By Guest commentary Friday, August 17th, 2012

Dear Editor:

I just found out that Jack Gilbert passed away. The world has lost one of its most incredible people.

I had the extreme pleasure of being Jack’s business partner for 10 years. In those years, Jack taught me how to run a business and how to be a businessperson. If he had not taken the gamble and financed the business, it would never be where it is today, and I would never be where I am today.

Jack has done this for quite a few other people, and they will all be forever grateful that he was willing to take a chance on them.

I will always remember the phrase he lived by. I don’t know if it was his saying or if he borrowed it from somewhere else, but it always rang true: “You can make a buck and lose a buck, but you have only one reputation — don’t ever lose it.”

After Jack let me buy his portion of the business from him, I would go back and just sit and talk with him about the business, the market and politics. I always enjoyed it, and my wife always knew when I had visited Jack because she could smell the aroma of cigars.

The man was more than a business partner. He was a very special friend.

Thanks for everything, Jack.

— Gary Cushing
Owner, Marie Callender’s restaurant, Camarillo