My friend Bruce. Or is it Jack?

I’ve had so many friends in my life — the ones that asked me to, “hold my beer” — or the ones I asked to hold mine.

My friends, fortunately got smarter over the years — and they always made me smarter.

But no friend has impacted me both personally and professionally more than Jack Bruce Hughes.

Bruce is a daunting figure — well over six feet with the stature of a Grizzly bear — but he has the heart and soul of a teddy bear. His hugs have feels.

I don’t think we started as friends. In some fashion he was my boss for a number of years — not always directly, but I knew he was the guy that I needed to pay attention to. Because he was always trying to help me, even when I was being stupid — and I was very often stupid.

I remember early on talking about silicone instead of silicon — we were building chips, not implants. And he would gently correct me.

I remember a gathering where another employee talked to me about Warren Buffet, and I recalled a time the Jimmy Buffet played for us when I was in the Navy. Bruce quietly explained the difference to me.

To say that Bruce was patient with me would be a serious understatement — but he saw something in me. He nurtured me — for years. Starting in 1992. He still is.

His influence stuck and I began to grow. I started to not be so stupid.

Bruce was there, edging me along, pushing me up the ladder — even when my ladder reached higher than his did.

All these years later, Bruce is still pushing me up ladders, even if they are more imaginary than real now.

He is the most encouraging person I have ever met. He is the smartest guy I have ever had the pleasure to work with and for the last few decades he has mostly just been the best friend I could imagine.

I can’t imagine how many people get to experience the pure joy of having their best mentor becoming their best friend.

Bruce — I have told you many times — I love you like a brother and you have changed my life like no other.