Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope (Coh)

Michael Gold Ironman for Diabetes

Michael Gold was a wonderful father, leader, mentor, visionary and friend.  He and his long-time friend and business partner, George Schaeffer, started People’s Trust Insurance Company in Boca Raton, Florida in 2008.  Mike had a “larger than life” personality and loved people.  He was an innovator in every way.  Mike believed that there was always a better way to do things and was never bound by the past and the way things had been done before him.  This philosophy is what made Michael Gold and People’s Trust successful and was the reason Mike won the Governor’s 2013 Enterprise Florida Innovators in Business award.

Shannon Ludlow first met Michael Gold in 2005.  Shannon worked for a home building company in South Florida for about 2 ½ years and he and Mike first met when Mike was purchasing a new home.  Shannon was the project manager and in charge of building Mike’s new residence, along with many others.  Mike was impressed with Shannon’s dedication, extreme attention to detail and tremendous knowledge in the field of homebuilding.  Based on what Mike saw in Shannon, he knew Shannon would be a great fit for his new homeowners insurance company and Shannon took a position in the Claims department of People’s Trust in February, 2008.  Mike was a great judge of character and talent and the two of them had a wonderful relationship both professionally and personally.

Mike had struggled with health conditions for much of his life.  Diabetes and heart problems were a constant concern.  On January 26th, 2014, Mike passed away in his sleep, leaving an enormous gap in a number of people’s lives.  He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Eileen, along with 4 children and 4 grandchildren.  Mike had a substantial influence on Shannon.  Shannon was always inspired by how much Mike loved his family and would drop whatever he was doing, including running meetings, if any member of his family called.   It didn’t end there.  Mike made everyone he worked with also feel like family and treated them as though they were part of his “extended” family.

Part of the mark Mike left on people was his “do the right thing” mentality.  Since Shannon worked in Claims, he and Mike had many interactions to discuss certain claims and the way they would be handled.  Mike lived by the golden rule; treat others the way you want to be treated.  When Shannon would ask Mike for advice, Mike always responded with “Do the right thing.”

Shannon, having run in several half-marathons and half iron man competitions, decided he wanted to enter a full Ironman competition and dedicate his performance to Mike.   Shannon wanted to do something, in Mike’s name, and to honor Mike’s family’s wishes by donating money to Diabetes research.  We are asking for donations, which will be given to the diabetes charity of choice by the Gold family, in the name of Mike Gold, a man that was an inspiration to so many.