My good friend Hao.
Hao was a close friend of mine who I will forever hold in my thoughts & memories. Hopefully these tributes will help do the same for Mila & Aleksandar.
I met Hao in a place where many great beginnings start...not on a social media platform...at a good old bar named Q’s. After work one day, my good friend Michael Conway pulled me aside and introduced me to Hao while we were at Q’s. I immediately bonded with Hao – he was easy to talk with, he had a great sense of humor, his IQ was off the charts, and most importantly, he was a genuinely kind person. Hao was one of the main reasons I came to RKE and I owe him a great amount of respect & gratitude for my success in public accounting. Hao’s technical knowledge was second to only one...Ron Rotstein was the only one that could edge Hao, and Ron had superhuman photographic memory powers, so props to Hao.
Hao would always set aside time to help anyone with a question, whether you were a staff or a partner. Hao went out of his way to include me on client calls and meetings – watching him navigate various complex situations was instrumental in my growth. Hao was the guy you wanted to be around the table having a drink with. Whether it was talking about sports, politics, or debating ridiculous questions like, “Would you rather be blind or have no arms?” Hao always had an interesting and/or humorous opinion and would also be quick to critique / analyze your response.
Hao was one of the most accommodating people I have ever met. He would be the first to cover payment for anything whether it was lunch, golf, or drinks. Playing golf with Hao at the public tracks was always a treat – we frequented Westchester (or “DeathChester” as some others call it) and The Lakes. Let it be documented, Hao got a hole in one on hole #8 at The Lakes (on the old course layout before Top Golf). At the end of each round, we would ceremoniously end it with Coors Lights at the 19th hole, whether it was grabbing a few lukewarm extras from Greg Horn’s bag or some cool ones at the bar. Hao also enjoyed the Blackjack tables. I never spent more time at a Blackjack table than when I was at the Palms with Hao...I think we played somewhere around 8 hours straight…and didn’t come away with much other than some free drinks.
In all seriousness, Hao was a caring husband and passionate father. The most important thing to him was his family. I know Hao is in a better place, watching over Ana, Mila, and Aleksandar. Until we are able to meet again, we will all dearly miss our good friend Hao.
