Presented to
Dr. William Bergquist
for his Stewardship of Professional and Organizational Development
Ceremony held via zoom May 27, 2021 at 10am Eastern
Opening Comments
Welcome, everyone! Thank you for being here today for the Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony honoring our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Bill Bergquist. In Hollywood, when a supremely talented professional reaches a pinnacle of performance and achievement that deserves honoring, they are presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Today’s ceremony allows us to express our heartfelt gratitude to Bill as we honor him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
It’s a joy to see so many dear friends and colleagues from all over the world gathered here today in Bill’s honor. A special welcome to several members of Bill’s beloved family who are here today as well.
Bill is so appreciative and generous, and he is always thinking of ways to honor others, it’s wonderful to see how many people are here today to acknowledge Bill’s professional lifetime of contributions to coaching, psychology, publishing, and academia — and the impact his work has had on each of us. His commitments to stewardship, collaboration, and his visionary genius have inspired and touched so many people, and many of us can point to significant ways Bill has impacted our careers and our professions.
Many of you, like me, are his colleagues, collaborative partners, co-authors, and co-conspirators. Some of us know Bill through his academic consulting and the PSP, some of us through his psychology expertise, some through his writing, and some from his leadership in the coaching field. Today we reflect on the impact Bill has had on each of us and the world. I’ve wanted to do something like this for Bill for many years, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Agnes Mura, Kathleen O’Donnell, and Maureen Simmons. Thank you!
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Suzi Pomerantz, Bill’s co-founder and stewardship partner of the Library of Professional Coaching. Bill, like several of us on this call, has been generating collaborative experiences from the very genesis of the coaching profession in the very early 1990’s and the PCMA, which was the precursor to the ICF. I first met Bill about 20 years ago when we danced together at one of the transitional moments in one of the early Executive Coaching Summits, where Bill’s visionary genius was on full display as he proposed wild ideas that in the ensuing years actually became a journal, a consortium, and an online library (the IJCO, the ICCO, the LPC). I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of serving with him in stewardship of each of those organizations.
There are so many things I love about Bill; his natural curiosity, his relentless pursuit of knowledge, his brilliance, his love of music and theater, his visionary ideas that usually begin with “what could occur is…”, his commitment to stewardship, his integrity, and his vast scholarly interests. He always has wonderful stories to share, and I learn something new in every conversation with him. I treasure our friendship.
We are excited to honor Bill because his work has made such a big difference for so many across the globe. Bill is one of the most prolific writers of our time, weaving together concepts and ideas that cross between the fields of coaching and psychology. Rarely, do we find someone with as much knowledge, heart and wisdom as Bill. His research and publications in the fields of coaching and psychology, his expertise in appreciative inquiry, the 52 books and over 200 articles he has authored, his work consulting to higher education, his graduate school, his work creating the IJCO, ICCO, and LPC are just a few of his incredible accomplishments.
It will be wonderful to hear from you all today as you share your Bill story. Here’s how today’s ceremony will unfold:
We have about 20 people who prepared to share a few words, and at the end we will open it up for anyone else who wishes to say something. I’ll ask that we keep our comments brief to allow time for as many people as possible to share their thoughts. I’m sure we could all speak at length about our dear Bill, but we will do our best to manage our time as best we can so we have time for everyone. Then, we will present the award, and Bill will have the opportunity to say whatever he wants to say to all of you. Then, we will open it up for anyone else who would like to say a few words afterwards.
Speakers:
Suzi Pomerantz
Agnes Mura
Jeannine Sandstrom
Bill Carrier
Marisol Delmar
Garry Shleifer
Suzanne Brennan Nathan
Pam McLean
Gary Quehl
Jack Armstrong
Karin Bustamonte
Gay Teurman
Jim Little
Kristina Liu
Rosalind Sun
Dorothy Siminovich
Maggi Cary
Vikki Brock
Susana Isaacson
Kathleen O’Donnell presented the award bowl.
Bill Bergquist expresses gratitude.
Bill has offered his own statements of appreciation to those participating in the award ceremony:
Suzi You are a dear friend and colleague—someone who lights up my head, heart and soul each time we meet. You have been an enduring source of inspiration, collaboration and deeply-felt support. I love your thoughtful compassion and the way you bring humor, warmth and grace together in a world that is interpersonally challenged with digital technology and all too infrequent person-to-person contact.
Agnes It has been a world of magic ever since I met you in Los Angeles. You have opened new vistas for me, supported my diverse ventures, and been there as a dear friend and travel companion. Without you in my life, much of what I have done over the past decade would never have occurred. For that I will be eternally grateful. Your wonderful hosting of dreams and meetings is greatly appreciated.
Gary Q You have been the bedrock in my life—providing guidance, access and sustained support. Nothing of the past 50 years would have happened if not for you. As my dearest and oldest friend, you reside in my heart and soul.
Jack A You have been a superb friend, collaborator and source of humor, gentle appreciation and hospitality. There are great moments that I can cherish from many years of acquaintance. Fish, frivolity and faculty. What could be better!
Karin B You have given me clarity and understanding regarding privilege and my own role as a person with privilege. I greatly admire your breadth of knowledge and interests, especially as related to your continuing commitment to our PSP community.
Rosalind S. You have given me inspiration and focus regarding the world of work in which many women life. IN your own caring story of advocacy for the women of Singapore, you have taught me about stewardship and in your own facing of health challenges you have taught me about courage.
Bill C You have given me a partnership blended with friendship—something that I prize very much—as well as that wonderful notion of not driving ourselves crazy! I love working with you as co-stewards of the future of professional coaching.
Jeannine S. You have given me a sense of grace and contribution. You have been a mentor for me as I entered this remarkable world of professional coaching (especially as related to legacy and leadership). You have taught me about remaining clear and consistent in our commitments to one another.
John K You have provided me with a push toward listening to alternative perspective and you have given me words of appreciation (especially regarding the nature of “salons” and the distinct nature of learning at PSP). Your sustained commitment to the PSP community is of great value.
Eliza Y. You have been a wonderful collaborator and have brought a cross-cultural depth to my own thinking about stages of adult development. I greatly appreciate your energy (in the midst of a very demanding work life) and your dedication to our work together.
Christy L. You have opened doors for me regarding health psychology, have been a graceful and giving partner in our work together on the book. I greatly admire your own entrepreneurship—especially in the midst of challenges in your own life.
Richard L You have given me new perspectives and a bridge across the great divide between East West and have offered these perspectives and this bridge in the midst of our growing friendship. I greatly admire your sustained search for wisdom and your willingness to share this wisdom with others.
Mirasol D. You have given me a true miracle of friendship, a story of remarkable courage, recognition and forgiveness (your mother), and most importantly your miraculous caring for me. I am particularly appreciative of your warmth, your concern and your gentle but firm spirit.
Gay T You have given me a tender and thoughtful nurturing of our relationship midst many changes in our personal lives and the institution to which we both devoted ourselves. Our times together have been some of the richest and most memorable in my adult life.
Jim L You have given me new ideas, new motivations, and a new sense of collaboration within the context of a growing and maturing friendship. I will always remember our special moments together in many settings, facing many interesting and important challenges.
Garry S You have been that remarkable model of entrepreneurship, vision, and humor who has provided me with a realistic sense of the coaching world in which we both reside. Our short times together have yielded rich memories of work, wackiness and warmth.
Pam M You have been that special person I have looked up to who offers a much-needed conceptual base for our field of coaching, while also being a person of compassion and courage in the midst of the cycles in her own life.
Kristina L You have been an inspiring and reaffirming model for me of what true transformative learning and change is all about and have offered this model in the midst of an exceptional journey of discovery and diversity.
Suzanne B. You have been an absolute source of joy for me in your hospitality (in hosting a gathering), in your sustained commitment to our graduate school and in your very special desire for relationship that span miles and cultures.
Dorothy S You have been an inviter of change and discovery for me, blending a sense of adventure with a sustained commitment to personal voice and integrity. We have struggled together, found friendship together and done some very good work together.
Daniel W You have been the door opener for me, allowing me to learn for you and the many experiences which you have opened for me; all of this within the context of clarity, order and delivery on promises made. On you I can rely.
Vikki B You have brought a rich, expanding perspective to my own view of coaching origins, biases and opportunities. You have served as a wonderful collaborator with me in our own writing. I greatly appreciate the stewardship you have brought to the field of coaching—we have needed your historical guidance.
Susanna I You have been an important voice in my life, during a period of time when I was learning about the field of coaching and about what it means to be passionate about this work and about the people working in the field.
Photo Gallery
A few photos of several of the attendees in gallery view:
