Our industry has lost a friend as well as an outstanding businessman.  Paul Thompson, owner of Town & Country Services in Greenland, NH, died last week after collapsing suddenly over the weekend.

Our industry has lost a friend as well as an outstanding businessman.  Paul Thompson, owner of Town & Country Services in Greenland, NH, died last week after collapsing suddenly over the weekend at a country music festival in Nashville, apparently from a brain aneurysm. He would have been 54 on July 1.

Paul is a past president of the NEIRC and of Connections, and was a great contributor to our industry.

I will miss Paul's great smile and love of life.  This is surely a reminder of how short life can be and that we must cherish every moment.

My thoughts and prayers are with Paul's wife Ginny, daughter Lyndsay, son Blake and the rest of his family and many friends.

Here are some comments that have been made the past few days on the ICS bulletin board that are worthy of mention in memory of Paul .

• “This is such a sad day, and such a sad loss of someone who made a real difference in this industry, and made a difference in the lives of his friends and family. My heart just aches, and I can't even imagine what his family is going through. I keep sending my prayers and love and wish I could do more.” Lisa Wagner
  
• “I got to know Paul when we worked together on the board of the IICRC. He set a standard for principled conduct, dignity, and moral courage.  As I got to know him better, I found in him a loyal friend...a word used too often in the business world when we really mean a "business associate", but in Paul's case, a fitting word.” Jim Pemberton
• “Paul was a great person who cared deeply about our industry. Just as importantly, you did not have to always agree with him for him to want to be your friend and care about what was happening in your life. He went out of his way to put friendship first. That is why so many feel such a sense of loss today, because Paul made so many friends. I will miss his infectious smile and that twinkle in his eye that said he was up to something. As big of a loss as this is for those of us who were blessed enough to call him a friend, and for our industry, it just has to be immeasurable to his family.” Doyle Bloss
  
• “I served with Paul for a short time as a BOD member of the NEIRC several years ago. Honesty, candor, loyalty and friendliness were the cornerstone of his character and personality. He will be missed indeed.” Dan Mabesoone
  
• “That is sad news indeed. I have such admiration for Paul. We shared a platform at an ISCT convention a few years back. And as I got to know Paul he shared ideas from his successful business that I have since shared with others. He was a very giving man. I personally benefited from his association and knowledge, and I always looked forward to encountering him at industry events. I will miss his cheery disposition and his friendship. My thoughts are with Ginny and the rest of his family.” Rick Gelinas
  
• “Let Paul's passing be a lesson for us all. We fight and argue on these boards about the most insignificant things. We should relish our time with our friends in this industry. Do it in Paul's memory.” Bill Yeadon