BRO reader submission by Charles Gordon:
I would like to reflect on Larry Quinn's long time public and private sector leadership role pending his retirement after more than 30 years of commitment to improving our City. As a long time close friend, I hesitated to join the fray. He wouldn't really like it. But his unique qualities and ability to capture the ear of many of this region's business leaders by speaking out, has inspired me to sound out too.
Quinn's long time commitment to Buffalo, his vision par excellence, his rare ability to act decisively, and his courage to stick his neck out have enabled him to reinvent himself many times to the benefit of our community. Tom Golisano, Seymour Knox, and former Mayor Jimmy Griffin (to name a few) all recognized a unique combination of insight, vision and intellect in Larry and allowed him to shepherd projects that made Buffalo better. HSBC Arena, the Irish Classical Theater, the Hauptman-Woodward Institute. All got built on time and under budget in no small part due to Quinn. Mr. Golisano would surely agree that part of his decision to purchase the Buffalo Sabres was credited to Larry's encouragement and confidence that the purchase would be an excellent investment in both the City of Buffalo and in Mr. Golisano's financial health.
Of course Larry has made some errors along the way, and he got in peoples' faces too. He's a human being. I certainly haven't been spared Larry's grueling critiques, many warranted--a few not. But often times the best decisions are neither the most popular nor the kind that spare fragile feelings and egos.
Time will tell about his legacy on the Inner Harbor, but Canalside, for which in his role he has been heavily criticized, he has also shown his unique skills. These include understanding and analyzing very complex issues, his ability to adapt on a dime to changing conditions, the talent to think outside the box and to express candidly a valid though unpopular opinion when others were fearful. The precision and simplicity of his words during interviews always made his positions perfectly clear. And perhaps that frightened some foes that feared Larry's agenda. An agenda which was never hidden, but laid directly on the table for all to see quite clearly. Our Community desperately needs individuals who demonstrate leadership qualities, and often take unpopular positions... to sometimes work outside the system to accomplish goals
Remember how successful the Bills of the early 90's were year after year??? Marv Levy was often commended on the how well his "system" worked year in and year out. To this day I relish his response: It's not the systems.... It's great Players making great plays....
This is a very smart man who worked hard, made his own breaks, impressed upon smart and powerful community leaders again and again, and who has paid his dues for many years. He didn't just land on top. He got there a few times, fell down, and climbed back up again. His generational success is no accident. Quinn's longevity and his achievements lie in his strong vision, commitment to decisive action, and impatience with the Status Quo.
Yes he stepped on some toes along the way--I remember how my feet hurt.
We wish him well.
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I would like to reflect on Larry Quinn's long time public and private sector leadership role pending his retirement after more than 30 years of commitment to improving our City. As a long time close friend, I hesitated to join the fray. He wouldn't really like it. But his unique qualities and ability to capture the ear of many of this region's business leaders by speaking out, has inspired me to sound out too.
Quinn's long time commitment to Buffalo, his vision par excellence, his rare ability to act decisively, and his courage to stick his neck out have enabled him to reinvent himself many times to the benefit of our community. Tom Golisano, Seymour Knox, and former Mayor Jimmy Griffin (to name a few) all recognized a unique combination of insight, vision and intellect in Larry and allowed him to shepherd projects that made Buffalo better. HSBC Arena, the Irish Classical Theater, the Hauptman-Woodward Institute. All got built on time and under budget in no small part due to Quinn. Mr. Golisano would surely agree that part of his decision to purchase the Buffalo Sabres was credited to Larry's encouragement and confidence that the purchase would be an excellent investment in both the City of Buffalo and in Mr. Golisano's financial health.
Of course Larry has made some errors along the way, and he got in peoples' faces too. He's a human being. I certainly haven't been spared Larry's grueling critiques, many warranted--a few not. But often times the best decisions are neither the most popular nor the kind that spare fragile feelings and egos.
Time will tell about his legacy on the Inner Harbor, but Canalside, for which in his role he has been heavily criticized, he has also shown his unique skills. These include understanding and analyzing very complex issues, his ability to adapt on a dime to changing conditions, the talent to think outside the box and to express candidly a valid though unpopular opinion when others were fearful. The precision and simplicity of his words during interviews always made his positions perfectly clear. And perhaps that frightened some foes that feared Larry's agenda. An agenda which was never hidden, but laid directly on the table for all to see quite clearly. Our Community desperately needs individuals who demonstrate leadership qualities, and often take unpopular positions... to sometimes work outside the system to accomplish goals
Remember how successful the Bills of the early 90's were year after year??? Marv Levy was often commended on the how well his "system" worked year in and year out. To this day I relish his response: It's not the systems.... It's great Players making great plays....
This is a very smart man who worked hard, made his own breaks, impressed upon smart and powerful community leaders again and again, and who has paid his dues for many years. He didn't just land on top. He got there a few times, fell down, and climbed back up again. His generational success is no accident. Quinn's longevity and his achievements lie in his strong vision, commitment to decisive action, and impatience with the Status Quo.
Yes he stepped on some toes along the way--I remember how my feet hurt.
We wish him well.
Losing Larry Quinn is a massive loss for Buffalo, especially in terms of developing the waterfront.
He is nothing short of a visonary who had the drive to propose new, exciting projects. Sure some ideas were a little out there and some weren't all that great. But, losing him will inevitibly allow jerks like Tim Tielman to get their way in getting poor projects approved and built - like a temporary tent city rather than a true entertainment/retail foothold in the Canalside district.
Larry will be missed as a forerunner in the fight to get Buffalo back on top.
Oh right-Larry sure got a LOT done with that waterfront. The Tielman-Goldman group are just about the first to ACTUALLY get an achievable project plan conceptualized and put forth. Larry couldn't seem to get past a retailer saving Buffalo's downtown. I wont speak to the rest of his accomplishments, as I am sure they are there, but the canal side has been a disaster under Larry's watch.
Its because of Tielman and Goldman that nothing has been done. They are standing into the way all progress on the waterfront.
And that is all Larry Quinn's fault? How many politicians have put their noses into this? Or the common council? Nothing gets done down by the waterfront because everyone thinks they have the best idea ever created and politics screws it up every time.
Same thing with the casino. Build the darn thing. If people don't like casino's then dont go to it, but it will be another attraction downtown and something to draw people to that area that is empty unless an event is at the HSBC arena