I worked with Rod at IDC off and on over the past decade and a half. He was the best sales person I have ever worked with. I asked him his secret once: “Just fucking hard work,” he replied. There was no secret to Rod – he just put everything into whatever he did.

Rod made everyone feel as though they were his best friend, and although we knew we weren’t really, it still made us feel good to think that we could be. Rod was special because he made the rest of us feel special. And he did it without effort and airs: it was Rod being Rod. He expressed distain for Sudoku, falsified his Welsh heritage (“don’t you have to be Welsh to be Welsh, Rod?”), and built that ridiculous pizza oven out of clay he’d hewn from a cliff. But he did it all with passion: there were no half-measures for him. He even got a tune out of those bagpipes we made.

That’s why he’s missed, and will be missed for a long time. My heart goes out to Rachel, Sam and Emily, and his close family and friends. I know how much I will miss him, so I can’t imagine how much more painful this will be for you all. I only hope that, in time, the pain will ease into memories that are cherished.