The property planning world has misplaced an writer, speaker, a luminary, a frontrunner, a artistic drive, however much more so, a sort soul. Having identified Steve for a lot of my profession and having learn with unimaginable disappointment articles commemorating his passing, I felt one thing extra wanted to be mentioned.
The Nationwide Underwriter Collection that Steve Created, “Instruments and Methods of…” turned and stays a staple within the property planning group.
Stephan Leimberg
Steve wasn’t only a nice writer and lecturer or the creator of a web-based e-newsletter. He was a uniquely artistic out-of-the-box thinker. Quantity Cruncher software program broke new floor in offering extremely environment friendly methods to calculate, illustrate and forecast many widespread property and monetary planning strategies. I bear in mind on a go to with Steve a few years in the past in Florida, he instructed the story of the nucleus of the thought for Quantity Cruncher. Having accomplished a posh set of calculations, he was given a change in info and needed to recalculate the numbers but once more. Whereas most of us would have simply stored crunching the numbers (or delegating to a extra junior skilled to crunch the numbers), Steve spoke with a colleague about discovering a greater means. That dialogue finally led to the programing for Quantity Cruncher. Few of us have so revolutionized the occupation. However for Steve that was solely one among his many ongoing artistic endeavors.
Steve created Leimberg Info Programs, Inc. or “LISI” as all within the allied professions name it. LISI was not simply one other e-newsletter, it was a groundbreaking concept creating a singular info supply for all of us. LISI revolutionized the transmission of information in our trade. Not did articles have to attend many months to achieve us, however they could possibly be revealed and disseminated the following day. I recall as soon as when Gideon Rothschild joked about how LISI had articles revealed a couple of speech he given earlier than he completed the presentation. LISI additionally remodeled how info could possibly be conveyed. Steve rethought the communication {of professional} info in ways in which helped everybody within the trade be extra knowledgeable and develop professionally.
Whereas different articles have talked about LISI and quantity cruncher, many didn’t actually emphasize the creativity and contribution to the occupation that these assets offered. However Steve’s creativity in the entire above misses a significant a part of the contribution that Steve, Instruments and Methods and LISI made to the occupation. Steve freely helped and inspired younger unknown authors to publish. Few in our occupation gave so freely and kindly to assist others get their begin. I do know, I used to be a kind of younger authors and owe a lot to Steve. Steve gave me an incredible enhance in my profession. Steve turned a mentor. That mentorship grew right into a friendship that I valued dearly and can maintain onto ceaselessly. I used to be removed from the one one Steve touched in these methods.
However Steve did one thing that was even braver and kinder than simply mentoring younger newbies. Steve bristled at injustice within the professions and on this planet. And when he noticed a possibility to make an impression he did.  When colleagues have been shunned or denigrated by skilled organizations or different colleagues, Steve’s and LISI’s doorways remained open. That was not solely brave on Steve’s half, but additionally demonstrated the compassion and unimaginable decency that Steve embodied. These qualities are one thing all of us, and the entire allied professions, ought to ponder, apply and emulate. Too usually all of us witness a harshness and competitiveness that harms succesful and well-meaning colleagues. Steve reached the head of success with out ever resorting to such conduct and with out ever forgetting these others left behind. That was admirable and noteworthy.
One occasion particularly is emblematic of Steve’s philosophy and outlook on life. After a well-attended insurance coverage lecture that includes Steve,  I approached Steve and inquired if I might ask him a private query. Together with his fixed smile he mentioned “In fact.” I requested Steve a easy query that itself encapsulates how particular he was: “Why are you all the time so good?” Steve took the query severely and contemplated for a couple of minutes then mentioned: “You understand, it is simply simpler that means.”
However Steve’s accomplishments went properly past insurance coverage and property planning. Steve was a real renaissance man. An completed sailor. His images was unimaginable and delightful. Look right here: https://www.unseenimages.com/.  His love for his spouse Jo-Ann heartwarming. His ardour for Amelia Island admirable.
The tagline on the finish of each LISI article for years, maybe since inception, has learn: “Hope this helps you and others make a constructive distinction.” That was not only a tagline, however how Steve approached all of us, and maybe life itself.
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