Picture Tribute (4 min 15 sec)
Played at the memorial service. Sorry for the ads on this video. It was the only way I could use the songs. Just click on the “X” to close them.

Memorial Service – Family Stories (20 min)
This video includes the opening comments from Jim Burns and then the stories from Bob’s two son-in-laws (Rob and I) and his two daughters (Kristen and Kelly).

Time Markers:
Rob (00:00:39)
Mike (00:04:57)
Kristen (00:08:03)
Kelly (00:14:10)

Memorial Service – Friends and Eulogy (47 min)
This video includes the opening prayer from Jim Burns, the readings from Bob’s small group, reflections from Tom Thompson, and the Eulogies from Jim Burns and Tim Timmons.

Time Markers
Jim (00:00:05)
Brandy (00:05:05)
Erik (00:06:13)
Russ (00:07:35)
Bob (00:08:15)
Tom (00:09:52)
Jim (00:20:29)
Tim (00:30:00)

Dec. 16, 2011

A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT M. CAMPBELL

Gifted Entrepreneur, Industry Leader, Devoted Husband, Father and Humanitarian

Robert M. “Bob” Campbell, one of the most influential leaders in the California commercial real estate industry for more than four decades, passed away on December 15, 2011 in Newport Beach, California. He passed peacefully at home surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.

Bob founded CT Realty Corp., along with U.T. “Tom” Thompson, III, in 1994 and served as president of the company from 1994 to 2009, becoming chairman in 2009. During Bob’s tenure, CT Realty completed more than 200 transactions valued in excess of $2.5 billion. Prior to establishing CT Realty, Bob was general partner of Birtcher Campbell Properties for 20 years. While at Birtcher, he was responsible for the development of commercial real estate projects involving more than 11.5 million square feet of space. He was also a founder and past Chairman of the Board of Pacific National Bank in Newport Beach.

Bogey and the Grandkids (Nov 2011)

Over the years, Bob was the recipient of numerous awards for his business and philanthropic achievements. In 2003, he received the UC Irvine Graduate School of Management’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented to an individual who has exhibited a long period of positive influence over the real estate industry in Orange County, California. In addition, Bob was honored with Ernst & Young’s prestigious “Entrepreneur of the Year” award in 2003 in the category of Real Estate Services. He was also presented with a proclamation by the city of Newport Beach that same year in recognition of his service to Orange County business and the general community.

Over the decades, Bob volunteered thousands of hours to nonprofit organizations and community activities. He was an original member of the “Teahouse Gang,” a group of prominent commercial real estate professionals who recognized the need to do more for the local community. The group held their first annual charity event in 2001 to benefit KIDWORKS, a Santa Ana-based nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and nurturing at-risk youth.

In 2002, the Teahouse Gang held a benefit that raised roughly $1 million for KIDWORKS. Bob and the other Teahouse Gang members established the Building Block Foundation Fund, which supports programs that encourage at-risk, underprivileged but deserving youth in Orange County to achieve more rewarding lifestyles. Campbell was honored for his leadership with this organization in 2005 by the Orange County United Way, which presented him with the Dan Donahue Award at its annual Keeping Kids on Track luncheon.

In 2007, Bob was recognized for turning “real estate success” into “real success for at-risk youth” with the Keys to Success Award. The award is presented each year by Project Access, a nonprofit organization that assists residents of low-income housing apartment communities with achieving self- sufficiency through access to onsite health, education and social services. The organization was founded in 1999 by Foundation for Social Resources, a nonprofit provider of affordable housing in California.

Bob was born on Sept. 5, 1940, in Oakland, California, and received his bachelor of science degree in engineering from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. He is also a two-time graduate of UCLA’s Business School with a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in business administration. Both degrees were earned while working as a research analyst for Planning Research Corp. and as an assistant professor at California State University, Los Angeles.

In addition to his business career and dedication to helping others, Bob was a passionate golfer who loved to travel with his wife of 37 years, Jean. Bob was deeply devoted to his Christian beliefs and was a member of Mariners Church/South Coast Community Church in Irvine, California, for nearly 30 years. Bob’s commitment was nurtured by his weekly participation in a Christian Men’s Covenant Group which offered guidance, comfort and prayer for members facing personal and professional challenges. He served as an intermediary for many of the group’s challenges, using his extraordinary leadership talent, willingness to listen and quiet, thoughtful manner to resolve even the most difficult situations.

Throughout his career, Bob built strong business relationships that not only made him successful in his career, but hugely successful in life. Evidence of this is the many lives he touched, bringing joy, encouragement and hope. To some, Bob was an entrepreneur, a gifted leader and an inspirational mentor. To others, he was a talented partner and business associate. Most importantly, he was a true humanitarian and a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He will truly be missed by all. We thank him for the legacy he leaves which will continue to help others long after our own time has passed.

In addition to Jean, Bob is survived by his daughter Kristen and son-in-law Rob Venick and their two children, James and Katelyn; daughter Kelly and son-in-law Michael McFadden and their three children Campbell, Piper and Makayla, of Denver, Colorado; and his sister Rae Nash of Alamogordo, New Mexico.

A memorial service for Bob is planned for Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at Mariners Church at 11:00 AM in the Community Center located at 5001 Newport Coast Drive, Irvine, California 92603 (corner of Newport Coast Drive and Bonita Canyon Drive). In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Building Block Foundation Fund (www.buildingblock.org) or Kure It (www.kureit.org).

The Giving Tree
By Shel Silverstein
(Classic)
A young boy grows to manhood and old age experiencing the love and generosity of a tree which gives to him without thought of return.

Just the other night I teared up reading this classic story to my kids as they crawled over me.  There was something that just moved me inside.  I guess knowing that my kids were at the age of climbing up the tree, swinging from the branches and enjoying life in its purest form.

It’s hard to think of them growing up, moving on and not needing us all the time.  I feel like I’m a little kid experiencing an emotion for the first time.  I’ll try to soak up these moments because I know they go fast.

Thanks Uncle Shelby.

BTW, Did you know Shel Silverstein wrote the Johnny Cash hit A Boy Named Sue? Impressive.

1. Parenting together is fun – it’s great to have several parents all walk through this together.  Many of the parents are in the same mom’s group or MOPS.  We hang out together.  We have the same foundation and have a common language around parenting.  It’s really cool.
2. I’m a huge fan of Love and Logic – L&L really resonates with me.  It’s simple.  They equip parents with tools and ways to raise kids.  I’m sure there are critics but I’m not one of them.

This is from the L&L website:

Love and Logic^® provides simple and practical techniques to help parents
with kids of all ages:

• Raise responsible kids
• Have more fun in their role
• Easily and immediately (first use) change their children’s behavior

Love and Logic is a philosophy founded in 1977 by Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline, M.D. It is the approach of choice among leading educators, parents, and other professionals worldwide.

Below are some notes from our refresher class.  Some of these notes are from our instructor and some are just my thoughts:

• Bribery = handing over control to your kids. You are training your kids to act out of extrinsic motivations instead of intrinsic.  We want kids (and adults) to do things because of who they are (i.e. character) not what they get.
• Screaming should not equal “I will get what I want”.  It’s important to break that expectation.
• Your relationship with your spouse is most important. Don’t make the kids your priority.  You’ll wake up in 20 years with your spouse and not know them.  You both might have the best intentions but if you don’t make each other the priority then the kids you’ll have a rough road ahead.
• Your kids have an emotional reservoir … and it needs to be filled DAILY.   Just because you spent good time yeseterday or went on vacation last month doesn’t mean your kids don’t need attention today.  Take at least 3 times a day to have some face time with your kids.  Take a minute or 5 minutes just to sit with them.  Don’t read a book.  Don’t watch TV.  Just be with them.
• It’s okay to get up and leave. It’s great to teach your kids it’s okay to get up and leave.  If you don’t like the way something is going just leave.  Don’t explain.  Don’t justify.  Just get up and leave.  Remember these kids are going to be teenagers and adults soon.  Don’t we want them to be able to assess a situation and be comfortable just leaving.
• Kids scream. That’s what they do.  You could be doing everything right and they will still scream.  Don’t feel bad.  Don’t try to always fix it or address it.  They will scream.
• “I would have loved to give you [blank] but don’t worry you will get another chance another time”.   This might be the #1 sentence said in the McFadden household over the next few years.  This is a great way to give a consequence.  You are not leading with NO.  You are telling them they will have another chance.  But you are not giving them what they wanted.
• Do your kids have too many toys, treats, privileges? This one hit our group hard.  One kid in our group had TV or a toy taken away and they didn’t really care.  Our instructor pointed out that in American culture our kids have way to many privileges.   TV is not really a treat.  Ice cream isn’t really a treat.  Our kids have 100+ toys.  Everything is just there.  It might be time to take some stuff away.
• Don’t teach … make it a story. This one is hard for me to explain.  It’s rooted in several examples on how to deal with different situations.  Take a look at some of the resources L&L provides.  Listen to some of their DVDs to get more ideas.
• Catch your kids doing good. Don’t always look for times to discipline but catching them doing good.  Catch them playing well.  “If you want your kids to listen to you start to whisper to your spouse about them” … you don’t have to tell your kids directly their doing good. Talk about them in front of someone else.  Tell someone on the phone what you saw when you know they’re listening.

Those are a few notes from last night.  Hopefully they are of a little help.

BTW, if you’re a parent I’d highly recommend getting involved with L&L.  Ideally organize a group with parents you hang out with … it makes parenting together fun.  But if you don’t have that then at least find a group around your city and attend.  You won’t regret it.

A few more from the weekend….