Ted Pulkownik 1957-2019
There is never a good time to lose a best friend. It is even more painful when you are at the cusp of realizing your joint dream after five years of work. Yet, that is what happened when Ted had an accident at his home on August 10, 2019.
He was much more than a Co-founder of SilverMill. Working with him made “every day a Saturday”. Yes, of course, he was a great strategic mind with tireless attention to detail as a result of years at McKinsey, but he was also like an older brother. Our intellectual sparing was a joy and challenge. I am convinced that the wrinkles by my eyes are a result of thousands of hours of smiling with Ted. Thank you, my friend, thank you.
In many ways, it was an unlikely partnership. He would barb my “wheat grass” Californian roots and I would ask him to “reassess” his definition of “sportsman” while he was hunting black bear that appeared to be not an aggressive predator but, instead, sleeping. He would carry his mid-Western “down to earthiness” well in his Peter Millar sweaters and give me a hard time about my fascination with baseball history. Through all the “surface disrespect” that formed part of the “Ted and Al” show, there was something that always shined through it all…. true love and respect. And fun. Nearly everyone noticed it. It was uncommon. It was amazing.
Now those moments which used to happen on the “daily” are memories. While I am so grateful for having them, I am also profoundly saddened to my core that there will be no more. A piece of me will be missing forever. Nonetheless, I continue to hoist the flag of our dream and now find myself even more inspired to make it a reality than ever before.
You are so missed, my friend.
Al Jurgela
Co-founder, SilverMill, LLC