Mike Strauch’s passing brought a flood of wonderful memories. Back in the 1990s, Mike and I traveled the world together as we grew the international business for Kraft Food Ingredients. Mike was a microbiologist by training and, at the time, the head of Operations for KFI. I led our international business, which also included responsibility for our coconut subsidiary, Franklin Baker Company of the Philippines.
Some of my fondest memories include:
On one of our early trips together to the Philippines, we were stuck in Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan, waiting for a flight. The delay dragged on, and we kept hearing the same announcement repeated over the PA system in Japanese. With neither of us understanding a word, Mike turned to me and said, “Those bastards are probably telling us that American productivity sucks.”
Mike and Paul at work with hands folded in prayer or are they protecting something?
Mike and I were usually the first to get into the office in the morning. Over coffee one morning, I told him how my mom had called with a story about Bill Clinton, who had just retired to New York after his presidency and the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The story was that Bill walked into a Baskin-Robbins in Chappaqua, NY, where a buddy of mine was having ice cream with their 4-year-old daughter. Mom told me how charming Bill was as he got down on one knee and talked to my friend’s daughter for 20 minutes. After I finished, Mike responded, “Little girl, huh.”
Two friends working together. Mike was very trusting with me being the one with the hammer
Mike once took a trip to Brazil to help one of my customers there. Our representative, Paulus Barros, was taking Mike to meet with a customer when they got stuck in traffic, blocked in between two trucks. A robber walked up and stuck a gun in their faces. Paulus—no stranger to this kind of incident—had a spare wallet with some cards and a few bills and handled the situation diplomatically. Mike said the scariest part was how much the robber’s hand shook.
Mike, always the good listener with his friend Chef Lucien Vendome
Mike at the center of his team (from left) Todd Hrubes, Pam Gray, Jody Driver, Greg Leininger, Lucien Vendome, Mike Strauch, Amanda Hasner, Steve Williams, Bruce Boehmer, Amy Loomis and Paul Kenny
Later in our careers, when Mike was General Manager of KFI, Mike, Steve Williams, and I took a day off to go fishing while we were in New Orleans for an IFT convention. We hired a guide and rode out in the boat. I asked how the fishing had been lately, and the guide—not wanting to overpromise—said, “The fishing has been steady.” The fishing that day was phenomenal. All three of us went home with a big supply of redfish. Better than that, three friends went home with a memory we will always cherish.
Steve Williams was KFI’s head of technology who along with Mike, loved to fish
Mike passed away too soon. For those of us who grew up with him at KFI, we will cherish the memory of a good guy, a solid businessperson, and a better friend. Mike is in a better place now, and I’m betting that the fishing is steady.