Eric Nord, a true legend, passed away on June 19th and quite literally, Lorain County will never be the same. There is hardly a foundation or nonprofit in Lorain County that has not directly benefited from his gift of time, talent, treasure, trust and touch. I’d love to share the many, many things he’s accomplished and inspired, but I think I’ll save this posting for what his loss means to me personally.
I will miss his counsel and sage advice. He was always approachable and I always knew that somewhere in his vast experience repository, there was an example or anecdote to provide direction. No matter what the problem or issue, Eric would listen, reflect and encourage. He was among the wisest people I have known.
I will miss his love of our community and the people who live here. Eric took great pride in making Lorain County a great place to live, work, learn and play. Through his leadership of the Nordson Corporation, and various foundations, Eric helped build our Community College, Community Foundation, Joint Vocational School, Oberlin Spashzone, Urban League, Oberlin Heritage Center and many, many more. He never wanted credit – successful impact was payment enough.
I will miss his engineering spirit. He approached community building and nonprofit organizations with much the same skills. He would support tried and true organizations and at the same time encourage riskier ventures that “if the theory translates into application” might prove to be something worth the investment. A friend of mine recently commented that philanthropy generally likes to know the outcomes even before making a grant. Eric often insisted on a good gameplan, but he didn’t shy away from exploring a good idea.
I will miss his advocacy for justice. Eric staunchly promoted diversity and inclusion before they became buzz-words and before we found that they aren’t just morally right but are essential to a strong economy and vibrant quality of life. Eric was trusted by all and on numerous occasions was called on to turn potentially racially devisive situations into building opportunities for community.
I will miss his friendship. Eric Nord’s stature was small and his demeanor was often quiet but to me he was a giant.
