My apologies that it has taken so long to transcribe and post this touching speech that Stance President John Wilson gave upon receiving the Dick Baker Memorial Award at Surf Summit this year.
We thought it was worth running despite the time that has passed, and an inspiring message to share on a Friday.
Here’s John in his own words:
John Wilson: “Receiving this award is a great honor. It’s really special because Dick was a mentor and a friend to me. And so getting this award is a lot sweeter, than if I didn’t have a chance to actually personally know Dick. I learned so many things from him. I thought it would be fitting to share some life lessons that I learned from Dick in the time that I had with him.
Dick Baker Lesson No. 1
John Wilson and wife, Laura“The first one that I learned from Dick was, “always look for ways to serve others.” There are so many people in this room that had a chance to be mentored by Dick, and you saw this throughout his entire life and everything that he did in serving his wife Una, his boys, his whole family, the community, this industry.
“That really made an impression on me and had a big impact on the things that I have done professionally, and personal choices that I made with my family and also with friends. Serving others is an unselfish thing to do, and I really feel like Dick had that at his heart the whole time.
Dick Baker Lesson No. 2
“The second thing that I learned from Dick, hopefully I can keep it together for this one, is to live with courage. What really blew me away about Dick and his ability to live with courage was how he handled his diagnosis with cancer and how he went through his entire process, from the time he was diagnosed until the time he passed away. You never heard him complain. You never heard him whine about it. You never heard him throw any pity parties… none of that stuff.
“He just lived with courage, day in and day out, and continued on his path to be a great family man and a great mentor and a great leader for the industry.
See Page 2 for more from John’s speech
Dick Baker Lesson No. 3
“I have a couple quotes, and we refer to this group as the tribe. I came across this quote, and I apologize that I don’t know who it’s from but it was spot on for somebody like Dick: “Great leaders elevate those around them; their tribe becomes their force, other than them.” I felt like that was a great way to capture what Dick strived for− it wasn’t about him, it was about elevating other people and making them better.
More on Courage
“Back to courage. I had the opportunity to visit Dick two days before he passed away. Myself and Kevin Flanagan had been up there because we knew he was really sick and we didn’t know how much more time he had. We went there to see him and he was in bad shape… he looked like how somebody might look two days away from dying. And he’s lying in his room in his house, and we didn’t know what to expect and we kind of didn’t really know what to say.
Ryan, Dick and Jack Baker“When we get in there, he starts joking with us a little bit and then he proceeds to give us advice about life insurance − talking about life insurance policies and what we should do and how we should do it. And I’m sitting there thinking to myself, this guy − he’s facing death − and he’s giving us advice and he’s mentoring us.
“To me, that takes a lot of courage to be that unselfish and to be thinking of others in a time like that. Living with courage is something Dick did a great job of demonstrating, and I believe that this quote from John Wayne is on point:
“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.”
“I think Dick saddled up. He just nodded at the circumstances, and he got on the horse and rode it. And that’s why I believe that Dick didn’t just have a big impact on the industry, I think he’s had an eternal impact on the industry. The great part about an eternal impact is that it lasts a lifetime and beyond.
Appreciating Family
“I want to give a special thanks to my family who are all over here. I have my kids here tonight as you’ve seen up on the video. Thanks guys for making me look really good, because I’m not that good all the time, trust me. There are highs and lows of family, like all families, that I’m sure you all can relate to… I love my kids. They are such a blessing so I’m really excited that they are here. My mother-in-law and father-in-law, Tim and Lydia are here. My buddy Rob and his two boys, thank you guys for coming.
“Of course I can’t forget my beautiful wife Laura. She’s my best friend, she’s smart, she’s funny, she’s hot, and I couldn’t ask for a better life partner. And I tell you, I wouldn’t be able to do anything in my life that has meaning if it wasn’t for her love and support. I love you, and thank you for everything.
Appreciating The Tribe
“My last thank you is to all of you as a tribe. It’s a total privilege to be a part of this crew. I never take it for granted, and I am really thankful to be on this journey with such great people and professionals. There’s so much creativity in this room, so much energy, and so much passion.
“My final quote… if you haven’t figured out I like quotes, which I feel like nails it to describe this group: This group “pursues happiness and passion first and jobs second, not the other way around.” I feel like that’s why we are all here doing what we do. It’s really special, and I thank you for allowing me to be a part of this tribe. I thank Dick Baker for all that he was − we love you Dick. I want everybody to have a great night, and thank you very much for your time.”
