 John Laye
Born May 26, 1933 in
Santa Monica, CA
Entered into Rest May 5, 2006 Orinda, CA
Buried at Riverside National Cemetery
Riverside, CA with Military Honor Guard
Family and Career Highlights
A Tribute from John’s Daughter
Tributes from Friends & Colleagues in the Industry
From Kathy Rainey
John Laye was on the first Advisory Board for the Disaster Resource GUIDE. I am grateful for his help in making the dream of a one-stop industry GUIDE a reality. In this and so many other ways, John has left his mark on the world of business continuity and emergency management.
Kathy Rainey, Publisher of Disaster Resource GUIDE
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From Norm Meier
John Laye. Family values, integrity, humor, sharing, friendly, firm, dedicated ... and one of the few true 'handshake' people. Pilot, Navy Air Boss, Flight Controller, Emergency Planner, Fire Brigade, College Professor, DHS Instructor ... yes, and a mentor and coach. I had a strong professional relationship with John for almost two decades ... East Coast for me - West Coast for him. Both FBCI mentors. That is until I moved to Northern California two years ago - then it became 'guest lecturer', business partner, Community public-private initiative, listener of Naval Carrier exploits, and, eventually - Friend.
Our philosophy of 'the more you give, the more you get' became more and more evident. And the ability to commit to partnerships on a handshake restored my faith in family values, integrity and real friendships.
I believe that we gain something by everyone we meet in life .. and if we look at it properly, all positive. My relationship with John has helped smooth my rough edges .. and I hope to pass this on to others I meet.
Norm Meier; President , The Catalyst, BCI Country Representative - US-West
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From Ian Clark
He will be sadly missed as a friend, colleague, mentor and motivator. The Business Continuity profession has lost a true champion.
Ian Clark, BCI Country Representative - New Zealand
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From Doug Nelson
I sit here in my study, late in the evening, trying to make sense of things -- trying to find the right words of tribute for a quiet, unassuming man that has been my mentor these past seven years. The man who epitomized what it is to be an officer and a gentleman. John Laye.
John was also the consummate colleague, advisor, and coach. No matter what difficulties, deadlines, and decisions he was struggling with in his own life, John would always, always take time to return a call, invite you in for a chat, or simply grace the moment with his beaming smile, listen intently, and offer advice.
As this day comes to an end, I close my eyes and understand. This is the contingency you prepared us for. Your chair in the command post is empty and you are not here. But we are, and you have shown us what to do. Thank you, John. Rest well in the knowledge that you got it right. It has been an honor to know you, work with you and be part of your life.
Doug Nelson, Business Continuity Manager, Chiron Corporation
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From Nathaniel Forbes
Is there a man in our profession who more embodied the ideal of a gentleman than John Laye, I have not yet met him.
I will treasure a memory of lunching on jiao zi (steamed dumplings) with John and Jeanne the first time we met in Singapore. A well-traveled former Navy man, John was ready to eat anything when I asked where he’d like to lunch. Jeanne - a bit skeptical, I think - was a real trooper who seemed accustomed to John’s dining choices in foreign restaurants. I know I ate well that day, enjoyed the conversation and knew I’d started a lasting relationship. I hope he – they – did so, too. My first impression of John in conversation at that meal endures today: confident, perspicacious, dedicated.
As he wrote in his inscription to me in my copy of his “Avoiding Disaster”, John was my “colleague, source of excellent advice, and friend.” I will miss his correspondence, his encouragement, and his enthusiasm for improving both the conditions and those of us who were fortunate to know him.
Nathaniel Forbes, Singapore
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From Ray Riordan
A little over 20 years ago, I started in the emergency management/business continuity business. My first contact with John Laye was during a training program on emergency management. I was introduced to John Laye by my boss Cecil Williams. John was sympathetic to my sense of being overwhelmed by the sense of responsibility to help others realize what could be. He relayed his experiences in a non threatening supportive way and gave me sincere advice on being practical, focusing on what the client required at the time. While I lived within 20 miles of John, our paths did not often cross. We exchanged many notes and e-mails, wishes for a good New Year and stories of the past. He will be missed by many, even those he met in passing. His kind approach, his gentle nudging, his sense of humor, and those kind Irish eyes are wonderful memories of man who cared to care and shared his vision of what could be.
Thank you John for all you did for emergency management and business continuity. Your visionary appeal will be missed.
Ray Riordan
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From Lisa Trousdale
When I was just starting out in this profession, John took me under his wing and always made himself available as a mentor and friend. His knowledge, humor and knack for teaching and colorful story-telling will be missed.
Lisa Trousdale, Assoc Director, Emergency Planning and Business Continuity, Ernst & Young
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From Curtis Fields
I didn’t know John well and must admit the first time I was scheduled to listen to one of his presentations I was looking at my watch to see if I could leave. I’m not sure why, but sometimes in our industry you hear many irrelevant war stories. I was immediately impressed with his wonderful sense of humor and quit wit. Later as I realized that he had more relevant knowledge in his little finger on the BRMA subjects than most people have in total, I realized what a humble person he was. At least I always felt that way when I was around him. I know he will be missed.
Curtis Fields, Manager of Business Continuity Planning, Franklin Templeton Investments
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From Carol Husslein
About John...
What can you say?
He was the "go to" man. If you had a question, John would supply the answer.
Not only was he extremely knowledgeable in his chosen field, he had the
most wonderful sense of humor. I met John in 2002 when I joined the Business Recovery Managers Association (BRMA) in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have always looked to him as a great source of information and inspiration. John will be sorely missed.
Carol A. Husslein, Senior Business Manager, IT Business Continuity, AT&T Services, Inc.
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From Dan Berg
Here are a few words about John but they are woefully inadequate to describe who he was and his contributions to BRMA, everyone he taught, and all the work he has done in the fields of emergency management, business continuity and disaster recovery:
John Laye was one of those unique souls that we are so fortunate to meet along this path we call life. John was a guy that would be a friend the first time you met him whether professionally or socially. There was a positive linkage with John and you were glad to see him weather it was for lunch or to hear him speak about disaster recovery at a meeting. He just left you feeling good.
I was lucky to know John over a single decade. He was a mentor, an associate, and always a friend. We had begun a tradition of meeting on Veterans' Days for breakfast. We would share stories from our military past and thank each other for our service to our country. I will sorely miss not having that breakfast with John this Veterans' Day. But I will say a prayer and thank him once more for his friendship and his service to this nation.
Dan Berg, CDRP
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From John Worthington
Sadly, I only met John once. He impressed me as a true gentleman & always included me in any news he thought humorous or BCM worthwhile. A person to be sadly missed.
John Worthington, BCI Country Representative - Australia
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From Cecil Williams
There is a passage that says “A man that has friends must show himself friendly…” Proverbs 18:24. Throughout all of my recollections of John this statement resonates with me the most.
I first met John in 1982 after we had competed for a job. The week after I was appointed to the job John called and came by the office. He introduced himself, welcomed me to the community and told me that he had been my competition. He also told me that if I needed help with anything, to just give him a call. After that day of showing himself to be a friend, John continued to prove that he was a true friend.
Afterward John assisted me with writing the emergency plan for the community, we serves as President and Vice President of the California Emergency Services Association together, his company conducted a siren placement study for another community where I was emergency services manager. Throughout all of our exchanges, talks and jokes, in the office, in our homes or on the golf course there was one thing in our conversations that remained a passion with John, the need to build Public/Private Partnerships.
We agreed that when disaster strikes a community, it did not impact government alone; the entire community would likely be impacted, residential, business and government. Because of this we believed that government and business must work together to recover.
John, the consummate planner, was schedule to join a project on which we were planning a proposal. Apparently there is a project in heaven that needed John more. Although I will miss him, the twenty-four years that I enjoyed interacting with my friend John will always be remembered.
Cecil Williams, C. L. Williams Associates, Inc.
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