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Comments from others. Subject: Good bye, Charles From: MGLA Mail <mgla.mail@mgla.org> Sender: "News from MGLA" <mglamail@mgla.org> Subject: *MGLA: Charles McConathy* Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 16:51:50 -0700 To: "News from MGLA" <mglamail@mgla.org> Sorry for the off-topic post (or for those who have read this elsewhere), but a long-time patron of MGLA, Charles McConathy - founder of ProMax (one of the biggest/most important digital video VARs in Southern California, with national reach) - passed away today due to complications from his long battle with cancer. He remained sharp and active up until entering the hospital a few weeks ago. The issue of Charles tends to illicit strong opinions among people. His competitors and others he had to work with on a peer-to-peer business level (such as trade show organizers) found him a very tough cookie to deal with (and that's putting it nicely <smile>). Users and user groups found him to be the absolute best friend you could ever have. We were fortunate to fall into the latter category. We have numerous Charles stories. Probably the one most burned into my mind is when he spent a Sunday - on a holiday - in our studio with the guts of two Macs spread out on our floor. We were debugging a problem with a VideoVision and a RAID; Charles ended up swapping us (no charge, of course) the motherboard out of his own demo Mac 8100 because it would work with our drive. Another was when we had to move MGLA to a larger space (the Goodson theater at AFI), and had to start paying for space to hold our meetings. After scrambling from month to month to get the meeting paid for, we approached Charles to help sponsor one; he came back and asked if he could sponsor an entire year. It put MGLA on stable ground at an early stage in our life when we were having acute growing pains, and we've only gone from strength to strength ever since. Indeed, Charles and ProMax were (and still are) actively involved in MGLA's next stage of evolution, equipping the Gallery Theatre at Barnsdall Art Park to hold digital events such as MGLA and LAFCPUG meetings. Charles was a rare person who had strong opinions, who actually based his opinions on research, science, personal observations, and facts - but who would also then be willing to listen to your opinions and change his mind (or at least agree to disagree, without a hint of acrimony) if you had compelling evidence to the contrary. He was on the cutting edge of bringing many new technologies to users, including drive RAIDs, FireWire and DV. And he was more than willing to share, as seen by his Digital Cafes at NAB and numerous other events. He had a reputation as being a very hard-nosed business man, which he was. But as a customer, I never felt exploited by him. When he worked with us personally or with MGLA as a group, it was never with strings attached; if he thought you were going to do the right thing, then he would go out of his way to do the right thing by you, and let the rest of the chips fall where they may. Charles was one of the brightest lights in what will become known as the early days of the desktop video industry. I'm very, very sad that he's gone. Peace - Chris Meyer MGLA co-host =========================================================== You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the MGLA email list. To change your subscription status, go to <http://www.mgla.org/joinmgla.html> =========================================================== It is with my greatest regret that I must inform you on today Saturday 10/23/04, Charles McConathy, President of ProMax, has died. Charles has been instrumental in the establishment of inovative products, and low cost systems, that has revolutionized the way we do business today. Charles knew what customer support meant, and when you had trouble, you could go right to the top, right to him, to get things resolved. I am sure that you may recall his posts, directly on these forums. He was just not a businessman, he was actually interesed in what we did, and carried on regular correspondence with many of us, to keep his feet "in the street", to know what we wanted. Charles made ProMax a great company. And Charles was a great friend to many of us. Although he was President of a big company, he was just one of the guys. He will be greatly missed. Certainly by me. With deepest regrets - Bob Zelin Rescue 1, Inc. I'm in shock...this is such sad news. I knew he had been dealing with cancer problems but I thought it was all behind him. Makes you really think about how each day of life is a gift. I've personally had several close brushes with death. It keeps you humble and focused on what is really important in this world. All my best to his family. Arthur Arthur Springer AvidList@hotmail.com www.LifeOnMars.info Shows you how much I know... I never saw the the hardcore businessman side of him. It was obvious he was a good businessman, but he was more partner than vendor. Like a few others on this list, Charles personally helped me make my business better. And in my role as journalist, he never tried to BS me. If a product didn't do something it was simply, "No, it won't do that," not a litany of reasons why I would never want something to do that or some alternative approach that wasn't really an alternative. Then he'd ask why I'd want that feature. To an observer it would be difficult to ascertain who was doing the interviewing and who was being interviewed. He was just one of those people I sought out at trade shows or called for opinions on trends in the business. I simply enjoyed talking to him. Damn. I'm really going to miss him. Dan's got big shoes to fill. Oh, that hurts. I enjoyed buying him dinner three years ago and learning about his career, going back to MicroMat, and will miss the opportunity for another. What an entrepreneur. What a dent in our universe he made with ProMax and his passion for affordable tools. - Loren Wow. Really puts things in perspective. The Charles that I knew was a hardcore businessman until he had his big medical bout a few years ago. After that, he came out a much kinder and more spiritual individual. That was when I really began to appreciate him. He leaves behind a company with a lot of promise that will now be spearheaded by Dan Hatch. Now if Dan can bring the personal touch that Charles had towards the end, ProMax could be the best company ever to deal with. On the other hand, it could be just another business in a world saturated with uncaring entities. Only time will tell. Terence Curren Alpha Dogs, Inc. Burbank, CA tcurren(at)alphadogs.tv I dealt with Charles for 13 years, mainly as a magazine editor at magazines that dealt with markets he cared about. Every magazine staffer I knew thought he was a pain in the ass. It was different for freelancers. But Charles was difficult with reviewers, ad sales people, tradeshow people, marketing people, almost everyone except his own customers. At ProMax, his customers loved him, and I could see why. He spent the time and money necessary to find out what worked well and what didn't. Then he sold what worked well. He and the rest of the ProMax staff worked hard to earn the loyalty their customers gave them. I know because through all those years of dealing with Charles, I was also a loyal customer. Charles will be missed. Jim -- Jim Feeley jim@povmedia.com Never bought anything from him myself, but as a reviewer and journalist, we was a valuable resource for me - ALWAYS helpful. He also participated in several events I was in charge of organizing including an excellent paper when the SMPTE made Postproduction the theme of their Digital Imaging conference. I will miss him greatly. Bob Over the years I have communicated with Charles via emails & various mailing lists that we participated in. But it wasn't until this year at NAB, that I had the opportunity to finally meet with him. We spent several minutes talking about cancer. (My father also had cancer and passed away about a month later.) I thought he helped play a significant role in enabling a new industry to develop. Prior to the nonlinear editing revolution, TV production was dominated by large production facilities. His company worked in a niche that allowed individuals (editors, effects artists, etc.) to create their own companies. There are many folks to credit with this development -- but I think that Charles was one of them. I have read in other newsgroups that Charles ended up spending more and more time sharing his Christian faith with others. In a secular oriented industry and culture, that can be a bit intimidating. Despite business implications, I also commend him for taking that courageous step. ///Sid ---------------------------------------------------------- Sid Gray Manager, Electronic Media Services Rayonier Jesup, Georgia USA Sid.Gray@Rayonier.com Internet: http://www.rayonier.com/ 912-427-5173 ---------------------------------------------------------- Charles was a true gentleman. He never had a bad word for anyone and worked from a position of highest integrity. He gave back to the production community like no one else. His online contributions and the "Digital Cafe" at NAB were always offered with no strings attached. When the old Media100-l put on an event,. ProMax was always the first to contribute door prizes. I love this guy. I also have had a struggle with cancer. I remember discussing our common bond with him via email. I believe he found his peace with God when he was was first confronted with his affliction. None of us know the day or the hour our soul will be required of us. Some will scoff, but it does not change the fact that God is real and he loves us. Sometimes it takes a crisis to face reality. Charles faced it bravely and with peace. He told me how each day became special to him. I know exactly how he feels, because I have been on the same journey. Bless you Charles, we will miss you dearly. With sympathy to your family and friends. Dennis Kutchera I liked, respected, and trusted Charles. I'll miss him. Wilson Chao Cambridge Television Productions Boston, MA USA I was "sold" on ProMax when I called about a year or so ago and spoke to a man who really seemed to know what he was talking about. I found out he was the president of the company. Since then we communicated a few times via email when I found out he had been ill. I never met him but I have met some of his staff and they have all been well served by Mr. McConathy. There is a spirit of cooperation and trust in the customer in that company I wish could be shared by other groups. Yes Bob, we will all miss him. Ozzie Alfonso Here I thought this thread was Bob and Charles having a dialouge, on list again... Charles will be greatly missed.. Jeff CreativeCow Hello Everybody, We received a phone call shortly ago from ProMax's Dan Hatch who called us with the sad news that Charles McConathy (seen here), the founder and president of ProMax, lost his fight against cancer today and died this afternoon, Saturday October 23rd here in California. This is sad news as Charles was a longtime friend of Kathlyn and mine and he was instrumental in teaching us many things over the years since the time we first met him in 1994 when he was a part of the MicroNet team (just before he launched ProMax). Charles was instrumental in helping pioneer many innovations that pushed this industry into what it has become -- and all of us working in digital media owe him a debt whether any of the equipment you have ever owned came from MicroNet, ProMax or not. His impact on this industry was as great as his intense love of life and his smile was as broad as his impact on this industry. Charles will be missed and trade shows, expos and other events will never be the same without him. As longtime Creative Cow member Bob Zelin said in his post regarding the loss of Charles: "Charles knew what customer support meant, and when you had trouble, you could go right to the top, right to him, to get things resolved. I am sure that you may recall his posts, directly on these forums. He was just not a businessman, he was actually interesed in what we did, and carried on regular correspondence with many of us, to keep his feet 'in the street', to know what we wanted. Charles made ProMax a great company. And Charles was a great friend to many of us. Although he was President of a big company, he was just one of the guys." Like Bob, we found Charles to be one of the most supportive people in the industry and have on innumerable occasions over the last decade seen him give support even to users who had bought elsewhere. I once asked Charles why he did this and he told me that "...it's good for the industry because unhappy customers make all of us look bad. Besides, often these same people later buy something from us when they need to add something to their system." Those who know Charles know that he was a man of strong convictions in his business, personal and spiritual life and Kathlyn and I would be remiss -- and would not feel right -- failing to mention Charles's strongly held Christian beliefs that were such a part of his life and which he told us that he learned as a child on the farm raising sheep in Texas long ago. He would joke with us about being dairy farmers and having grown up around cows, while he was a "real as dirt sheep farmer." While Charles fought hard all the way to the end to overcome his cancer, he also took great comfort in his faith and more than a few times he CC'd Kathlyn and I on emails expressing his thoughts as he fought his battle against cancer. We will miss Charles and wish all of his family, friends and everyone at ProMax our best wishes. God bless you, Charles. We will miss you here at the barn... Ron & Kathlyn Lindeboom creativecow.net Amen and God Speed Charles. Walter Biscardi, Jr. Owner/Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media http://www.biscardicreative.com Partner / Instructor Creative Cow Academy - Atlanta http://www.cowacademy.net Condolences to his family, and the larger family at the company. Maintaining the innovation and responsiveness he fostered in ProMax should make for a long-lasting memorial to his work. I hope the company continues in his strong tradition for years to come. I knew Charles for almost 9 years on various levels: as a competitor when I was a salesperson at a competing VAR just miles from ProMax, as an ex-MicroNet-er that paved the way for my days at MicroNet and as a potential reseller for ADTX's RAID systems. Charles always seemed like the Grand Father that everyone wish they had. When I would run into him at an expo, he seemed to really care about attendee’s problems and was eager to share his knowledge. Charles was always so busy at shows, but he would try to spend a couple minutes of his valuable time with you if he could. When there was news or a product that Charles did not know about, he wanted to learn the details. Whenever I had a new product to introduce, I would run it by Charles just to get his expert opinion. Even though he was not my reseller at the time, Charles was willing help evaluate my products and provide feedback I could pass along. Do not get me wrong, Charles had some fire deep inside, but that helped him to fuel his passion for the industry and the companies that he lead to greatness. Mr. McConathy, I will miss you Sir...as will your Family, ProMax and the industry as a whole. Ken Vitto ADTX Vaya con dios Charles. Anyone who knew you remembers you fondly- Charles was one of the fathers of the DV revolution - he was an awesome source of information and inspiration.... he will be missed. God Bless and keep his family and ProMax staff in this sad time. Lance Bachelder Southern California Cow Forum Host- Magic Bullet This is a deep loss. I have have the pleasure of working with Charles since 1997 and he has always been an excellent resource for our industry. He actually was the one who introduced me to the and it was appropriate as I had nothing but positive experiences with him. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. We will miss you Charles. gl FCP-L Sad day. We'll miss him, for sure. Brian Conner Sad news indeed. Charles was extremely knowledgeable and helpful as well as a charismatic leader of the industry. We'll all miss him. A comforting thought: Ralph and Charles will sure have a lot to talk about "Up There"! :-) Pierre I am stunned. I have known Charles since the beginning of the "DV era". He has always been helpful and courteous and a downright good person. This is a tremendous loss to the community but even more so to his family. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. gl Hopefully everyone caught this post from Charles. I saved it, finding it inspirational. I only knew him from his posts but knew him as a frequent contributor and very helpful. My heartfelt sympathies to his friends and family. Joe Stern CNN Atlanta From: mcconathy@promax.com Subject: [FCP-L] OT: Oprah - September 1, 2004 Segment Date: September 7, 2004 11:27:10 AM EDT To: FinalCutPro-L@yahoogroups.com Reply-To: FinalCutPro-L@yahoogroups.com Do any of know how to get in touch with Oprah group to see if its possible get a tape of the September 1, 2004 segment which I think was based on Healing from the Heart with Mehmet Oz M.D. or if any of you taped it could I get a copy. I have some people I need to share it. Unlike Dr. Phil, Oprah does not offer tapes. Oprah does offer transcripts but that is not the same as a real live video. This doctor showed various organs of the body and how they get diseased and most revealing was his showing what body fat looks like and that some people might have 20 or 30 pounds in their system. I saw the above segment while in the hospital. I was was very impressed. During my illness with colon and liver cancer I have had time to read and learn more about ways to protect one's health. Remember it is better to pay the grocer and the gym than to pay the doctor. And it is easier to avoid disease than it is to treat it. Cancer and diabetes are rampant. Do everything you can to protect your health. It is not easy to eat right but its well worth the effort - especially when you consider that a cancer patient will run up bills between $400,000 and $700,000. I thank God I have Medicare that covers much of my costs. But now there is some new bills going through to limit the amount for cancer patients. This could leave some without medial treatment. As you study and read about health you will find a lot of confusing information in books and on the internet. But if you continue to study you will find a thread of truth that is right for you. One group says don't use soy products and the other might say they are great. After reading and thinking I tend go with soy products since asians have used them for years and have much less cancer than we do in the USA. Below is a list of items that I feel can improve most people's health... • If you have an illness Trust in God and never give up hope - take time each day for devotion • Stress - find ways to reduce stress - very important • Rest - try to get two hours of your nightly sleep before midnight • Avoid sugar, coffee, soft drinks, and snack foods - read the labels • Exercise - at a very minimum walk a mile a day • Lose weight if needed - be careful of low carb diets like Atkins - they might work now but could have other long term issues • If you smoke - STOP - Cancer of the lungs is serious - as seen on the Oprah segment first hand • Take a sack lunch to work versus going for fast food • Get 20 to 30 minutes of sunshine each day - good for Vitamin D that helps absorption of vitamins • Keep a window open day and night for fresh air - disease does not thrive in oxygen • Drink pure water - try to drink 64 ounces a day of pure water - without chlorine or fluoride - I drink spring water • Be aware of the effects of mercury in your system - avoid certain fish • Eat more raw foods - cooked food tends to kill enzymes - try to get organically grown produce when possible • Learn about enzymes and how important they are to your health • Use flax seed oil on salads with lemon juice - avoid iceberg lettuce - use darker leaf vegatables • Eat more berries and fruits such bananas, apples, apricots, peaches, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and mellon • Include almonds, sun flower seeds, and cashews in your diet • Use extra virgin olive oil for cooking • Use sea salt vs table salt • Eat less packaged and fried foods • Drink freshly made vegetable juices - such as blends of carrot, apple, beet, celery, spinach, onion, and garlic • Avoid or reduce animal fat in your diet - eat more fish or chicken vs beef or pork • Use almond, soy, or rice milk vs cow milk - cow milk often has hormones and other issues • Be very careful of the chemicals you use in your home or work • Study your personal need of supplemental vitamins and minerals • Have your blood tested - I go to a Natural Doctor that shows me my blood cells on a monitor - very revealing • Learn to test your silva and urine using PH paper - easy to do - better to be 6 to 7 PH vs acidic - cancer likes acidic • Depending on your age - get a colonoscopy every five years and regular check ups • Learn about parasites and yeast and how they affect you • Remember that a lot of diseases start in the colon and liver - learn how to cleanse your colon and liver • Learn how to boost your immune system through foods, vitamins, minerals, and herbs Try researching subjects on Google...its amazing what you can find. Thanks for your help, Charles F. McConathy mcconathy@promax.com Great fellow. He will truly be missed and will be fondly remembered by all who knew him (myself included). DD IMUG A terrible loss. We never met, but I always felt Charles was "on our side". Something that is rare indeed from someone taking our hard earned cash! We (the IMUG) must find something to remember him by. Sadly missed, but fondly remembered. Chris He is one of the true visionaries we had in this industry (that is, someone who can see "the next step" not just what currently is) and his influence will continue for many, many years. And I don't mean just through the great business(s) he created, the latest being ProMax. Charles was good to discuss/argue with and great to do business with. Charles was one of the brightest lights in what will become known as the early days of the desktop video industry. I'm very, very sad that he's gone. Hear, Hear. Philip -- Philip Hodgetts philip@IntelligentAssistance.com President and CEO 818 206 2415 Intelligent Assistants for Digital Media Software - More than Training - Knowledge at the point of Need. As I'm sure there will be many responding to this post I want to share my warmest memories with Charles. He was the one who was responsible for getting me into digital video. I had purchased a Sony DSR-30 deck from his recommendation and it died three days after I had it in the rack. He quickly sent me another BEFORE I returned the other unit and helped me through the entire setup. This was when the very first DV stuff had come out. He was a great thinker and problem solver. He was a true friend to me and always found me at conferences to see what wacky things the "Deanster" was doing now. I've learned a lot about giving selflessly from Charles. I only hope I can follow his footsteps with the dignity he provided others. Charles - you'll be missed by many. Condolences to us all and especially his family. Warmly thoughtful, Dean Eric Forss Charles McConathy, R.I.P Marianna Morley introduced Charles to me as "the Father of SCSI" at NAB back in (guessing) 1994. A virtual MAINFRAME of knowledge, and a man that will be sorely missed in our industry. In the early days of NLE I turned to Charles many times (via email and phone) to help us get past technical problems and to find out about compatability on various gear. He always responded with answers and options. We've lost a pioneer. May he rest in peace. Mike Gorga, President MEGCOMM Productions Inc. "Filmmaking for Business & Broadcast" www.megcomm.com 800-816-1884 570-826-9805 local The Charles McConathy Memorial Media Motion Ball Doug:~ On Oct 23, 2004, at 3:13 PM, Chris Davies wrote: A terrible loss. We never met, but I always felt Charles was "on our side". Something that is rare indeed from someone taking our hard earned cash! We (the IMUG) must find something to remember him by. At 5:34 PM -0400 10/23/04, Chris Meyer wrote: Charles McConathy - founder of ProMax (one of the biggest/most important digital video VARs in Southern California, with national reach) - passed away today due to complications from his long battle with cancer. He remained sharp and active up until entering the hospital a few weeks ago. Oh gosh, there's so much I could say...I hardly know where to begin. The news is not exactly unexpected, but I'm still completely stunned at the moment. Charles' impact on this community and the greater digital video community is almost impossible to measure. It's that huge. I first met Charles McConathy in 1996 but by the time I met him in person I felt like we were already good friends. This was due to his incredible support and participation on this list and numerous off-list e-mails and phone calls with him. When the IMUG first organized officially in 1998, Charles was right there with support, and they (ProMax) never missed a year of supporting the IMUG event, even as he built his own NAB event-the 'digital media cafe' into the massive, influential NAB powerhouse it is. According to Charles, the main reason they do their event on Tuesday each year, is to make sure they don't conflict with the IMUG on Monday. Heck, we even use the same rooms at the Stardust! Back in the early days of the 'mainstream' internet, (1995 or so) and AOL before that, Charles helped define the best role of a VAR or other industry rep on internet lists and boards. That is, to freely give of one's knowledge, and sincerely help others, with very low to non-existent advertorial / hard sales. To do this without regard to where the user purchase their equipment, and often found himself in the position of offering 'free' support on someone else's sale. The belief was that when users had to choose a vendor, they'd choose his company. That may not sound so revolutionary now, but back in those days it was extremely revolutionary. Prior to this, VARs were in the business of SELLING, and information about anything in this business did NOT flow freely unless the customer's money did. I firmly believe that Charles was one of the most pioneering in that he adopted this attitude and approach very early and continued it. We take this type of behavior for granted on the list and across the internet here today, but back in those early days, it was visionaries--people like Charles who defined it. Charles was known as a very tough businessman and a tough negotiator on the hard-numbers side of the business. Mostly in his business-to-business relationships. I say it that way because I never saw it personally. I only became aware of this through associations with some of his competitors and business colleagues. As an end user and user group leader, I saw a man who simply gave and gave and gave and believed that in the giving of all of that wonderful, free support, that people would support his business. He was right. ProMax has grown by leaps-and-bounds and remains one of the biggest and brightest lights in the digital video industry. Charles loved technology. Particularly storage technology. I take after him in this regard, and we found much to connect upon. We have spent dozens and dozens of hours on the phone together over the years, excitedly discussing the latest and greatest in storage technologies, and reveled in the geekish thrills of tweeking out that last 5 % of EXTRA performance, especially back in the early Media 100 years when it was so critical (remember not even being able to run your system clock on the 8100's for fear of it stealing processor cycles and dropping those 75-100KB frames? I do. I learned so much from Charles, knowledge that I carry with me and draw upon in subtle and not-so-subtle ways almost daily. Charles had a big impact in making me good at what I do for a living. After all, when your systems are performing at their peak, your creativity can flourish. Mainly, Charles and I liked to talk 'shop', but in the last year and a half during his illness, I saw Charles become a much more deeply spiritual man, and he began to reveal his spiritual side much more freely and openly as a result of his deeply reaffirmed faith. My sensibilities are typically such that professionally and publicly, I don't usually discuss my faith, but Charles' openness allowed he and I to deepen our friendship beyond business, extending it to include prayer and spiritual talk/e-mails. As a fellow Christian, I am sad to lose a friend, but rejoice that Charles is now in a much better place where he doesn't have any more pain, illness, weakness, or sorrow. Charles is at peace with his Lord. During the past spring, I had the opportunity to work with Charles in developing the SATAMAXi internal RAID system for G5's. This was another example where Charles seized an opportunity to bring a very cost-effective solution to market, even though the margin on it was much smaller than other external RAID systems they also sold. Again, putting the user first. We excitedly talked on the phone about the thrill of exceeding 200MB/s throughput and found ways to optimize it. Charles remained conservative in what 'claims' he was willing to make about real-world performance, while I was the one pushing for more optimizations and tweeks. Ultimately, it remains a very good and viable solution which I edit on today, and recommend highly. So anyway, last NAB I get to the ProMax booth and I'm all excited to see Charles and Dan Hatch and see the demo SATAMAXi system, and to talk to Charles about the latest and greatest news in the realm of digital video, but instead, Charles and I ended up talking about his granddaughter. He was so proud of that little girl. Next thing I knew, me and a whole group of users were all gathered around a fully-decked out FCP system in the ProMax booth watching Charles' home movies of his granddaughter at full volume on a huge cinema display. I'd never seen anything like that at a trade show before. Charles relished every moment of it...Charles was a changed man. Business remained important to him, but amongst us 'friends', he'd rather talk personal stuff, family, and God, which, arguably, is the stuff that REALLY matters. Goodbye my friend.... Carey Dissmore Charles was a great communicater and would always help you out anyway he could, even if you were on the other side of the planet, and there was no gain in it for himself. He also seemed to be able to see what should have been done to products, and had his team fix it. The mark of a true professional. The industry is poorer for his passing on. Rest in Peace, Charles In addition to whatever else we do to honor Charles possibly the most lasting tribute to him would be to continue and grow his "take good care of folks, treat them the way you want to be treated, and the other stuff will fall into place" approach to this, and I'm sure other, groups. I doubt there's any way to know how many questions were answered either directly or indirectly with information that originated with Charles and/or ProMax. Rest in Peace, Charles, rest in Peace. Well said, all. I knew Charles from phone calls and consults and from the ProMax event each NAB Tuesday, but my lasting memory was dropping in at ProMax on a weekday afternoon just to see the digs and say hi, when I was in Orange county on a business trip, only to have Charles spend most of the afternoon in conversation and touring me through his shops. He was exactly as others have painted him, a gentleman unsparingly generous to UG's, users and customers, and hell on wheels to his competitors and in business dealings. I'll always remember him with great affection. iPaul -- Paul Izbicki Broadcast Production Architect ACNtv, Suite 51 10001 Kingston Pike Knoxville TN 37922 Tel 865 692-6000 x 1397 I am sitting here on a Saturday night, quite choked up. One of my very first priorities whenever I went to NAB or DV Expo was to find the ProMax booth to do nothing else but see if Charles was there. Most every time, I really didn't have anything to say to him or ask him - - it was just to say "hi" and maybe reflect on all the times he's helped me personally over the years. Way back when I was one of the first people in Michigan using Media 100 (on a 9500 with multiple-thousand-dollar Micropolis 9-gig drives), followed up by the insanity of running internal SCSI cables out of the back of an 8100 AV to create RAIDs, Charles ALWAYS held my hand through those early growing pains by phone and email (very detailed emails)... even provided optimal drive settings on drives I didn't purchase from ProMax. A toast to you, Charles... and may I (and we) always remember the helpful, gentle, friendly, positive spirit shining in you. Lawrence Marshall Marshall Media Group Wow, Charles has moved on. Though I understand his fight has been long and difficult, the impact is so immediate. Dana, Dan & Stacy, our thoughts are with you. Michael Vitti VittiPhoto Productions stilll & motion, abstraction to distraction www.vittiphoto.com The enduring memory I'll have of Charles is from the last NAB, physically a shadow of his former self, but eyes still sparkling as he enthused about the technology of our business. He had a transcending passion for making our business better. RT Absolutely. You couldn't help but have at least a little bit of Charles' energy about our business rub off. He was truly a pioneer in every sense of the word. And while I have only really known him for the past several years, his legacy preceded our meeting and will endure long after his passing. Peaceful sleep to you, Charles. -- Eric Darling Video Construction Company http://www.videoconstruction.com http://www.uhostu.com I never new Charles, but after reading all these eulogies, I sure wish I had. It's really refreshing hearing about a super guy that changed and helped so many people. Thanks for sharing, everyone. Bob Robert S. Burton President & Executive Producer CAV Media Corporation 1125 Lincoln Avenue Napa, California 94558 Phone: 707-255-9467 FAX: 707-255-4791 website: www.cavmedia.com All, I bought my first system (pre 3.0) from ProMax while Dan Hatch was still a saleman and was thoroughly impressed with their pre-sales help and after sales support. Every contact with Charles at trade shows and a few times on the phone was positive. I will share a humorous incident that occured at NAB in the early days of the DV format and firewire editing. I remember Charles and others being very positive on this new generation of stuff. I asked to see a sample. Either from the hard drive or from a player, he cued up a production. In the opening title, white fonts on a black background, you could see the artifacting around the font edges, a sometimes characteristic of 4:1:1, 5 to 1 compression. He viewed and then admitted that there were artifacts... so I saw in him trained eyes, realism, and humility - unlike various others who downplay or try to pull the wool over us. Lastely, in most organizations... it starts at the top and works its way down. Maybe one of Charles greatest legacies will be the quality of his staff. I am continually reminded of their excellence by folks like Dan, and now Rene, and others in tech support. We need VARS like this; consequently I am saddended when I hear people who say they are buying direct (like on Apples site). I know there are some items only availbable there. Not meant as a sales pitch.. just a heartfelt tell-em-like-it-is testimony. Bill Kronemyer, NJ > An award named after Charles is a terrific idea! And in my view, a no-brainer. Both the IMUG and the Café events this year should carry Charles McConathy's name. Certainly a little tribute video is in order. I can't even imagine the ProMax booth without Charles. Mike Gorga, President MEGCOMM Productions Inc. "Filmmaking for Business & Broadcast" www.megcomm.com 800-816-1884 570-826-9805 local I never met Charles either, but had a few phone conversations with him over the years regarding various equipment purchases. He always had time for me, even though we were "small potatoes". His technical knowledge and vision really came through in those conversations. He'll be sorely missed in the industry. Rod Wellman Writer/Producer Kiel Pro Video, Inc. 3300 Northbrook Drive, Ste. B Sioux City, IA. 51105 Ph. 712-293-0349 Fax 712-293-0352 email: rod@kielpro.com I can't tell you how sad this makes me. Charles was a good man and an icon in the business, as far as I'm concerned. He was the reason we've been buying from ProMax. I always knew that buying from them had that good and fair man behind every transaction. I always enjoyed talking with him during the NAB shows and at the annual ProMax events. Charles McConathy: you will be missed. I'm confident that you are now in a much better place and feeling filled with joy. Jeff (handygeek) Handy Ditto for me Jeff. Charles was THE reason I bought and referred others to ProMax. What else can you say that hasn't been said? We will miss you Charles... -Keith Charles McConathy was the most passionate evangelist of desktop technology i ever knew. From his first disk arrays we sold to Paramount in the early 90's, to all the innovative ideas and products he brought to market. His Firemax for Premiere was one of the great accelerators to bring the DV revolution into focus for many people. Charles was a mentor to me for many years until we became competitors. Even at that point, I always maintained the highest respect for him and even had the pleasure to work with him and for him during my last year in LA. I was very touched by Charles' openness and vulnerability as he struggled with the Big C that ultimately took him away from all those who loved and admired him. I am saddened by his passing, touched by his brilliance, and will always remember him as an inspiration. Ron Margolis The digital community has lost a great friend. Always a gentleman. At 1:17 PM -0400 10/25/04, jh wrote: The Charles McConathy Memorial Media Motion Ball It's probably more appropriate for the ProMax Event on the Tuesday night of NAB, which I presume will continue, to be a celebration of Charles' contribution to the digital media community. However, a moment of tribute and appreciation would be appropriate. This hasn't been a good year for the community - first Ralph Fairweather (pioneer in the FCP community - apple's original online support person at launch and co-founder of 2-pop) and now Charles. At least they'll both have someone to talk their language "up there". :) Just my thoughts. -- Philip Hodgetts http://www.IntelligentAssistance.com Reading these thoughts from ProMax and Charles himself, well, hat's off, a good life! That's really good to see. Bravo. Let's hope everyone can find their way to be as remarkable Ah, I hate that Charles is gone. I will truly miss him. He was a kind soul, who made a difference in many lives. And he found peace in life with a relationship with God. If we should all do so well in our walk... Dan (Michael Horton's tribute is excellent...) At 1:34 AM -0700 10/26/04, Philip Hodgetts wrote: Mike Horton sums it up well... http://www.lafcpug.org/feature_charles_McConathy.html Philip -- Dan Spiess Digital Lighthouse Ok to use a hair dryer to dry tears from inside my keyboard? What an incredibly moving piece! I had not heard about this past year's ProMax event at NAB. Lets not forget the fight against cancer in our charitable contributions. Its a disease that steals so much from so many of us in so many ways. After reading Charles "notes" and this LAFCPUG piece I am exhausted and emotionally spent. >From the day I met Charles I don't think I spent more than 60 minutes in his presence (except at the after hours events at NAB), but there was always something about him I liked. I think I've identified it now. Passion. The man just had a passion for the industry that is matched by few. I remember watching his entire clip on the tail end of a ProMax demo DVD several times just because his delivery....that faded Texas twang...and his casual and confident pattern was just pleasant to a guy who doesn't get to do much schmoozing with colleagues in this business. I still remember the light-blue denim shirts with the ProMax logo on the left breast pocket. And he knew his stuff. I always felt his view on products and technology was gospel...and trusted he'd never put financial gain above service to the marketplace...even if you didn't buy the stuff from him. Mike Gorga, President MEGCOMM Productions Inc. "Filmmaking for Business & Broadcast" www.megcomm.com I read on one of the posts the other day that Charles died of colon cancer, a disease which can be easily treated when caught soon enough. A simple examination of the colon and large intestine is all that is required. Like most people, I didn't like the idea of some one running a scope up my rear end, but when a close friend died of colon cancer a few years ago, I had the exam, even though I was perfectly healthy, had no symptoms or family history of the disease. To my surprise, the exam was no big deal. In fact, I slept through the whole thing. And also to my surprise, the doc found and removed several small growths - polyps. Left alone, one of them would have eventually killed me. If you're over 50, go have the exam. And if, like me, it saves your life, tell your friends. You never know what a difference you might make. I only wish we could have saved Charles. I'll always miss him. I agree with all of the sentiments shared by this community that knew him... He was a special guy and a tremendous giver and he will certainly be missed. I met Charles at a Macworld Expo in the early 90's or was that '89... Anyway, it was the one that Adobe and others threw a huge party at the gift center in SF. Anyway, he was with Micronet back then and I was writing custom database software that required high-performance storage... Although I have a degree in Broadcast Production I continued the software development work until the DV revolution was coming on strong and Charles was forming ProMax. Anyway, through that time Charles has ALWAYS been very friendly and helpful and a huge giver... I will certainly miss him. Respectfully yours, -Robert Misc. Stacy - I just heard about Charles. I am so very sorry. Is there a press release coming or a bio available on the web site? Charles was a tremendous help to me over the years, both as a source of information and as a Paper presentor when I was Paper Chairman. He was also a friend. My most profound sympathies and condolances. Bob Hello Rene, I would like to express my condolences and sympathy to the relatives and the ProMax team who have lost Charles McConathy. Regards Pieter Bunschoten Renee: I saw in the FCP-L that Charles passed away. I'm sure it is a tough time. I know you have worked together for a very long time. My sympathies are with his family, you and your colleagues. I'm certain he has gone to a better place. Peace and Grace A.V. Schmit Rene, Just read the news that Charles McConathy passed away. I just want to say how sorry I am to hear that. I just finished reading all the heartfelt posts you have on the ProMax web site, which is about as big of tribute a man could ever hope to have, and shows the breadth and depth of how he touched this industry. On a personal note, I never met or talked to Charles directly (just the occasional email), but if there was one person who inspired me to open my store, it was him. And for that inspiration, I will miss him. Terry Steyn i was stunned when i read on the internet that Charles passed away. when we started our business for video in Belgium, back in 1998, he at ProMax was the one to match in knowledge, price and customer satisfaction. i learned a lot reading his posts on diverse forums, eg. when 2-pop started. i feel that the video industry has lost one of its pioneers who made the industry affordable for everyone who is passioneted with moving images. i hope that ProMax will continu his ideas and continu to make a good and fair business. My thoughts are also going to Charles family. with respect, Filip Vandoorne Dear René, It is now quite a while since we kept in touch - I hope all is well. I would like to take the opportunity to express me deepest condolences on Charles McConathys death. Charles was the spirit of ProMax and an important voice in the online community. Please accept my sympathy for all of you at ProMax. I hope you will continue in his spirit and God bless you all. Sincerely, Your friend, /Mats Hjelm Hello Rene, I have read about Charles on the internet. I am really sorry for the loss, I don't have any words of sympathy now. ProMax is our first vendor. Charles and you are special for me. ...I have respected him since I met him. He was a great man. I pray that his soul reach heaven. God bless his family and you. -- Minoru Fukuda Hi Rene and Lisa, I just wanted to tell you I am sorry to hear of Charlie's passing away. He was always very supportive in the early years, and his amazing support on video-related web forums many years ago led me to looking into more about what he did, and therefore, to my discovering ProMax, and the great team of people that make up your company. take care, Ron Ron Kalstein, M.Ed. Hello Rene, We just heard that Charles has passed away. We are very sorry to hear this news. We will miss him very much. Takash To: sales@promax.com Subject: Charles McConathy - My regard for a great guy. I was so very sorry to hear about Charles' passing. He was just a super nice guy, and I had a tremendous respect for him. I was surprised to hear others say he was a hard-nosed businessman. Back in the late 90's, I got the notion that I was destined to be the next great cinematographer/screenwriter/editor of our time. I scraped together the cheapest NLE system ever made. Now, how to use it? I called Promax about the first "Video Boot Camp". The course was exactly what I needed, but the price was too steep. I called Charles and told him I couldn't pay for an airline ticket and the course, and asked if I could pay Promax on a "monthly" plan. Charles thought for a minute, and said "I'll make you a deal....If you can make it down here from Montana, I'll only charge you half price for the course." Welll, I made it. The course was fantastic. I slept in my rental car, but the classes were so engrossing, the car was just a minor annoyance. Charles checked in the class one afternoon and ask me "Are you getting your money's worth?" with a wink. He was just great. So, my own experience was that Charles was a very generous person. I'll remember him as the guy who made a gesture of kindness and understanding to a complete stranger. He never publicly mentioned I was attending the course on a "McConathy Grant". He was able to translate geekspeak to layman fluidly, and without being patronizing. And he was always curious, a trait I find common amongst people with very sharp minds. Maybe someday I'll get beyond the generic wedding video, the tedious and exhausting wildlife shoots, the predictable rodeo. Maybe I won't be the next great cinematographer. But I know this... someday, some kid is going to come up to me and say "Can you teach me about that?" And I'll think of the generosity that Charles freely gave to me, I tell him or her, "You bet, kid...Now, this is called a three-point edit... " JP Junkin Northeast of Willow Creek, Montana Hello, Just heard the sad news. Thought I'd pass this along from many years ago... The first weekend I had my brand new Quadra 950 system didn't go too well. Got it on a Fri at 3pm. At 5pm it wouldn't boot. I had absolutely no idea what was wrong or what I was doing. I was not happy as this was a $17,000 purchase that was nothing more than a lump of a paper weight. After an all nighter of reading manuals and pushing buttons, I called MicroNet on Sat at 9am to leave a message for tech support (even though I hadn't bought the package from them -- only the hard drives) Charles answered. I didn't know who he was. He tried to walk me through what he could for over an hour. When that didn't work, he said I'd get a call from their tech desk within an hour. 3 hours passed and I called back to see when I might get a call. He answered again and seemed miffed with the delay. 10 mins later I got a call from their tech manager who Charles had called at home. When we finally got the Quadra up and running (the sales rep had screwed up the installation) I thanked the tech fellow and asked that he thank the other guy, "Charles, I think his name was?". It was then that I learned that Charles was president and founder of the company. Great guy... Steve Dreiseszun Viewpoint Photographers Phoenix, AZ |
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