Hello Karen,

               You might not remember me, but we met a few times in the office when you brought your parents and Zack to visit Rich.  I have been afraid to write to you in the past months because I did not know what to say.  There is a tremendous amount of survivor’s guilt that I feel from time to time and it has been hard for me to realize that Rich is no longer with us.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Rich on an Interview April 20, 2000. This was after I had a three-hour phone interview for the position and taking one of his tests that he was famous for.  Rich off the bat made such an impression on me.  He reminded me of my brother and father.  Very bright, hardworking with a tint of rebel ness in his attitude. Rich was the reason why I decided to join eSpeed.  I envisioned being a pupil under his expert tutelage.  Everyone, I mean Everyone, thought that Rich was a genius and a very good V.P to work for.  The mere idea that his aura exuded excellence meant that everyone who came in contact with him, wanted to succeed.   You just wanted to be around Rich Lee.  Sometimes I would visit the Equities group on the 104th floor just to chat with him.  Rich was a very versatile man; you could talk to him about various matters, from Bach to Bob Marley. From football to Quantum Physics.  He was a man of all seasons, a true mentor and icon to those who wanted to be the best.

I also know that Rich was a very serious worker who would break his keyboard and computer whenever the objective was not being achieved.  I personally did not want to fail at anytime due to my personal drive that I have instilled in myself, but also it would mean that I have failed Rich and that made me want to work harder.  We would meet every morning for breakfast; we had a "Breakfast Club" going at 07:30 am.  It was Rich, Dave Silver, Shai Levinhar, Lee Adler, Marcia Hoffman and Chris Crosby.  I looked forward in having breakfast with the "crew" because these were the people I admired a great deal. 

I could write a book about Rich Lee and my admiration for him, he is one of my heroes that I look up to.  Rich will forever be in my heart, on my mind and in my soul.  Again, please accept my heart felt condolence to you and your family.  I will leave you with this message for you, your family and to Rich

One Love

One Heart

One Destiny

Peace and Love for all  

Rest in peace my friend, we will meet again.

Michael A. Smith

eSpeed Systems / Central Technology