Today, I can’t concentrate on work. We rarely have the TV on at the office, but today is unique. The news is so bad and I fear it will only get worse.
Having spent 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, much of our exercises were centered around defending Europe against the Soviet Union. In our early training, we simply referred to Russia as Ivan. Ivan was always listening and always watching, we were constantly told. Because of this training, I readily admit a little queasiness about doing business in Russia.
Over the years I met a few Russians and learned that they are wonderful people—just like us, working hard for their families. They liked to drink and so did I, and I made a few friends and sold several plasma lights to Russia that were installed in the Ural Mountains. It was very profitable business, and commerce helped alleviate my trepidations about doing business with Ivan.
Last year, EdisonReport had the opportunity to sponsor Russia’s Golden Foton Awards, and I was intrigued. Your humble editor had several Zoom meetings with the Golden Foton team in the Fall of 2021. I met a Russian OEM, Centrsvet, at LightFair in 2021 in New York. To my knowledge they were one of the first, if not the first, Russian company to exhibit at LightFair. Centrsvet was a Golden Foton Award winner and it was good to learn about this award first hand from a company that benefited from the award.
However, in November, as Russian troops began to amass near Ukraine, my queasiness returned. In December, as I was negotiating the MOU with Golden Foton and drafting a press release, Russia demanded that NATO never accept Ukraine or other former Soviet nations as members. While I really liked and trusted the Golden Foton people, my instincts took over and on 27 DEC, I ceased negotiations, explaining:
“Men, I am starting to think we need to put things on hold for a little while. The relations between our two countries are not good and everything I read tells me things will get worse before they get better.
I am sorry.
Regards, Randy”
This was the right decision, and I do remain convinced that the Russians are good people, in spite of their government. I hope I am right and that a miracle happens and this thing can end before there is more killing.