An introduction by Jamie McLane:
This write-up and request come from Ed Cantor and John Cogswell, who knew Nick first as a rower at Yale. They have written a beautiful piece. I hope others do this with other classmates that they respected, admired and loved as friends throughout his lifetime. These are the types of personalized human interest stories we need more of about our classmates on our blasts and class notes.
Nick Gardiner passed away on March 31, 2022. He was born on June 19, 1939 in Boston, Massachusetts of parents with Hungarian origins, something he was proud of that he illustrated by wearing Bavarian jackets. Nick attended Milton Academy before coming to New Haven. At Yale, he was active in many charitable organizations, rowed for four years, and was the Captain of the Yale lightweight Crew. His attendance at Yale was special. Nick wanted to go to Yale but his dad wanted him to go to Harvard and refused to pay any tuition if Nick went to Yale. Nonetheless, Nick went to Yale and worked his way through by participating in the bursary program.
Following his graduation, Nick joined the Marine Corps and served with distinction in Viet Nam. He attended the Harvard Business School and began his career with W.R. Grace & Company. His first job was to go to South America and be general partner of a failing affiliated company. When he got there, the former general manager entered Nick’s office and told him how things were being done. Nick listened attentively and then said without further comment, “You’re fired”. Nick worked for several companies but was mostly proud of his service as president of the Radio Free Europe Radio Station. Later, he became the founder and President of Gardiner International, a prominent international search firm, an occupation he was suited for because of the good judgment he received from his intelligence activities in Vietnam.
In 1987, Nick married Sigrid Born, a French resident, and for the last several years, his principal place of residence was in Paris, where he quickly joined a local trout club to continue a favorite sport. He eagerly welcomed any visiting class members.
Nick continued his scholarly and patriotic interest in the health of our republic by reviving up and becoming the Publisher of the Passy Press, a periodical that discussed relevant issues facing the world. The Passy Press was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1777, then serving as the Ambassador to France. Nick was prompted to do this because he could see Franklin’s house from the window in his office. Nick’s program was to seek opinions from recognized scholars on relevant issues and then ask his “members” for solutions. These members were limited to 300 persons in recognition of the 300 Spartans who fought to their death to hold the Thermopylae Pass in 480 BC while the greater part of the Greek force retreated from several hundred thousands of Persians who gained the advantage because of a treasonous act.
Nick’s love of the Marine Corps and his fellow oarsmen was demonstrated in 2015 when he devoted a considerable amount of time spearheading an effort to see that our classmate George Cadwalader received The Lifetime Achievement Award at Yale for his service as a Marine in Vietnam, where he was seriously wounded and for his subsequent efforts to turn delinquent boys to a better life.
Approximately 10 years ago, Nick suffered multiple fractures when his bicycle was struck by a car driven by a nun. The accident caused him to be hospitalized for several months. More recently, his kidneys ceased to function. He had a transplant that did not work and was forced to undergo dialysis several times a week for the last year. He actually enjoyed this because it gave him time to work on the next Passy Press issue he had in mind. Despite the foregoing, he could not overcome his failing body. A few weeks ago he displayed his courage by undertaking open heart surgery with a 9% risk of death to fix a failed aortic valve and just didn’t make it.
To those who knew him, Nick was an inspiration and a loyal friend. He was a man of great integrity, an indomitable spirit, proud of the Marine Corps, proud to be an American and proud to have been a member of the Class of 1961. He was enormously admired by all those who knew him and will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Sigrid and his two sons, Christian and Eric.
A note from Ed Cussler:
Nick was the captain of our lightweight crew, and although we seldom won the race, Nick made sure everyone rowed and felt included. As lightweights, we all had to keep our weight under 160, a requirement Nick struggled with. Because he was pudgier than some of us skinny guys, we nicknamed him “Rubens.” In all the years since Yale, I never walk past a Rubens painting of a generously endowed nude without thinking of our Nick.
From https://prabook.com/web/e.nicholas_p.gardiner/557235
Publisher The Passy Press
Nicholas P. Gardiner is the Publisher of The Passy Press based In Paris France and former executive recruiter where he founded Gardiner International Inc, the first cross border executive search firm. The Passy Press was founded by Benjamin Franklin in Paris (Passy) in 1777
Gardiner was born on 19 June in 1939 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of John Pennington and Juliana (Geszty) Gardiner.
Nicholas P. Gardiner studied at Yale University. In 1961 he became a Bachelor of Arts.
In 1971 he was a student of the Harvard Business School of the faculty of Program for Management Development.
General manager, W.R. Grace & Company. New York City, 1965-1970;general manager, Envases Sanmarti division W.R. Grace & Company, Lima, Peru, 1967-1970;director corporation development, New York, International Basic Economy Corporation, 1970-1972;vice president, New York, International Basic Economy Corporation, 1974-1978;vice president, Center National Corporation, 1973;vice president, Boyden Associations, New York City, 1979-1980;partner, Boyden Associations, New York City, 1980-1983;senior vice president, Boyden Associations, New York City, 1982-1983;president, chief Executive officer, Haley International Inc., New York City, 1984-1987;managing director, Gardiner Stone Hunter International Inc., New York City, 1987-1992;executive, Paul Ray & Company. New York City, 1992-1993;president, Eric Salmon & Partners Inc., New York City, 1993-1995;president, Gardiner International, New York City, since 1995;president, Gardiner, Townsend & Associations, New York City, since 1998.
President Radio Free Europe Radio Station Liberty Fund. Director American Council on Germany, French-American Foundation Served to First lieutenant United States Marine Corps Reserve, 1961-1964. Member The Japan Society, Institute Francais des Rels.
International, Royal Institute International Affairs, The European Institute, The Society Cincinnati, The Brook, Racquet and Tennis Club, Jesters Club, Polo Club (Paris).
- Nicholas P. Gardiner married to Judith Beck on 19 January in 1975 (divorced September 1981). He married to Sigrid Becker Bron on 19 March in 1987. Stepchildren: Christian Bron and Eric Edouard Bron.
Father: John Pennington Gardiner
Mother: Juliana (Geszty) Gardiner
Spouse: Judith Beck
Spouse: Sigrid Becker Bron
child: Christian Bron Gardiner
child: Eric Edouard Bron Gardiner