A few years ago during a normal conversation with my hero, mentor, and friend Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, he informed me that his remaining time on earth was short. He faced death like he did life—with candor, courage, faith, and optimism. He always conveyed gratitude to God for every day. As Mike often recounted, each day was borrowed time for him as he endured decades of crippling pain and infirmities that defied doctors’ projections and would have stopped even the strongest warriors. He was among the longest-living survivors with his particular set of physical challenges. Limitations didn’t stop Mike from serving with distinction as the Chairman & CEO of JCPenney; Macy’s & Co; DFS Global (Duty Free Shops), respectively; Managing Group Director of LVMH, Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton; and Chairman of Starbucks Board of Directors. When asked how he did it, Mike, unabashed about his faith, always attributed his success to God’s grace. He spent an inordinate amount of time serving others through philanthropy and personal contributions to improving the lives of impoverished people wherever he found them in the world – especially across Africa.

I thought I would be prepared for Mike’s passing since he seemed to have prepared everyone around him. My Christian faith also informs me that Mike is now in eternity with a new heavenly body that will never again experience pain. He’s with a loving God, and His son–our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is showering Mike with more love than he could ever experience with us on earth. Despite this knowing, I still struggled with his passing. Was my faith flawed? Afterall, the Bible admonishes followers of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 not to be “uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you don’t grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope.” I soon realized that my sadness was not just about losing Mike, but about humankind. There are far too few like Mike Ullman in business and in this world.  Mike was more than just an executive; he was a visionary who led with both his mind and his heart. What stands out even more than his business achievements are the values he upheld—integrity, humility, resilience, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. These are the qualities that shaped his decisions and defined his leadership. My life changed the day I met this giant while making a presentation to the Board of Starbucks. I was excited to be working with the legendary Howard Schultz, another huge heart and head leader, but didn’t expect that my time at Starbucks would bring into my life a profound friend and mentor who I was honored to serve for 13 years as his Deputy on the Board of Directors of Mercy Ships. He led by example, showing that success is not just about what you achieve, but about how you achieve it. Mike’s greatest achievement was leaving this world a significantly better place than he found it. May Mike Ullman’s legacy continue to live on inspiring and empowering all of us and generations yet unborn to be better and to do better. I extend my profound condolences to his awesome wife, Cathy, his children, and all who knew and loved him.