I had the rare opportunity to attend the celebration of life of an Oregon icon this morning. I had never met Gert Boyle, but as a local to Oregon, I knew her as “One Tough Mother.” Her service today confirmed it.
Gert’s family fled from Nazi Germany when she was only a teenager. They migrated to Portland, Oregon where her father bought a hat company. Upon his later passing, Gert’s husband Neal took over as President, expanded to include outerwear, and renamed the company after the local Columbia River.
Only six years later, Gert’s husband unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack, and she transitioned from housewife to President of Columbia Sportswear. Gert was 47 years old at the time. It was a most impressive transition as the year was 1970 when the large majority of company Presidents and CEOs were men, especially in the sportswear industry. Gert took the struggling company international and eventually went public in 1998. The company today has over $2.5B in annual revenue.
Learn more about Gert in one of her many bios here.
Remembering Gert Boyle
There is no question that Gert was hard working. She will be remembered for her perseverance, tenacity, candor, fierce loyalty to family and friends, discipline, sense of humor, quick whit, generosity and… toughness. Countless stories were shared during the two-hour, public celebration about her unfiltered opinions and quick whit. It was also apparent that she was extremely generous and surprisingly frugal.
A story was shared about her shopping at our local outlet mall. When recognized by a patron, she was asked, “What is a lady like you doing shopping at a store like this?” Her response: “You don’t get to be a woman like me without shopping bargains at places like this.”
This story encouraged me to share some of the financial insights borrowed from today’s celebration of Gert Boyle’s life well lived. We should all strive to be a little more like Gert.
Early to Bed, Early to Rise, Work Like Hell and Advertise
Although advertising might not apply to all of us, the other principles should. Gert believed in working hard and having discipline. She talked about looking forward instead of behind. In fact, she was the only resident of her retirement community working full-time, and she was the Chairman of Columbia’s Board of Directors until the year she passed at 95 years old.
Wow! It’s hard to come up with any good excuses with an example like that!
Write the Checks
Gert wrote the checks of Columbia Sportswear up until 2014 when she was almost 90 years old. Her son Tim shared that Gert would write almost 18,000 checks in some years, as confirmed by the accounting department. “She knew what was coming in, and wanted to know what was going out.”
Although technology affords us the ability to no longer regularly write physical checks, this message reminds us to monitor our spending. Know our income, but also watch what we are spending. This can be applied to our personal habits as much as it can to any business.
Call Out Frivolous Spending
Gert supposedly would call over the loud speaker the names of those she wanted to meet in-person in her office. This was not often a positive opportunity. Gert not only watched the spending, but she would call out what was frivolous. Expenses such as personal dry cleaning or an extra glass of wine (when the company policy allowed only one) were unacceptable by her standards.
What’s your frivolous spending look like? Is there anything that Gert would have called you out on? What can you work to cut out?
Practice Frugality and Enjoy a Bargain
Many assumed that Gert lived in a mansion, but she lived relatively modestly. As described in the story above, she would shop at the outlet mall. She would even bargain for deals on pearls while vacationing in Hawaii.
Gert’s hard work and business success had increased her personal pocket book, but it appears that she lived relatively modestly and well below her means, which are two great foundations of any financial success story.
Be Generous Without Strings
As shared at the service, “Gert made a fortune, and she gave a fortune.” She established a foundation in the name of her older sister. She graciously supported the Special Olympics and other notable charities. At the age of 90 she gifted $100 million to the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health and Science University.
Yes, she gave but she also “gave without strings.” She never wanted the recognition and originally asked that the $100 million gift to the Knight Cancer Institute be made anonymously. Her family has also opened educational non profit organizations such as the Youth Music Project and World of Speed.
What are you doing to give back? Check out this article for a few straight-forward ideas regardless of your pocket book.
A Life Well Lived
Our One Tough Mother was hard working, generous, yet humble. She will be remembered and forever respected for her toughness and tenacity. She had discipline and a sense of humor. Gert was kind and down-to-earth. She continued to look forward and left a legacy that will forever influence others to also live lives well lived.
