Robert Reed: The original Observer

For more than a decade, Reed has been a fixture in Ukraine's expatriate, business and diplomatic communities. He was Willard's representative to the American Chamber of Commerce and the European Business Association. He was a member of EBA's board of directors at the time of his death.

As Willard's external affairs director, he was often one of the first people new arrivals to Ukraine would meet. He was eager to help newcomers feel comfortable, make connections, and to introduce them to the advertising and public relations agency that he represented.

"Robert was an extraordinarily likable guy, and he truly enjoyed being involved with business and government," said Mike Willard, chairman and CEO of Willard, the agency. "He was the perfect person to represent our firm: Robert was a friend to anyone he met, and always willing to share his experiences. He loved Ukraine and he was optimistic about the country's future."

"In the early days of our magazine, The Ukrainian Observer, we started using a character we called The Observer that was based on Robert," Willard said. "It's hard to say whether the character made Robert famous in Kyiv, or whether it was the other way around. Either way, they complemented each other. In many ways, Robert was the face of our company, and that alone makes him a difficult colleague to lose."

Reed had been a firefighter and a cook before coming to Ukraine, and he frequently donated his culinary talents to the British and Canadian embassies when they needed the assistance of a master barbecue chef. Last year, he received a commendation from the Embassy of Canada for his work as a volunteer.

Reed served as a combat medic in the United States Army's Special Forces during the Vietnam conflict. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Larissa Reed, and step-daughter, Marina, a lawyer, both of Kyiv.