We started TG Publishing in California in August, 2001. Coming off of the worst breakdown in the tech sector; we were suffering from the hangover of the Internet Bubble bursting, and we had very little idea how the company was going to survive and whether we could keep the team intact. It was a very difficult time.
In those early days, one person went out of her way to help us more than anyone else. Her name was Claire Goodhue. She never worked for the company nor did she ever ask for anything, other than that I buy her lunch whenever I was in San Francisco and I had the chance. I asked her to work for me, but she couldn't. She had been diagnosed with colon cancer, and although hopeful of the outcome, she needed to stay at her job and rely on its security. She recommended Stephanie Dale, and I hired her, sight unseen. I had never done anything like that before. Best thing I ever did.
I did it because, I had no doubt that Claire was always going to the right thing by her friends and colleagues. There was not a mean or selfish bone in her body. She did not have to help me, or go out of her way, but for many years she did, as a confidant, and a knowledgeable friend in the publishing business.
Claire Goodhue was good to THG. She knew about the site, and thought it was great. She had worked for many years at Miller Freeman, and knew as much as anybody else about tech publishing. She was always willing to share her experiences, and even when she was in the throes chemotherapy, and not feeling well, she would still make time to fill me in on the gossip in the business, or let me know of someone who might be a good match for the company. She was a good person.
She died at 7:30 pm on January 31, 2006, at the age of 44, succumbing to her illness, having fought as hard as anyone could. She leaves behind a nine year old daughter, Lilly. Our prayers and hopes go out to her. We will miss Claire Goodhue. She was a good person.
