Richard Dale
At the beginning of October, SITPRO said farewell to a great friend and colleague, and trade facilitation lost an unstinting supporter. Richard Dale will be greatly missed not only by his family, but by all the people that were fortunate to know and work with him. Below, his colleague at SITPRO, Gordon Cragge, shares his personal recollections of working with Richard at SITPRO and sentiments that are shared by all of us here.
My first recollection of Richard is from 1992 when I arrived at SITPRO on secondment from HM Customs & Excise. However, before I knew him, Richard was already a colossus bestriding the world of trade facilitation especially in the Customs Co-operation Council and UNCTAD, and the new amazing technology EDI - electronic data interchange. All those who worked with him in the early, pathfinder days of UN/EDIFACT will remember his dedication and commitment to spreading the benefits of electronic trading to developed and developing countries, and to small traders as well as large businesses.
All his negotiation skills (and they were many) were needed during Richard's stewardship as SITPRO's Chief Executive. As befitted his merchant marine background, Richard steered SITPRO through some often choppy seas during the move of the Standards Section to the Electronic Commerce Association and the privatisation of the software development team responsible for SPEX. Richard was then the steady hand on the tiller as SITPRO sailed uncharted waters and his skilful seamanship brought the new ship safely home to its new port.
Although he finally handed over command in 1998, Richard never really retired. He continued to support SITPRO's trade facilitation work especially in the area of documents and documentary procedures. He was the recognised expert on the Standard Shipping Note and the Export Cargo Shipping Instructions and his vast knowledge greatly helped the work programme of the Documents Working Taskforce, which he chaired. Anyone who attended the Licensee Forum in Harrogate in 2006 will remember Richard's expert chairmanship and his ability to bring together disparate views for the common good. Richard gave respect to everyone, every voice had the right to be heard; in return he received honesty, loyalty and willingness to co-operate.
Richard, you will be sadly missed on a personal level. You were a real gentleman and a good friend. You will also be missed on the professional level by all those people who now benefit from the fruits of your labours to make international trade easier and simpler. Goodbye, good friend.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 66, Autumn 2008
