Richard N. Goldman wins first Business Leadership Award

Today, Richard N. Goldman, President of the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, was given the 2009 Business Leadership Award at the Jewish Community Federation's Business Leadership Council (BLC) breakfast. Goldman is the first recipient of the award to which Goldman joked, "I don't know what the means, but I think it has something to do with age." Goldman went on to explain his life's goal has always been to donate 1/3rd of his time to the community, even when he was in business. "I didn't do it to gain anything, I did it because I felt it was my duty," said Goldman. Still Goldman concluded, "The benefits you gain from it are way beyond anything you may anticipate."

After receiving the award, I interviewed Richard Goldman and asked him about those benefits.  While receiving his award, Goldman maintained a very good sense of humor. During his speech, a waiter dropped a tray in the back of the room, to which Goldman joked, "Oops, sorry about that." "I urge all of you to follow a lead that I have set of myself which is to give of your time, whatever you're doing, to your community," said Goldman, "Whatever it may be, just to know that you're helping others."

Article author and interviewer David Spark (@dspark) is a veteran tech journalist and founder of Spark Media Solutions, a firm that helps companies build their industry voice through storytelling. His technology report, The Spark Minute, can be heard every day on Green 960 and 910 KNEW in San Francisco.