Monday, June 16, 2008

Memories of Kevin Kit McCallum

Kevin was one of this world's great contributors, a true friend, and loved by many. If you have a memory, thought or story you would like to share about Kevin, please post it here.

23 comments:

John Yengo said...

There is only one way to sum up Kevin's life for me. It is in a phrase he used over and over again:

"IF I WAS DOING ANY BETTER, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STAND MYSELF."

I live by those words. They represent the positive outlook Kevin surrounded us with. Live life to its fullest...every day and every experience. Kevin believed in celebrating life and surrounding everyone with happiness. Never stop smiling for Kevin.

JoannaZuckermillmom said...

I only had the privilige to work with Kevin for two years when I joined P&G. But as the leader of the intern program, Kevin was one of the first and most lasting impressions of management at P&G for me. He obviously made a good impression as I joined P&G and am still here 11 years. What I remember out Kevin was his laugh, his strong work ethic but also his ability to play as hard as he worked. My deepest condolences to Cathy, the girls and is entire family. We lost a gem far too early.

Unknown said...

Kevin was a great man. He lifted us all with his will to succeed. He took care of his shipmates whenever they came to town. When times were the toughest, he would make a joke, we would laugh, and believe we could succeed. He was the man we all wanted to be.

Godspeed my friend and Semper Fi
Jonathan Harber, 33rd Co, USNA '84

Anonymous said...

Kevin was an amazing boss and mentor. He always guided you as his employee and showed the path of a true leader follows. One of the many sayings that I will always remember him by is that he was always on a project like "White on Rice!"

Kevin cared for me enough to help put me on my path, taught me the things that have truly helped me become the person I am today.

Like others have said, he worked hard, he played hard. I remember laughing with him after a company ski party or dodging angry drivers as we raced down the road because he and Bruce were throwing quarters at each other, through the sun roofs of the car.

He was full of life, he was a remarkable man and friend.

I will deeply miss him.

Jason Mathison

Anonymous said...

Kevin and I worked together for 8 years, at separate companies. And, he was my mentor, the only one I've ever had. A great friend, too, always willing to help me out when I needed it, no matter what. Everytime I saw him he would say "are you being treated well, are you happy, anything I can do for you?"

When I got back from my honeymoon there was an email from him in my in-box..."so, how was the honeymoon (no details please), what did you do, what is your new last name, how do you spell it, how many kids are you going to have, do you want boys or girls, where will they go to school, good to have you back..." that email was so Kevin.

Josh A said...

Kevin is a stud. That statement, a statement he frequently used and may have originated, sums up Kevin perfect and I will truly miss him. Kevin radiated confidence; a confidence that was both contagious and powerful. Kevin was a master of success, leading by example and mentoring others on how to find the straightest and quickest path. Two stories I remember:

My office was near the entryway of the marketing department so I was able to see Kevin on innumerable occasions speeding (the word doesn't do the action justice) off to meetings, discussions, and everything else he was involved in to drive the marketing efforts. Earlier on one particular day I saw Kevin walk in for the first time, arm in some type of cast (a.k.a. the infamous Moab Bike Crash) and I don't think he missed a beat. In fact, i think he may have been going mock 10 rather than mock 9 as he sped from appointment to appointment. As he was walking by I yelled out "Kevin, what did you do to your arm?". Kevin spun around, came back to the entry of my office, and started the answer with a bolstering statement that included the word "stud" and then trailed it with a few questions asking me how my weekend had been. He skipped right over my question of what had happened in Moab. I think he was too optimistic that he couldn't focus on his injury. Mainly I don't think he wanted to admit that he had crashed on his bike, nor for it to become a focus in any way.

On another occasion we took a high-level partner to play paintball in Draper. I've never seen someone run up a hill with an 80 degree incline in half the speed that Kevin was. It was great to see Kevin picking off the partners one by one and in record time, no matter how high-level they were. I recall the partners being extremely impressed with how competitive Kevin was and it actually added to the respect and camaraderie that the partners already had for him and the company. It was impressive, atypical, and inspiring all at the same time. Kevin had the instincts to know exactly what to do in those situations.

His optimism and competitive nature were Awesome!

Pons said...

I am so glad I had the opportunity to visit Kevin in Salt Lake City last year. We got together during my visit and Kevin took me up to Park City to buy me a beer and dinner. I actually offered to pay but he would have no part of it. We laughed and joked about old times. Got caught up on all the "grown-up" stuff and just had a great time!

He took me to his house to show me his masterpiece he was creating for his family and himself...it was spectacular! What was even more impressive was that he was doing all the renovations himself.

I look at his picture today and can't believe he's gone. However, his smile and laugh will always be with me and I'm a much better person today for knowing Kevin McCallum.

Cathy, our thoughts and prayers will always be with you. You and Kevin have raised two beautiful girls and you should be very proud. I just can't say enough about how much Kevin has meant to me....he will truly be missed!

bluesnow10 said...

"Touchdown, Dallas Cowboys!"

When you said that, you knew it would make me grin, so you said it a lot. Then you would grin too.

Kevin, I wish I could tell you one more time just how much I valued our friendship. I wish I could shake your hand once more and thank you for the positive and indelible mark you left on me.

I am really fortunate that we became friends, and our long talks will stay fixed in my mind.

You were the epitome of leadership, integrity and charisma, Kevin, and I will miss you.

Anonymous said...

While I had only met Kevin once, I believe a man's family is a reflection of who he is.

Personally, having had 4 children attend Juan Diego Catholic High School, my kids always spoke highly of the McCallum girls and my wife sincerely enjoyed the time she has spent with Cathy.

Kevin was also highly regarded in the close-knit business community in Salt Lake City, and will be missed by those who knew him well.

Youngey said...

Kevin Kit McCallum- we called him KK McC (kay-kay-mick-see) @ USNA's 33rd Company- was indeed a stud. There was a time that he was my best friend. But as life often does, the miles and years separated us. I will miss my friend, and so will this world. I truly believe Kevin made the world a better place- I know he made our immediate worlds better when he was around. Kevin was all about having fun, and his smile was infectious.

I would visit Kevin and his family on my way to and from USNA during breaks, and we always had the best times! One year Kevin and I did daily workouts to prepare for fall 3-a-day soccer practices by doing sprints at the local park. Amazingly, he even made that fun with his contests and jokes about coaches and guys on the team, and his determination to beat me. And then there were the numerous trips to Army-Navy, Georgetown or College Park, and Ft. Lauderdale with Cathy one year for Spring break. We just had fun, no matter where we went.

I can do no more than echo the sentiments and the incredible attributes many have already listed posted here. You have all captured the essence of KK McC- a stud in all aspects of his life. I will miss my friend.

I pass along my deepest sympathy to Cathy and the girls, Carl and Marilyn, Carey, Chris, and Chipper-those who were closest to him. The heartache for you is the most painful- please take care of each other.

Now Kevin sits with God, and as God looks at Kevin and Kevin flashes him that smile, God is surely having fun!

Until we are together again Kevin, rest peacefully in God's loving hand.

UA Youngey, USNA '84

Nelson said...

The years Kevin and I spent working together can be summed up in a few words: fun, competitive, fun, competitive, fun, fun, fun. Whether it was picking crazy stocks for our investment club (The Money Launderers, which the IRS in Cincinnati did not take very lightly as an entity name), to anonymous e-mails sent to his boss (and copying everyone else) that said how much he hated him (sent in jest by yours truly while KKM was at lunch), to mid-afternoon sudden paperclip and rubber band attacks over cubicle walls, life was never boring when Kevin was around.

Once we both left P&G and succumbed to Wiser's counsel, we always kept in contact, continuing to invest together, talk about the political struggles and the evils of optometry, and sharing strategies for each other's jobs. Whether we met up in Draper, once in DC, or just over the phone, it was as if time had not passed, the last conversation was never finished, and there was never a good-bye.

Kevin was a man among men, a great friend, a proud and loving Dad, and loyally devoted to Cathy. He loved his family. I'll miss the cadence of his words, the sudden hesitation at times in his sentences, and the rapid fire of his responses.

But there won't be a good-bye this time either. I'll just have to live with the memory of his voice and the joy of his life well lived.

Jessica Faulkner Chase said...

I’ve had a really hard time writing anything about this or talking about this with anyone, but I figure I should get some thoughts written down just for venting sake and so that all of you don’t just think I am sad or not responding to you for no reason. I had a very, very close friend pass away about two weeks ago. He was my mentor, my hero (and yes, he was and has been listed in my hero’s section on Myspace for four to five years).

I worked for this man as his administrative assistant for two years and in that time got to know his family and his work ethic well. The more I knew Kevin, the more I wanted to be just like him. He was incredibly optimistic, strong, passionate, loyal… his work ethic matched the work ethic of a thousand men combined. I graduated with my undergraduate degree after working for him for two years and immediately told him I wanted more responsibility. He mentored me into a new position at work and helped me deal with moving up in the organization. He always wanted my skills to grow and change and above all, always wanted me to be happy.

He truly has helped me reach all of my goals… whether it be graduating with my undergraduate degree then with my master’s degree… I always had Kevin in mind when completing these goals. Whenever I wanted to go after a new goal, I’d go sit down in Kev’s office and chat with him about what I had in mind… he’d give me his honest opinion and tell me that I can achieve any dream I set my mind too. He’d tell me that he believed in me and that he never wanted me to change the person I am today.

Five days before he passed away, I sent him this clip (which I may have sent some of you) and said… “Thanks for making me a dreamer…” because he truly did help me dream on a day to day basis:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TxAz9hHfhzE&feature=related

When I started my MBA at Westminster three years ago, it was truly inspired by Kevin… Like I said, I wanted to be just like this man! I would read books about dynamic leadership and leadership that beats out all leadership and I would think of him… this man was charismatic, inspirational… he was one of the best men I will know in this life. I gave him the book “Good to Great” and told him that he reminded me of how the book described GREAT leaders. He was a great leader, a level five leader.

The main thing I loved about Kevin is that he was real… he didn’t let the every day robotic hum drum of work make him something he wasn’t. He was still himself… he was still an imperfect, perfect man about town. I loved that he was from Georgia and had this accent that made me laugh every time he said “ya’ll” – he liked to make people laugh and he hated to see people work to hard or be sad. He would always walk by our desks and say “Ya’ll Be Cool.”

He made this mix called Kevin’s Southern Funk Party that I thought you’d all enjoy ( I know I sure love listening to it ) … here are the tracks:

1-Love Rollercoaster
2-In my House (12 Inch Mix)
3-Jungle Boogie
4-Let It Whip
5-Proud Mary
6-Mustang Sally
7-Tell Me Something Good
8-I’ve Been Everywhere
9-It’s Not Unusual (The Wise Guy Remix)
10-French Connection
11-Shattered
12-It’s Your Thing
13-These Boots Are Made For Walking
14-I Can’t Wait
15-I Will Survive
16-If You Try to Save This Marriage Again
17-Keep Your Hands To Yourself
18-Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)
19-Liquid Love, Pts. 1 & 2
20-She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)
21-You Never Even Call Me by My Name
22-Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line
23-Call Me the Breeze
24-I Feel For You
25-Shakin’
26-Machine Gun
27-It’s Raining Men
28-Got to Be Real
29-No Parking (On the Dance Floor)
30-Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Single) [Short]

To the family… you’re in my thoughts and prayers. Much love to you.

I will never forget you Kev.

Anonymous said...

I just found out from an old coworker about this and came home and googled Kevin to read this obituary and found this website. This is a great idea.

I worked with and around Kevin for quite a few years. One thing that reminds me of him is this little bit from the Blues Brothers:

Elwood: It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.
Jake: Hit it.

I too had "done my time" with Kevin playing paintball in Corner Canyon. Somehow I always got partnered up with him running up those 80 degree inclines, getting to the top and sit there huffing and puffing and thinking, "Dude, this guy is outta control" but we rocked and usually kicked some butt. He was a great leader even on the paintball field.

Kevin was very inspiring. I just graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Marketing. And although it has been over a year since I last saw Kevin, he had a part in this even thought he never knew it. I remember thinking, this guy loves his job and loves doing what he's doing. I want that, and I like his ideas and what he's about when he's "pimping" a product.

Being around the guy was intoxicating and you couldn't help leaving a management meeting feeling pumped and that you could conquer the world. If you weren't on board with an idea before the meeting, you usually left not only on board, but feeling like you could get it done and were excited to be part of it.

Thanks Kevin. We'll miss you. My thoughts and prayers go to Cathy and his kids.
-Gary Fewkes

KelseyMcC said...

Kevin was my father. I miss him a lot. To me it still feels like he's going to come home any day now. Its been really hard for me to understand or make sense of it. Probably because it doesn't make sense. Just like Mom said at the service here in Salt Lake. He was rock solid all the time. He was. He is. Thank everyone so much for keeping us in your prayers.
One of my favorite memories of dad and I, is when he gave me his guitar. Really I asked him for it, because he never used it. It sat in my room for about three years before I ever started trying to play it. But when I did, he was excited. He'd always stop what he was doing to listen to me, and tell me what I could do to improve the song. He was the best at guessing which song I was playing with out singing.
I wish we could all see him one last time. I had no idea how big of an impact he made on peoples lives, until now, including my own. He really was a stud.

The Fairbanks said...

While I didn't work closely with Kevin at 1800Contacts, I still wanted to share ne of the things that impressed me about Kevin. And that is his ability to make friends with anyone. On many occassions, he would sit and have breakfast with us "little people." He would shoot the breeze and ask all sorts of questions to get to know you better. While he was a "big wig" he didn't act like it. He really was a nice guy and will be missed.
My best to Cathy and family.

Mark Ballstaedt said...

A few weeks ago I started writing down some thoughts on Kevin. Here are some of the things that I learned from his life and the great example that he was to everyone:

Ask for forgiveness later - Don't ask about a rule that you don't know about. Sometimes you just have to get something done and you can't worry about all of the rules you might be breaking.

It's not fixed until it's fixed - Kevin was not a push over. If he didn't feel something was resolved, he would keep pushing until he felt it was "fixed" and working properly.

Expectations and communication are a key to success - Never surprise someone, especially an executive. Make sure you communicate and get buy off before the big meetings with others.

Coaching and mentoring - He was very passionate about this. I can attest to the countless hours that he spent coaching and mentoring me. Kevin cared about me as an individual. No matter how busy Kevin was, or how many more important things he had to do, he always took the time to talk to me, coach me, and be my friend.

Goals should be specific and measurable - "I want to be a better person" is not a goal. I will accomplish X by a Y date is a goal.

"Make me smart" - Kevin always wanted to make sure that he was prepared for discussions with others. If he didn't understand something, he would come over and say "Mark, make me smart on this".

Baseball - Kevin loved baseball. I had never been to a professional baseball game until Kevin got us tickets on a business trip to Arizona. He made sure that we all had a great time and was a great entertainer. On another trip to Boston, he wanted to make sure we all got a chance to see the Red Sox at Fenway park and bought us tickets (they weren't cheap as they were last minute). I remember how excited he was explaining the "Green Monster" wall. At another time he told me that when he was done at 1-800 CONTACTS he wanted to travel around in an RV w/ Kathy from baseball game to baseball game.

Passion for life - Kevin loved talking about any subject and sharing his words of wisdom.

Champion - He was the true "Champion" and taught me what it means to champion a cause. I had to be careful when I asked for help because he would not stop until I had what I needed.

The Individual - He cared about a person's individual needs and their personal life. He wanted to know how everyone was doing.

Developmental Needs - Kevin cared about what you wanted to do in life. He never forced a role upon someone, and wanted people to be successful.

Taking someone behind the shack - Sometimes people need a reality check, even if you wouldn't normally tell them that because of their position. He helped me understand that everyone needs feedback or we can't become better people.

Appreciation - Kevin went out of his way to show his appreciation for my efforts within his department. Even though I wasn't part of his department he invited my wife and I to a Marketing Christmas party. It was one of the funnest dinners I've been to and Kevin made very flattering comments about everyone.

Kevin paid attention to details - If I sent a report out to a large audience, I always knew that Kevin would read it. I would often get back several questions or comments from Kevin.

Praising and positive feedback - A week before Kevin passed away, Kevin spent a couple of minutes on a phone call thanking many people for their hard work and sacrifice, travels, etc. toward a large project we were working on.

Ingenuity and Creativity - A few months ago I was in Kevin's office talking to him about his home remodel and my basement remodel. He was so excited to tell me all of the things I could do myself. He was giving me pointers about plumbing, and creative other ideas. For example, Kathy had purchased an antique bowl or something that he had converted into a sink. You could tell that he was very proud that he and Kathy were doing much of their home remodel together. He said that Kathy would say that she could do anything a man could do. You could tell that he really enjoyed working with Kathy on the project.

Kevin's Family - Kevin loved his family. He would always glow when he talked about any of them.

The teacher - I told Kevin what an influence he had on me and said that he really should consider becoming a professor. My favorite professors weren't those who knew an author's book inside and out and could put together well crafted exams - they were the professors who could tell you how things really worked in life. Kevin knew how things really worked.

Kevin was hands on- He would come over to my office or to other's offices to walk through some idea that he had, or how he wanted something completed that he was in charge of.

Empowerment - Kevin empowered his subordinates. I remember a time where he could have stepped in and really took over a situation that had gone wrong. He instead trusted in his employee and made it clear to another leader that the employee could take care of it.

Articulate - Kevin carefully worded everything he wrote (especially in appreciation). He knew the power of the word.


Kevin, I will always appreciate the learning, the memories, and the unmeasurable impact you have had on my life.

Jenny said...

Kevin and I worked together for the past 4 years in my career. I started working with him right out of college and saw his passion for everything. Recently, I got to experience a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Kevin and saw his wil side. Pushing us to do cannonballs in the pool, peeling off his suit to squeeze into a wetsuit and always being gracious and just fun to be around.

Kevin was an amazing man and will be truly missed by many. The quote below sums up everything about Kevin.

“Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels. The round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things just a bit differently. They are not fond of rules, and they fear the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them, because they change things, they push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, I see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who actually do.” John Alexander

Mark Ballstaedt said...

Kevin, I think about you often and wonder what you are doing. You must be influencing many with that great smile and your ability to care for others. There are many times when I still ask myself "What would Kevin do?", or "What would Kevin say to me?" I think it will always be that way. I miss you and am grateful for what you have taught me.

Steve P said...

I miss him coming into my office and saying "Hey stud, how's it going?" with is smile over his glasses.

:Steve Peterson
1800 CONTACTS

bluesnow10 said...

I still miss you, bro.

Unknown said...

Kevin would have been 49 years old today. I have missed him every day for over 2 years since his death. I still call his number at work to hear his voice. The world - and MY world especially - is a much different place without him. He left behind many wonderful friends and he would feel honored by all the loving memories. I am sure he is at peace and smiling.

Joe Zeidner said...

I have read and reread the comments here many times. Among the many friends I have had in my life, Kevin is certainly one of the most influential.

I think about him from time to time. When I call or email his daughters to check on them. When I see his wife - working for the company - and finding her way in life without him.

Every time I read these comments, including this time, I do so with tears in my eyes. I feel lucky to have known him, I feel upset that he left so tragically, I feel pain for those he has left behind, but mostly I feel gratitude for having known such a wonderful person - and having been able to call him my friend.

I miss you friend....

Jottings By Jess said...

Kev,

I still miss you. Hope to see you again in another life.

Love,
Jess