President's Column - May 2025
Hello Members and Industry Friends,
Stepping in as President of the IADD was timed exactly as I agreed to, and prepared for, a new role in a new country. That move has consumed all aspects of my life, personally and professionally. Each of the President’s columns I’ve written have been about this topic. Hopefully with enough variation to keep up interest. As this is all I’m going through, it’s all I have to write about. Past articles have mostly been about the challenges of the move. Some have been about taking on the new role, but this time I’d like to highlight what was key to getting through all of that; it was kindness.
There were many reasons we agreed to take on this adventure. Most were the life, education and lessons we could provide for our children. One of the most important lessons we hope to teach our children, or better yet, help them experience, is kindness.
At home in the US, we were comfortable, we knew the language, the systems, the culture. Basically, in general, you could say, we didn’t need help very often. Which was good because it’s not always easy asking for it. Moving to a foreign country is a very different situation. Everything is unfamiliar. We need help almost daily.
While some help is expected—whether through my company or hired services—most of it comes from family, friends, colleagues and often complete strangers. This transition has really shown our family how the generosity of others and how acts of kindness, both big and small, make an enormous impact.
I’ve previously written, at length, about the logistical challenges of an such a big move. I’ve detailed the mountains of paperwork and the late nights spent filling out forms. I’ve touched on the need for ongoing reliance on people back home to keep everything running smoothly. What I haven’t highlighted enough is the kindness of the people who make it all possible.
Take, for example, our car situation. We sold our vehicle before leaving the US, and just six hours before our flight, on the way to drop it off to the buyer, the check engine light came on. We called them and they politely and understandably said they wanted it resolved before taking delivery. Pure panic. A friend stepped in, offering to let us drop it off at their house, book an appointment at the dealer and handle all the dealings with the service department. Once repaired (thankfully, just a sensor covered under warranty), she delivered it to our sister-in-law, who then met with the buyer. Without their help, I have no idea how we would have managed that last-minute crisis.
Then there was the flooding. After we moved out of our house, which we will be renting, and before the new tenants arrived, a pipe froze and burst, flooding the entire finished basement. Now, it’s an active construction site. My father has taken on the responsibility of managing all the contractors and insurance adjusters, ensuring the house gets repaired while we’re thousands of miles away. I still have the pleasure of dealing with insurance on the claims though, so I don’t miss out on all the fun!
Our mail was forwarded to my parents where my mom is basically running a mailroom and scanning and sending all bills or documents coming in. As we cancel services and subscriptions, we are receiving final invoices and credits. We learned the hard way that many US sites block traffic from foreign IP addresses, so we cannot do much online. Thanks to mom, she is also acting as banker, making payments and depositing checks. We could not be here without their help. None of this was expected, yet they do it all willingly, and with a smile. I’m 45 and still need Mom and Dad just as much as ever!
On this side of the world, the kindness we rely on is different. Here, it’s about navigating everyday life. And these acts of kindness are not just helping us get through our days, but hopefully making an impact on our children.
It started on day one of hockey for my son. It had to be quite intimidating to walk into a locker room where you didn’t know a single person or even speak the same language. But a few kids, right away, moved their stuff over and made room for him on the bench. As he was telling us the story, I made sure to ask if it was the other way around, would he have been the kid that welcomed the new guy or would he sit there quietly, letting them stay feeling like the outsider? Hopefully that stays with him.
All of the routines are different from the states; so many things are just different. Just because you know where the rink or the pool is, doesn’t mean you know how things work. We are so thankful that many people have recognized we could use a tip or have explained a process along the way. I was asking some questions at hockey to a few parents, and they quickly put two and two together that I must not have all of the team apps or at least not know how to fully use them. They tracked down the app “guru” and she gave me a full lesson on where to find everything. Those 5-10 minutes have saved us a ton of stress or worry if we are at the right rink, at the right time or if there is a game this weekend and what time the team bus leaves.
My daughter is now back on a swim team, and it’s the same story. Other parents and kids are helping to navigate. They’ve shown her where to store her gear, where to go for dryland training and have even offered rides home since we’re still relying on public transportation.
We are currently in a temporary apartment and will soon be moving into a house. The problem is, our shipping container is two months late, so we have only what we were able to bring in our suitcases. We did bring a ton of them (11!) but we didn’t bring beds, dining room tables and chairs or anything you’d need to cook. So, as I’ve relayed my tales of woe to people around here, I’m amazed by how many have offered help. Some, it’s just a simple gesture of “if you need anything, let me know”; from others, it’s a bed or mattress from their spare room, and one even said they are just moving their parents and have an entire house of things we can take from: beds, tables, chairs, linens. Incredibly kind.
Kindness is what makes the difficult or uncomfortable, manageable. It turns strangers into friends. It’s what helps us feel at home, no matter where in the world we are. As leaders in our industry, in our communities and in our families, we should never underestimate the impact of small, everyday gestures. Whether it’s offering guidance to a colleague, supporting a friend in a crisis or simply making space on the team bench for someone new. Kindness can change a person’s perspective of a situation, brighten their day and not to be too dramatic, but it can even change their life.
For my family, this journey has shown us just how much kindness still exists in the world, because unfortunately, lately, it doesn’t seem like there is enough. And I hope, we can pass that lesson on—by recognizing it, and much more importantly, by demonstrating it.
Back home, I never fully realized what it took to navigate life. This move has shown me. Moving abroad has made it clear: no one does this alone. If someone were to ask me what it takes to pull off something like this, or any other life changing event, I wouldn’t say guts, or patience or even resilience. My answer is kindness.
Thank you and all the best,
Rob has 27 years of experience at Bobst, one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries. He currently serves as Tooling Director.
Rob is based in Switzerland, with his wife Monica and their children, Leo and Manuela. His older son, Khai is engaged and remains living in New Jersey. Rob enjoys camping and cooking as well as being a full time chauffer to hockey and swimming practices.
He is proof that being one of those “take it apart and see how it works” kind of guys can lead you to a wonderful career, meeting new people and experiencing the world.
The President's Column appears in The Cutting Edge, the IADD's monthly magazine.
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