End of an Era
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
The weather was perfect. The food was delicious. The occasion was...BIG. On Friday afternoon, clients, colleagues, and Fleming-ites past and present gathered to say thank you and goodbye to our founding principal, Doug Fleming. After 26 years, Doug is hanging up his set square, packing away his d-tape, and starting a new chapter that includes travel, family time, and much-deserved R&R.
To get the festivities (and reminiscing) off to a roaring start, we dressed up the office as a sales centre for a fictional collection of retirement homes called ‘The Douglas.’ From logo and tagline, through to A-boards, colour-coordinated balloons, brochure, and an incredible custom cake created by Doug’s daughter Dalana, The Douglas’ ‘opening’ was a fitting tribute to a master of real estate design and respected industry leader. And—we’ll admit it—it was a great excuse to cover the walls with as many old, embarrassing photos of Doug as possible!
Doug’s influence on the industry, on this company, and on all of us who had the privilege of working with him, is truly immeasurable. Over bouquets of licorice (a Doug staple) and trays of appetizers, we swapped ‘remember when’s,’ toasted Doug’s incredible career, and tried our best to keep it together. While we’ll miss seeing him stride through the studio with blackberry in hand, pore over floor plans, or hear him peeling down the alley in his Nissan Murano at breakneck speed, we wish him all the best and hope he stops in from time to time to share his latest adventures.
