My deepest condolences go out to the Nordstrom family and all those grieving. He inspired me so much and every chance I got to meet him I would spend the days and nights before his visit digging into my business and memorizing how many wides and narrows we had in our stockroom and what our top RP items were, etc.

It always amazed me that he was leading a $16B company with 70k employees but would take the time to write a personal email to someone at the top of the inverted pyramid or remember the fine details of people he had just met. He was a smart man. Those tiny gestures of kindness probably had the largest impact on the success of Nordstrom at the time. I know it made my commitment to the company even stronger and inspired me to give 110% everyday as if I were part of the family business.

I always tell our teams when making tough decisions to think about what you would do if Blake was standing over your shoulder. That mentally has always guided me in the right direction and I’m forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him. His influence will live on through all the people that he crossed paths with and we will continue to live and teach his values everyday. RIP Blake you will be missed.