Last week I had the opportunity to attend a special tribute event for Hal and Arlene Dorf at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. Hal was a former professor of mine in the College of Business at NMU, and this event was put on to celebrate the impact that Hal had on students, staff and friends during his teaching career at NMU.

I am realizing as I get older, and occasionally reflect back on my own life, that there are key moments in my past when someone special came along that was able to change and reshape my life and my perspective on how I should live my life. The perfect person, the right person, the needed person at that right moment who had the ability to change the trajectory of my life in a very positive way. Hal and Arlene have been those influential, special people in my life. They both came along at a significant moment in my college career at NMU that changed me forever.

As a teacher, Hal lived the dream that all teachers wish to live when they start out their careers. He also represents the outcome that all teachers dream of having when they come to the end of their teaching careers. Educators want to make a positive difference in the lives of their students. They want to know that they’ve had that kind of impact. So, it’s especially nice to witness students returning to NMU after many years to show their gratitude and give moving testimonies about their experiences together and the inspiration this teacher, Mr. Dorf, has been for them. Hal has had a significant impact on so many students’ lives over the years, and I am just one of many.

There have been many times since graduating from NMU that I have been asked by different people to describe a teacher from my past (secondary or post secondary) that has had an impact on my life. And the teacher I describe first is Hal Dorf. What did Hal do for me? He gave me confidence. He challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone. He taught me about the world, and encouraged me to get out there and to see it, to experience it, and to live it firsthand. He inspired me. He taught me not just through words, he taught me through actions. He taught me how to be a better human being. He taught me grace. The lessons he taught me about thinking about and looking at the greater picture beyond our little corner of the world are ones that Tiffany (my wife) and I are now giving to our children. So Hal’s influential message is far-reaching beyond the lives of those of us who had the honor of being his students. We are extending that message to our families, our own students and clients, our co-workers and our friends.

Hal and Arlene, on behalf of my entire family – my wife Tiffany, my daughter Lauren and my son Brian – thank you for being there for us and for me. Thank you for living a life of impact on so many.