.
I and many others, will miss Herb , our dear friend , very much.
My prayers are with Herb and his family
- Raya Bidaye, Toronto
