Remembering Alan Miller

A few weeks ago, we learned that Alan Miller, co-chairman of Innisfree, had died at the much too young at age of 62. For those of you that had a chance to work with Alan - or work against him in a proxy fight - you know full well what a superb practitioner and strategist he was. If ever an individual was synonymous with proxy solicitation, it was Alan. We truly lost an icon with his passing.

We also lost a heck of a good man.

I first met Alan back in 2001, when I was asked by my CEO to retain outside proxy solicitation firm for a controversial and contested merger proposal. I still remember my call with Alan to this day. First of all, he was the only senior leader that took my call (the other firms had an appropriate saleperson call me back). Secondly, he took my call immediately as his admin forwarded me to his cell phone. And, finally, when I said to him, "We're a pretty small company - how can I be sure I won't be lost in your machine?" he replied without hesitation, "Because I will not let myself or my team look bad in front of you, your lawyers or directors. You have my word that I will personally work on your behalf."

I hired him on the spot... and he was a man of his word. And we also got the deal approved despite the aggressive opposition.

My last time I saw Alan was a year or so ago. He was very apologetic for letting so much time go by in between our semi-regular contact (in hindsight, he was clearly in the midst of his medical issues but he never used it as an excuse) and invited me out to lunch, where we had a wonderful meal and kibbitzed for several hours on a wide range of topics, including even a few work related ones. I distinctly remember leaving what turned out to be our last time together thinking, "It's amazing that a guy like Alan Miller still makes time for a schlub like me." Here's a guy that is in the middle of seemingly all the major transactions and proxy fights... a guy whose rolodex is stuffed with key decision makers and VIPs... a guy whose professional life requires speed and doggedness... and yet he can still find a way to kill a couple of hours over lunch discussing kids, world events and hilarious mishaps at coat checks with someone that is neither a key decision maker nor a VIP.

We lost a good one with Alan's passing. Rest in peace, my friend.

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