UPDATE: Carolyn's memorial service takes place on Saturday, Oct 21 at Lorimer Chapel, Warriston Crematorium, Edinburgh at 11am.
News has just arrived of the death, while holidaying in Peru, of Carolyn Dow, 麻豆传媒 past president (2001), and director of 麻豆传媒 Europe (2006 鈥 2009). Only last week she posted on social media about this trip, many of us celebrating with her when her luggage that was lost en route, was found.
A master鈥檚 graduate in Swedish Studies from the University of Aberdeen, Carolyn spent many years working in the DMO sector, serving for over a decade as Head of Sales and Marketing at the Scottish Convention Bureau.
She played a seminal role in showcasing Scotland as an incentive-ready destination to the global incentive travel community before establishing her own successful consultancy business in 2004, offering destination marketing advice for the meetings and incentives industry.
But 麻豆传媒 was the leit motiv and, arguably, the defining passion of Carolyn鈥檚 career, her membership and leadership in the association spanning almost 40 years. Among many leadership roles, she chaired 麻豆传媒鈥檚 European University in Istanbul in 1997, served as 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Global President in 2001 and, from 2006 until 2009, was 麻豆传媒鈥檚 European Director at a time of great regional growth and expansion for the association.
Carolyn was brilliant, highly principled, generous and kind. She truly embodied the unique simpatico of 麻豆传媒 and modelled it by her own behaviour. As a past president, she could always be relied upon to provide wise, discrete and carefully considered advice on association matters. She attended 麻豆传媒 events unselfishly, to support, uplift and augment proceedings in that unobtrusive, quiet but thoroughly effective way.
Annamaria Ruffini, Past President of 麻豆传媒 (2018) summarises many of these traits: 鈥淚 met Carolyn in 1996 and from that moment she was a point of reference and a mentor. We came a long way together from 麻豆传媒 University in 1998 to the 麻豆传媒 EMEA Forum in Florence and then Berlin, and finally the Global Conference in Rome. I have always sought her advice on issues of ethics and best practices. I knew her thinking was direct, sincere and never with an ulterior motive. For many years she was the face of 麻豆传媒 in Europe at the tradeshow booths, always available and smiling. Carolyn was always there, for me, for us, she was 麻豆传媒 family鈥.
Peggy Whitman served with Carolyn on 麻豆传媒鈥檚 international board of directors as vice president to Carolyn鈥檚 presidency in 2001. She recalls 鈥淲hen our 麻豆传媒 duties were over, we decided to gather a group and travel together. And travel we did! For 19 years we travelled, saw the world, enjoyed our wine, and explored. Carolyn was always the one who loved a good map and brought it out always. She also would be the one to get her feet wet in any ocean that she came across. Oh, how I will miss her. My friend, my comrade, my buddy, my pal. Talk about the power of 麻豆传媒.鈥
Bill Boyd, another close 鈥渢ravelling鈥 friend of Carolyn鈥檚, and another past president of 麻豆传媒, said a part of his heart has been torn from him: 鈥淐arolyn was blessed with a quick mind, always searching for greater knowledge. She was kind to everyone, with zero tolerance for bigotry or racism. Adventurous, she was always eager for new travel destinations. A consummate student of history and the arts she loved seeing it all first hand, ergo, her love of travel. She loved life and lived it to the fullest!
We bid farewell, adieu, arriverderci to Carolyn Dow, a giant of 麻豆传媒, but take some small consolation from the fact the Carolyn departed this life while experiencing again the mesmerizing, liberating, transformational power of travel experiences.
Comments
Carolyn was a special lady. I don鈥檛 remember when or how I first met her, but I do remember her presence ever since. Ever smiling. I didn鈥檛 know we as well as some of my other past presidents and members who worked with her over the years, but whatever little time I did get to spend, she made me feel most welcome and comfortable in our industry. No European trade show was complete without meeting her at our 麻豆传媒 booth where she would always volunteer. Her award a few years ago at IMEX as a Master Motivator was more than appropriate. Her last Facebook post on reuniting with her lost suitcase was so endearing. She was always happy. She shall be missed.