Obituary: Louis Thompson

Louis Thompson – or Lou as we all knew him – died on Friday, March 25, aged 77. Long before most of us in the IR world knew him, he had already chalked up a period of six years as a career officer in the US Army, serving overseas in Korea and Vietnam, as well as at home at the Pentagon.

But before that he had been awarded an MA in journalism, setting him up for his subsequent communications career. That began with a spell in the White House as assistant press secretary to former president Gerald Ford and went on to include being senior vice president for communications, economics and publications for the National Association of Home Builders.

It was after this, in September 1982 – six years before the launch of IR Magazine – that Lou became president and CEO of NIRI until his retirement, 24 years later, in 2006. And it was during this period that he made such a huge contribution to the IR profession – just one reason IR Magazine presented him with the award for lifetime achievement in IR in the year 2000.

Lou undoubtedly gave an enormous boost to the profile and importance of investor relations. I can’t compare his impact on IR with the one he made on the American Hanoverian Society, where he was president for six years, because of his love of horses – and especially Hanoverian horses – which he both rode and bred. Nor can I comment on the effect he had on the various educational institutions with which he worked. But I know there are many people in IR today who remain profoundly grateful to Lou for his huge championing of the cause of IR.

This was not just a question of his dedication, which involved making speeches to NIRI chapters 60 times a year and working relentlessly with senior IR people both across the US and around the world. It was also the clear pleasure he derived from both working and playing with IROs. The latter involved ensuring the annual NIRI Conference was a time of genuine learning – as well as enormous fun. It was also a chance for Lou to show off his tremendous musical ability: his rendition of Mona Lisa at conference karaoke events will be remembered by many. Many more will continue to sing his praises for a long time to come.