Jim Stevralia
My friends and partners at Max, first let me wish each of you and your families a very Happy Fourth of July weekend. I would also like take a moment to discuss a couple of topics.
First, this has been an exciting year for me and I have been privileged to serve your interests as President of this great company. I have met many Max Associates in North America as well as in all of our other international markets. It has been an honor to meet you and learn of your personal stories, and your goals. In each case I have found Max Associates to be warm, spiritual and caring people.
Secondly, while my message to you is somewhat different from the messages you are used to receiving from Max, I do feel that it is important, and I am confident that as a Max family we can make a difference. My message is about one of my very close personal friends that is engaged in one of the most distressed situations a family can ever face.
In 1979 and 1980 I was a tax manager in the NYC office of Touche Ross, which at the time was one of the “Big 8″ accounting firms. One of my coworkers named Robert Spierer became a friend and our friendship has continued over the following 30 years. Over the years we have collaborated with each other on our respective client matters and exchanged our family experiences and achievements. In addition to sharing lunch and dinner at favorite Manhattan restaurants we would enjoy various sports events together. Robbie and I attended Ranger Stanley Cup finals, and many baseball games including the subway series between Mets and Yankees. We also experienced the excitement of World Series championships for both New York teams, and attended disappointing Knicks playoff games and exciting New Jersey Net games. We even saw Brett Farve lead the Jets and fail them too.
Earlier this month on June 3, Robbie and his wife Charlene suffered an experience no parent deserves. Their younger daughter, a student at Indiana University went missing. Lauren Spierer is a beautiful, intelligent and loving young lady. She remains missing still today. Robbie and Charlene gave up their “normal lives” on June 3rd, they have left their businesses and have been in Indiana every day since searching relentlessly for their daughter. They have been blessed to have the assistance over that time from thousands of volunteers.
Rob and Charlene have coordinated the search effort, fed and provided lodging for many of the searchers in a focused effort to find Lauren. On June 29th, the local police announced they were suspending the extensive search but would continue the investigation. Robbie and Charlene will be remaining in Indiana to continue searching because still today they and their daughter, Rebecca, do not know where Lauren is or what happened to her. We can only hope and pray they get closure quickly.
My friends at Max, if you would be so kind, I ask you to do me a favor and keep Lauren and the Spierer family in your thoughts and prayers. Ask that she be returned to her family and that God will allow them to enjoy the closure they deserve.
I thank you for allowing me to share this story with you. I believe that through our prayers, the Max family can make a positive difference in this unfortunate situation, and that together we will be instrumental in returning Lauren to Rob, Charlene and Rebecca.
Thank you.
P.S.: I am attaching links to various websites and news reports that provide information and insight to the situation and the search effort. There is also a link to a donation site that will help support the search effort, as well as funding a reward for information that may lead to finding Lauren.
A Personal Request from Jim Stevralia, Max President is a post from:
