On July 7, 2024 OpenDrives experienced a tremendous loss, the passing of our friend and colleague Joe Healy. This post is a tribute to someone we will never forget.
Joe was never into titles, but he held many special ones to us: SVP of Sales, colleague, friend, mentor, and leader. During his tenure at OpenDrives, he exemplified all of these and, on top of that, provided steadfast leadership. No matter the course, Joe brought experience, understanding, and especially support for everything going on in our company. This tribute video shows only just a glimpse of all the lives Joe profoundly impacted.
Everybody around OpenDrives has a fond story about Joe. Many of us remember Joe eating “cutie” oranges voraciously, and snatching away the bag of candy during a long leadership meeting right after declaring he didn’t want any, finally polishing off the whole bag and moving on to the next. Joe introducing “bagel Fridays” to make sure we stayed connected as colleagues and as people who valued each other’s company. Or Joe telling a particularly funny story, followed by laughing the hardest and loudest just for laughter’s sake. These stories only scratch the surface of Joe’s dynamic presence and ability to light up any room.
Joe’s leadership style broke conventional norms; he knew how to balance professional connections and personal relationships. He was a tenacious salesman with a heart of gold who could turn any morning walk and talk to a successful sales deal or a supportive shoulder to lean on. He also believed fiercely in his team and those around him.
One motto you could always hear from Joe was “everybody sells.” His belief in others was not a mere gesture of faith, but a rock-solid conviction in each person’s skills, competencies, and capacity to deliver. Joe didn’t just see potential; he knew how to draw it out of them and helped them achieve more than they thought was possible. He fostered a culture that went beyond inspiring individuals—it empowered them.
To know Joe was also to understand how to live life to the fullest and how to get work done at the same time. From his text messages forging work connections while in transit from place to place to Zoom calls with colleagues featuring guest appearances from his two dogs (Jack and Skip) and even honorary OpenDrives member, his wife, Susan Healy, he knew how to juggle work and life without dropping either, keeping those he loved close while continuing to fulfill his duties at work.
One thing is true at this point: everybody who worked with or knew Joe will miss him incredibly. He was truly one of a kind. We love you Joe.
