Remembering Ali Dastmalchian

Very sad to learn this news as we will miss a highly committed global scholar and a wonderful friend. He has been visiting IIT Delhi regularly with his delegation and twice while I was heading the department of Management Studies. He was a very kind soul and accommodated all our collaborative proposals. I am sure he has moved to a better place for some other important duties in a cosmic journey. He carries our best wishes. & kind regards

There are not many people you meet only once, and are compelled to write about. Ali is one of those people. I only met him as a member of an EQUIS Review Team in 2018 which he chaired. He was such a warm, accomplished and pragmatic person and he impressed me immensely in the few days I worked with him. I don't know the circumstances of his passing, but was shocked when only today (April 2021) I found out only by chance that he had passed away. Such a lovely person. My heart goes out to Ann and his family.

Ali and I first met in UWIST Cardiff student union during fall of 1975. Both of us were students at the time. He had finished soccer practice with the UWIST team and was there to have a drink before going home. We remained friends ever since. Ali and I earned our PhDs in 1980 in different majors and attended the same graduation ceremony in 1980. Ali and Ann immigrated to Canada. Lyn (my wife) and I ended up in the US. Ali was a prolific writer/producer of publications. I wish I knew the source of all that energy. I received two cards from him every year. One for Christmas and one for Nowrooz. I will miss him. May he rest in peace. My condolences to Ann and their families.

Professor Ali Dastmalchian was a genuine, passionate teacher and a loving colleague! We have been working closely together since 2014. Whenever he visited Shanghai we meet and dinner together. He was like a family member to us. He was a wonderful Mentor. He was a unique human being, his passion in life was to help others. He sprinkled love and hope on anyone he touched. He had a deep belief and trust in other human beings. It was truly a pleasure and honor to know him. My sincere condolences to his family (Ann, Niki, and Kia), his colleagues, and the community.

I got to know Ali only briefly over the past two years after I became the Dean of the Sobey School. We met at conferences and had great conversations. The last one was during my flight to Nashville earlier this year in February when travelling together to attend the AACSB Deans Conference. Ali was dedicated and committed to excellence in business education. He shared his ideas and opinions generously and was not hesitant to be critical of practices in higher education which he felt were not contributing to enhancing the educational experiences of our students. I enjoyed our discussions, whether in teams or individually. He will be sorely missed by all who got to know him.

Dean Ali was a wonderful and generous person. Although I worked in a different faculty, he made sure to connect with me to demonstrate that he appreciated my work.
A great leader I will miss.

It is an honour to have shared some great moments with Ali , he will sorely missed, love to Ann and family .

Lovely to have known you Ali, condolences to Ann and family

It is with sadness mixed with fond memories that I write this tribute to Ali. I first met Ali when he attended the Children’s Rehab Center Christmas party. Ann and I were colleagues and friends. I watched in amazement how Ali, the guest in the room not only introduced himself to everyone, he made everyone there feel at ease. Such was one of many of Ali’s gifts.
I was a new grad and working on my first paper. Ali was happy to review it for me. Ann returned it to me with hesitation as it looked like a red pen exploded all over my paper. Ali spared no effort in helping me learn how not to write a paper . However, with his guidance, I did get published.
Ali was a brilliant academic, a loving husband and father, and a friend to anyone who had the privilege of meeting him.
Ali, you will be missed dearly.
With love and deepest sympathy to Ann, Kia, and Nikisa,
Donna & Graeme

Canada has lost one of its great academic leaders with the passing of Dean Ali Dastmalchian. I say this from personally knowing and admiring Ali for more than three decades as a fellow business professor. Our paths crossed far too seldom at conferences and university visits. Yet each interaction reinforced my belief in Ali as an incredible mentor, a patiently determined institution builder, and a true friend. My shock of his sudden passing may wane, but my fond memories and appreciation of Ali Dastmalchian will remain strong. My thoughts are with Ali’s family at this difficult time. I hope that the positive impact Ali had on so many people will lessen the sadness.

Ali has been a great friend for some 20 years. On top of his many academic accomplishments as teacher, scholar and dean, he was and incredibly decent and honest individual. I enjoyed working with him and will miss him.

My most sincere condolences to Ali's family and friends. I first met Ali when we met to discuss my membership on the SFU Beedie School of Business Advisory Committee. Ali's energy, vision and commitment to SFU's school of business made it impossible for me NOT to join he and his colleagues to support the school. Ali was an inspiration and a tremendous loss. He will be missed by us all.

Ali was a great leader and a very sympathetic, kind and smart gentleman. I will really miss him. All my condolences to his family.

Ali touched so many peoples' hearts and minds through his gracious nature and his intellectual prowess. He did mine too. I am so grateful for the gift of friendship he gave me but so sad he left so soon. He was a great leader, wonderful friend and a perfect gentleman. I miss him dearly and feel the world has become lesser without him.
Deepest condolence to Ann and the family.

I first met Ali when I was a PhD student teaching for him on the Calgary campus of ULeth. I recall a black-tie event one evening when my wife and I had the pleasure of sitting at his table with his wife and he genuinely appreciated my jokes! Jump ahead 22 years and I recall having a very engaging phone conversation with him late Spring where he was offering his great advice. I genuine sweet guy. He will be very missed.

I got to know Ali at annual conferences of the Canadian Federation of Business School Deans (now renamed Business Schools Association of Canada). I was a relatively new member of this body but I remember his gentleness, warmth and dynamism. He was very active at the conferences. A man of ideas and a visionary, he will be grestly missed at the conference scheduled for next month and future conferences. I would like to extend my most sincere condolences to Ali's family. May his soul rest in peace.

My sincerest condolences to Ann, Kia and Nikisia for the loss of a husband and a father. As many have mentiond already; Ali was a friend, a leader, a visionary, and a very special individual who could reach out and connect with anyone. He left such a deep impression with me and I feel I was lucky to have known and worked with him. Ali was the kindest and most thoughtful individual. I remember when my daughter was born and I came back from two weeks off and he saw me and gave a gift of a book and a matching out fit for the book. We still read the book almost nightly and it reminds me of his warmth and generosity. To Ann and the kids, my heart goes out to you during this difficult time and I send my deepest sympathy and hugs. May you take solace in knowing that Ali will be forever with us through beautiful memories and his wisdom that he imparted on all those he connected with.

Ali was both my Dean while I was a student completing my business undergrad degree at UVic and my Dean as a staff member at SFU Beedie. Even though I didn’t work directly with Ali, he had a gigantic impact on my education and career and is largely responsible for some of my absolute favourite years. At UVic, he encouraged us to complete co-op work terms, travel the world (I went to Thailand on exchange with my now husband), and become well-rounded, good hearted, environmentally aware, globally minded citizens. At SFU he brought a tremendous amount of warmth, wisdom, humour, and positive change. With Ali at the helm, I had full trust that our school, students, staff, and academics were heading in a positive direction. He will be deeply missed. Reflecting on his impact is truly inspirational, especially for those working in academia. I'd like to thank Ali's family for giving him the support and space to contribute as much as he did to the UVic and SFU. My heart goes out to his family.

Ali was such a warm, genuine person. He is the reason my family now lives in Lethbridge. When we were searching for jobs it came down to U of Lethbridge and a school in Boston. It was Ali's kindness and consideration that brought us to the U of L. After we arrived, he was so thoughtful in helping me begin my career as an academic. We truly felt welcomed and valued with Ali serving as Dean. He will be deeply missed--I hope knowing how many lives he has touched will be a source of comfort.

Deep condolence to the family! Although I have only met Ali for several times, I was impressed by his vision and how he is turning vision into reality through relentless efforts on building connection among people. It is a big loss and I am saddened to hear the news. I still refuse to recognize the fact Ali has left us temporarily....

We will all remember Ali and what he has done for all of us. R.I.P.

I was so saddened at the loss of Ali and my condolences to Ann and family. Ali was a special person. Visionary yet modest, inclusive and caring.
My memories of Ali will be of a great Dean who collaboratively developed a new vision and instilled purpose and momentum for his Faculty. He was a gracious man who could lead the way to the best restaurants in Delhi despite the lack of signage and traffic chaos. I wish I could have spent more time in his presence, especially after reading all of the tributes and understanding the impact he had on so many people. He will be greatly missed.

My condolences to Ann and the children. My heart goes out to each of you.

I first met Ali in 2016 when we did a walkabout of the Vancouver campus when he was a candidate for the Dean's position. His modesty, ideas and humour (and our shared interest in English Premier League soccer) made him stand out. Ali brought vision, energy and humanity to his role at Beedie. I work regularly with Beedie faculty and staff based at the Segal building downtown and the respect, admiration and fondness they have for Ali is palpable. Ali was the quintessential leader because it was never about him, but always about those he served. Ali's quiet, self-effacing disposition belied a visionary, inspired and focused leadership. Ali truly did "build a better Beedie."

It was an honour and privilege to know Ali Dastmalchian. His contribution and legacy live on....

The shock of losing dear Ali was immense. I worked with Ali while he was still at UVIC prior to SFU and he was always a keenly intelligent, warm, evolved person. Working alongside Ali and his fabulous team at the Beedie School has been a huge privilege. Ali's very sudden departure has left us all feeling very sad. He will be deeply missed.

Ali was such a kind, open and humble person. I am so sorry and sad to see him go so early. He had such great vision, energy and spirit. It was truly a pleasure and honour to know him. Condolences to his family, know that he will be missed and remembered always.

Ali was a wonderful colleague at SFU--intelligent, kind, always human, compassionate, and with such a compelling vision. I miss him tremendously. My sincere condolences to Ann and his entire family.

There is nothing I can add in tribute to Ali that has not already been better stated. I can say that to me the world feels diminished with him no longer here, and it is up to us to take up the slack. What an inspiration he has been to me.

It was my pleasure and honor to be Ali's Travel Agent for close to 30 years! He was a true gentle man and I shall miss him. I am so very sorry for your loss Ann, Niki and Kia. We spoke earlier in the year of his thoughts of retiring soon, I am sad that he did not make this milestone, as he achieved so many others. What a wonderful man and Educator he was. My fondest thoughts are with all his family and friends.

Ali was a visonary leader who inspired his teams to achieve incredible results. He was also a warm, kind mentor who saw the potential in others (inlcuding me during our time together at Gustavson and encouraged them to grow. He left this world a better place. I remember a few years after he had left our School he had heard I was ill and phoned me to inquire how I was doing. It was such an "Ali thing" and I was deeply touched. My deepest sympathies to Ann, Niki and Kia. May reminiscences such as this bring some small comfort in your loss.

While I am a Beedie faculty member, I do not get to the school very often, so I did not get to interact with Ali much. However, in the few times that I had one-on-one interactions with him, I came away feeling that I was listened to, respected and supported -- and from the other notes here, that seems to have been the experience of many of you. I liked Ali, I respected him greatly, and I was certainly glad that he was reappointed as our Dean. Now, each time I turn my attention to Beedie matters, I think about the fact that he passed away and am sad, for all of us. My sincere condolences to his family.

It's incredible to read over the tributes here and remember Ali's professional accomplishments. To me, he was first Nikisa's Dad, a caring man who was interested and engaged with the world and his family. With Ann, he always provided a safe place for movie nights and small parties for Nikisa's friends. There are few parents who could balance engaging with a roving band of regular visitors while giving them space to goof off as well as they did. He never needed to be involved but always on board whenever he was called upon.

Like the time he happily presented Laura with a substitute diploma wearing his Dean regalia then worked a small crowd making sure everyone was having a good time. Then sharing my annoyance when everyone wouldn't eat together. I thought that night of how rare it is to get to eat with a group of young adults together with their parents to eat together. I never imagined it would be the last time we would all sit and share stories together.

Ann, Kia and Nikisa, I cannot imagine what this loss feels like, but the enormity is easy to sense. I hope you feel the love of this community for you as you move forward to one day smile and laugh again. My deepest condolences and most heartfelt wish that you feel Ali's presence every day.

Ali was a presence in our lives for over forty years - and we shared many happy times with him and Ann and later on with Kia and Nikisa.
We remember him for his warmth, generosity, curiosity and endless energy.
He was an inspiration to those he worked alongside; an adoring husband, devoted father, supportive to his wider family and a great friend.
Ali made everyone around him feel special; he will always have a special place in our hearts.
With love and deepest condolences to Ann, Kia and Nikisa.
Pauline and Gerard

I feel sorrow, sadness and strong empathy with Ali’s family. I do also feel despair and anger because of everything we will miss when Ali is not among us any longer. I have learned to know Ali better and better during the last five years. We have cooperated as PRT members and have had intense and stimulating discussions about the changing roles of business schools and the general state of the world. During the last years we have also initiated successively closer cooperation between our respective schools.
I remember Ali for his clear and sound judgement, his strong commitment to academic values and his profound engagement and curiosity. A good friend who always was open for a stimulating conversation.

Ali, I’ll miss you.
We came to Beedie around the same time, and where I was working before I had been junior faculty and never too involved in the operations of the place. You invited me into the “room,” encouraged me to serve on your reform committee, made my contributions feel valuable, and gave me advice and support along the way.
You were always warm and generous, with your focus and your time. I appreciated how you listened more than talked, and worked hard more than dictated. You modeled thoughtful, inclusive leadership, bringing people together and balancing their views while charting out a path forward. You left Beedie a stronger, kinder, more engaged place. You made me comfortable at Beedie, like you did with so many others.
I remember when we were recruiting PhD students this spring, you even made an RA offer to the spouse of one of our admitted students to help recruit them. I can’t imagine another leader getting so personally involved to make the School a better place. It reveals your dedication: to excellence, to people, to place.
Thank you for everything you taught me. I’m devastated that you were fighting cancer this summer while I pictured you enjoying a much-deserved break from dean duties. My sincerest condolences to Ann, Kia, and Nikisa for your loss.

I keep trying to find words to express the enormity that is the loss of Ali to me. I suppose explaining what Ali meant to me, as I so often described to my friends, would help - he was my "second dad".

His support, respect and love were precious to me and I cannot imagine a future without him. No major choice made was quite right without a consultation with him. He knew me so well and knew the questions I needed to ask myself to make sure I considered the best course.

He was always there when you really needed him, as busy as he could be, which gave me a sense of never being entirely alone.

I know I won't get to hear his laughter or his words next time I need them with my ears, but I know I still will. Memories if him will be with me forever.

I will remember Ali’s smile and generosity. I will remember our conversations that were always warm and pleasant. Ali was so interested and curious. He took lots of time to talk to us and valued our efforts and contributions. My deepest condolences to Ann, Niki and Kia.

Ali was so alive and so warm. The world is indeed less without him. He was driven and made a difference, but he did so in conversation and compassion. A true leader. A wonderful human being. I will miss him very much....

My most sincere condolences to Ann, Niki, and Kia - and to Ali’s extended family, from GLOBE to Gustavson to Beedie and beyond, literally to every corner of the world.

I struggle, I cry, I feel regret. I feel robbed. I feel blessed.

Ali's death is so difficult to deal with because he offers so much to learn from and to emulate - his vision, drive, empathy, caring, support, leadership, vision, persistence, to name a few. I feel honoured just to have been in his presence and I feel unworthy of his unwavering confidence and support. But alas, I've found that time and again, Ali knows our potential better than we can judge it ourselves. And for that (among many other qualities), I am eternally grateful. I just wish I had more time to learn from him though his example will forever live on...

A famous proverb says, "Tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are". As the many posts here from far and wide only begin to show, Ali walked with all of us and will continue to walk with all of us and us with him. Ali could relate to anyone, inspire anyone and connect with everyone in a personal and meaningful way - an amazing feat for one as busy and driven as Ali. He made me feel special, important, critical in way that made me want to not let him down. He was a one-of-a-kind person not to be replicated but forever emulated.

Thank you Ali and for everything and everyone you touched.

Ali hired me in 2005 to look after the GLOBE project and handle the day to day administrative operations of GLOBE. As a young grad student with the world in front of me I had no idea that this would be a life changing offer. During my tenure as Ali's RA, my world has opened. I have been able to support myself and my family while finishing my MA, beginning and (nearly) finishing my Phd and becoming a parent once, and then again. Throughout these milestones Ali was there to congratulate me and support my growth. I have heard a few folks reflect on how he seemed to take personal pleasure and joy in watching the achievements of those around him. I felt that very much. When my first child was born I remember checking the mail to find the sweetest and most unexpected hand written note and baby book. I couldn't believe that he and Ann would trouble themselves to find the time for such a gesture. Then again, the same thing when my second son was born. Ali's heart was big enough for every single person in his life no matter their role or level of "importance". Over the years, I often told my friends and colleagues in GLOBE that I had never worked for a better person, and I really meant it. As I grow in my role as a parent and an aspiring academic in my field I will look to his example often. I will ask myself what would Ali do. I will recall the way he seemed calm and trusting in moments of uncertainty, like he knew some greater truth that I didn't. I will try to emulate the way in which he seemed to meet and respect each and every person where they are, and how they are without judgement. I will try to use my gifts in the way that he did his--always in the service of others, and always with a smile. Thank you Nikisa, Kia and Ann for sharing Ali 's light with us. I am so honoured to have known him and I will treasure his memory.

With love and gratitude,

Natasha and family

Like so many who have written heartfelt tributes here, I felt seen, heard, and valued by Ali. These leadership qualities, coupled with strategic vision, deep organizational experience, curiousity and the willingness to experiment, enabled Ali to bring the best out of the many people and organizations he led. Informed by his research and through leading faculty accreditation assessments around the world, Ali had rich insight into how and why a faculty and a university might work better and the courage and skill to enact meaningful change.

Ali’s death came as such a shock to those of us who had pictured him relaxing and regenerating (and perhaps catching up on research) between 5 year terms as Dean. It’s taken me this long to process that he’s no longer with us. I am very grateful for his mentor ship and support these past 5 years. Reflecting on our many interactions, looking back on email correspondence, reading these tributes through tears, and hearing the memories of my colleagues, I appreciate even more how kind and generous and genuine he was. And how many lives he touched. We feel his presence in the very culture of SFU Beedie, and elements of his organizational and leadership legacy will continue to make positive impact for decades to come through the many faculty and staff he mentored.

To Ann, Kia, and Nikisa - my deepest condolences on your heartbreaking loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dear Ann, Kia and Niki. As I read through these tributes to Ali, I am struck by impact he has had on students and scholars all over the world. For decades.
He was a very special man.
As I sit here crying, I think of the early days at the UofS, eloquently captured by Colin Boyd (above). My first recollection is Ali as a young Assistant Prof who was a big football (soccer) fan. He was wrangled into supporting a new project by David Boag: an Msc in Tech Mgmt. I was one of the first two students. In that small program, we all got to know each other and I remember the day Kia was born. He was so over the moon. And amazed by Ann. The same again when Niki was born.
When he moved to UofA, Ali had time for me, providing advice and guidance on doing a PhD. Always thoughtful, quietly funny and 'just there' for support.
Over the years we have kept in touch and I was lucky enough to be at UVic for his retirement party. It was extraordinary. SO MANY faculty and staff to support him in his decision to step down. That's a remarkable situation for a Dean to be in, but I was not surprised. I always wanted him as a Dean. And I had the chance. I'm so sorry it never worked out.
Anne, Niki and Kia - I am struggling to find the words. I am thinking of you and especially, your lovely Ali.

I am deeply saddened by learning the loss of “Dear Professor Ali”, a beautiful person, a great leader and an impressive researcher. His lost is causing an inexpressibly deep agony. My prayers, thoughts and condolences are with his family.

Ali was a great mentor who patiently listens, motivates, inspires and unites his mentees by his wisdom and humble leadership. I first met Ali during my PhD studies at Bogazici University, and honored to have worked with him since then for many years on his research projects. He had an overwhelming impact not only on the way I approach research, but also on how to value my academic career as a way to contribute to the community.

Beyond all his virtues, first and foremost Ali was a kind, loving and caring person who was always there for you as one of your family. Ali and Ann shared the most important facets of my life; my birth to my twins, the first birthday party of Ela and Can, the hard times when I struggled with my son’s speech therapy, and at so many other times they were there as a loving uncle and aunty.

Dear Professor Ali: You are a special soul who has touched our hearts beyond our lives. We are all grateful to you for giving us a place in your beautiful heart. You are in our lives, and you will always be. Hope to come together one day….
Gaye Karacay (from Istanbul / Turkey).

I was very fortunate to have known Ali and enjoyed his humor and wisdom at work. Ali was not only a humble leader who treated everyone with respect, but also an engaging and caring person. Through Ali, I had the pleasure to meet with Ann in our social events and enjoyed their gracious and warmth personality. I interacted with Ali most when we were recruiting and interviewing job candidates, and a common remark the candidates made was “he is such a nice Dean,” and “very easy to talk to,” which resonate with all the sentiments in this tribute. Ali was genuinely interested in directing our school towards a more inclusive and respectful workplace for staff and faculty, a legacy which we all appreciate and will continue. You will be sadly missed but fondly remembered by everyone. RIP Ali. My deepest condolences to Ann, Niki and Kia.

Ali is an exceptional, kind-hearted and amazing leader. When he first started as Dean at the Beedie School of Business, he made it his mission to meet everyone within the first 90 days of his term. Ninety days is a long time, I thought in my head. It will be awhile until it’s my turn! But no longer than I thought, my supervisor told me Ali wants to meet with us tomorrow. At first, I felt very nervous meeting the new big boss. But Ali’s genuine caring attitude and his willingness to include staff as much as possible, made me realize the next few years at Beedie were going to be great!

Over the past few years, I feel very honoured to have learned from and worked alongside Ali. Whether it was B3 or his Ali’s updates, there was always something special about the way he did things. Every year, Ali and I would be working on set of 50+ letters to faculty. Of which, he told me in his first year, he could write all of them if he didn’t sleep for 1.5 days. Thankfully, that did not happen. All jokes aside, you can see Ali’s thoughtful comments and encouragement towards his colleagues in every letter he wrote.

To Ann and his family, my sincerest condolences for your loss.

Ali, I will miss your Christmas Cards, hallway chats, your passion for cooking and your secret recipes.

It has taken some time for the shocking news of Ali’s passing to reach me. I am rarely at a loss for words. However, on this occasion I struggle to convey the profound sadness I feel at the loss of such a good man. To Ann and family I am so sorry for your loss. I hope it will give you some comfort to know the positive influence that Ali had on so many people.I consider myself fortunate to be among them.

I know exactly the first time and second time I met Ali, I think everyone remembers their encounters. He had a unique ability to connect with and bring out the best in pretty much everyone. He also had a great sense of humour and one of the most even keels in a person. Thoughtful, authentic and genuine - he will be missed by thousands.

Dear Ann, Nikisa, and Kia,

I am so saddened with the news of the loss of your father and husband. My sincerest condolences to your family during this sorrowing time.

Ali was a tremendous person as you know better than any of us. First and foremost he was one of the most genuine and caring individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing and working with. He was always warm and engaging, making time for our students, faculty, and staff. He always began any interaction with checking in with us first, always seeming to know what you were working on and offering encouragement. He personally made me feel welcomed, appreciated, and heard as a member on the B3 review team - a process through which I learned a great deal by having the opportunity to work with him. I truly appreciated his inspirational leadership and genuine drive to transform not only our organization but our people.

He also usually had a lighthearted story to share when you saw him in meetings or at events - such as at the CaseIt dinner when he shared how he and you, Ann, moved to Canada and went looking for a restaurant and thought Swiss Chalet would be a Swiss restaurant but to your surprise found it to be otherwise! - no matter the situation, he always made the best of things and showed you how it was possible to look on the bright side, reminding you to be hopeful.

I truly hope that your family can find some comfort during this difficult time in knowing the lasting impact Ali made and how much he will be missed.

With great sympathies,
Marissa

Dear Ann,

I apologize that it has taken me a few days to be able to write these lines. The devastating news about Ali’s passing has reached us fully unprepared. But can we ever be “prepared” for something that is so ravaging as the loss of a person like Ali? Words cannot express the sadness that I feel. Ali was such an exemplary and admirable person: warm, full of understanding, tolerant of different perspectives, never tiring when trying to achieve a goal, in short: a role model for the people who were privileged to know him in private and in professional life.

Memories of our encounters fill my mind: invitations at your home, your visit at our place, the liquor tasting at my brother’s and of course the professional conversations, when Ali was trying to reconcile diverging ideas and thereby contributed substantially towards giving birth to such wonderful things as the MGB program and many other fabulous projects. Ali was able to accomplish so many things and to bring out the good in the people who were working with him. For this reason, he will never be forgotten.

I realize that this is only a small consolation for you. At this point, there is very little except for the support of your children and your close family that can help you live with the deep grief and the emptiness that fills your heart. Nevertheless, it may be a solace at a later stage to know how much Ali was appreciated and loved by the people who knew him.

If life ever takes you to this part of the world again, please understand that you will always find a warm welcome at our home.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your and your family's loss.

Evelyne and Karl Glaser

There's nothing I can add to the tributes already paid to Ali the educator and leader: He was excellent at both. One of the unexpected highlights of my MBA program at UVic was taking a class taught by Ali. I had recently gotten back in touch with Ali and was looking forward to meeting up one day soon, a hope unfortunately delayed by COVID-19 and now lost.

I will keep Ali, his family, and friends in my prayers.

All of us at Trinity Business School are very saddened to hear of the unexpected passing of Ali. We first came to know Ali when he chaired our EQUIS panel review for accreditation. He not only conducted the review with a high degree of expertise and professionalism but very clearly took a personal and collegiate interest in the development of our school. After the accreditation visit Ali generously offered us his full support extending a warm and caring fellowship with all at Trinity Business School. He really was somebody who took a personal interest in others wellbeing and was very much a force encouraging business to excel and to make a difference for good. He will be a big loss to the global business school community but his influence will extend well into the future.

We are sad to lose our friend and extend our deepest sympathies to his family and his colleagues.

Ali, man with big heart, great vision in global leadership, scholar, teacher, fellow traveller in multicultural paths, pioneering moments with President of Hunan University, Changsha. You'll be dearly dearly missed.

I only worked with Ali for one year, but was fortunate to chair the committee that reviewed his performance as Dean of the Beedie School of Business. Ali accomplished so much in his years at SFU, and his colleagues within and outside Beedie enthusiastically supported his leadership. At the deans’ table he was a mentor and supporter, always thinking of the “big picture”. As dean of Beedie he put students first, and he was thoughtful and compassionate when anyone encountered difficulties. We will miss him very much at SFU.

I'm saddened to hear this news.. Although there were only a couple times that we spoke, Ali was professional and kind, easy to approach, and deeply passionate about his work and helping empower the students and staff around him. Ali will be missed, may he rest in peace. Having read the commentaries above, it's evident that his kindness was far reaching. Thank you for all that you've done Ali, may you rest easy knowing that you've were pivotal to the success and happiness of so many.

Ali was the main reason my wife Debra and I came to the University of Lethbridge. We had competing offers, and Ali seemed so nice and helpful that we couldn't say no. Over the next couple of years our early judgment was borne out was we saw him operate and lead the faculty in important directions. I remember the faculty gatherings at his house, where everyone was made to feel welcome. He is missed.

Dear Ann and Family, Ali was not only an amazing Dean and leader, but truly a caring and incredibly warm human being. He seemed to have more energy than just about anyone I have ever met – and an incredible ability to fly around the world several times a year and never seem to suffer from jet-lag. He was truly a citizen of the world and we would joke; ‘is there anyone in the world who doesn’t know Ali.’ Ali was a joy to work with and had a fantastic sense of humour. As others have said, I never felt he was the boss, but more of the champion and chief cheerleader. He was also incredibly able to see the big picture, but also understand the details and nuances needed to move things forward. Before he became Dean of Beedie, I had heard that Ali was great to work with but that I would likely work harder than ever before. That was definitely my experience and I was willing to work harder because he motivated me to think bigger about what was possible and stay excited about the journey. Ali always spoke warmly about his family and Ann was frequently by his side at various events – a true partnership and a joy to be around. He will not just be remembered for all his amazing accomplishments as an educator and researcher, but most of all for being a husband, dad, friend and supporter of so many people.

On behalf of the AACSB International community we are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Dr. Ali Dastmalchian, Dean of the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Dastmalchian was an internationally recognized, award-winning researcher and teacher. He was also a dear friend with a generous heart whose leadership consistently made a positive difference for individuals and organizations alike. We wish to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Ali’s family and friends, and to all within the Simon Fraser University community.

The positive impact Ali had with everyone that he interacted with is undeniable. Maya Angelou said, "people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This is true with Ali in the sense that in his presence, we remember how he made us feel whether that's being seen, heard and valued. In addition, I think what makes Ali is an exceptional leader and person is that we also seem to remember what he said and what he did as he always leaves an inspirational impression through his words and actions. I'm still shocked and saddened by our loss and my thoughts and prayers are with his family. Ali will be missed.

I didn't have the privilege to know Ali well, but it was clear from our first meeting that he was someone remarkably genuine and full of passion. He had this way about him that just exuded warmth. Even when he was scurrying from one meeting to another and all he had time for was a quick "hello" he made sure you knew that, in that moment, you were the most important person in the room to him.

It was a shock to hear of his passing. My sincerest condolences go out to his family and all those whose lives he touched.

It is with dismay that I hear that Ali has passed away.
Ali, a wonderfully knowledgeable, genuine and caring colleague forever missed.
At this terribly sad time, my thoughts go first and foremost to your family and loved ones.
Thank you for the boundless wisdom and warmth you shared!
You did so much good. You were a fine human being in its truest meaning. You were such a good person!
Thank you for a unique, tremendously treasured and solid friendship.
Always in memory, you live on.

Ali was the best of the best. He was unbelievably generous to everyone. Frequently, I think he thought better of people than we thought of ourselves; he was always so encouraging and engaging. He was the person responsible for me “falling into” my career in post-secondary education, by encouraging me to apply for a three-month position back in 1994; I will always be grateful to him for that. I am absolutely devastated that he is gone. I will always take comfort in remembering how happily and eloquently he described his summer in Istanbul with Ann a few years ago: I know he took a real break then, and had the chance, I hope, to deeply reflect on all of his incredible achievements up to that time. He was a force of nature. I remember giving a thank you speech for him, out at Dunsmuir Lodge, when he left us at UVic for the first time. I called him “Mustang Ali” at that time, trying to honour and capture his constant drive and energy. Wherever his spirit may be now, I am sure he continues to make the world a better place. I will miss him always, and send my deepest condolences to his family both here and in Iran.

After meeting Ali when he first came to the Beedie School of Business, I was excited by what he might bring to the school. I found he brought all that and more. Ali was compassionate. I felt heard by him every time we spoke. He cared. He was a visionary and a leader who served. He brought so much to this world and I will remember his light. May we each find one piece of his legacy that we can carry forward. My heart goes out to all those who knew and loved him, especially Ali and his family.

I feel very fortunate to have partnered with and learned from Ali these past 5 years and I will miss his wisdom and kind, calm and gentle way. As a leader he created the space for everyone in an organization to bring their best forward and invited all to have a part in shaping the future…in Ali’s world…everyone was welcome! In our last exchange he expressed his excitement for a second term as Dean and his hope that much could be achieved despite the challenges of 2020 and beyond. May Ali’s family, friends and colleagues find peace and joy in the memories of so many wise and generative exchanges with this wonderful person.

Ali, we have shared a 35 year friendship, carpooling through the harsh Saskatchewan winters, watching our children grow, collaborating on papers, joking about putting on a few pounds here and there, flying to different locations, sharing our cultural values and enjoying your famous “burnt” rice. I am so thankful to have known you and will always treasure these wonderful memories we had together.
You have always amazed me by your network and your willingness to meet and listen to people, no matter how busy you are. You have also supported so many initiatives, and you have done so without taking the limelight away from others. GSB is a better place because of your leadership. Thank you.
Words cannot describe the sadness in your sudden departure. I will miss you very much and wish we could have had more time together. So long, my friend.

I'm very saddened to hear this news. Ali was an incredible part of the Beedie community, his impact will not be forgotten. My condolences to Ali's family and friends.

As a Beedie alumnus, this news greatly saddens me. He was kind and easy to talk to, and always passionate about empowering students to reach their full potential. My condolences to those nearest and dearest to him ♡.

Ali was one of my all-time favorite people.

As Dean of UVic Faculty of Business, he built a warm, inclusive, and high-achieving culture remarkably free of the politics and in-fighting that plague most academic faculties. He worked harder than all of us, and was a better teacher and more productive researcher than most of us. He was an eternal optimist. He believed even the most difficult and recalcitrant faculty member had something great to contribute, and he worked tirelessly to make that happen. The two years I worked with Ali, Elango, Pat, and others on the Delta Task Force, holding retreats with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community stakeholders that brought us all together and created, or confirmed, our school’s identity and mission, were among the most rewarding of my work career.

Ali’s office door was always open, and I regularly dropped by on my way home to talk with him about whatever was going on, under the clock on his wall that told the time backwards. Ali and Ann opened their home to all of us and taught us about Iranian holidays.

After I left UVic for Japan, I twice got Ali to come to Kyoto to teach an intensive version of his “Power and Politics in Organizations” course to our MBA students at Doshisha Business School. The students loved it.

Ali knew how to have fun. He always tolerated, even encouraged, my “guerrilla live” musical performances, from “Fa-fa-fa-faculty of business” at new-student orientation to David Wilcox’s “Layin Pipe” in some office on a Friday afternoon. In Japan, we ate okonomi-yaki and drank a lot of beer, and my wife Ana and I took Ali and Ann to karaoke in downtown Kyoto. It was their first time, and they quickly got into it.

RIP Ali!

I have immense respect for Ali Dastmalchian, not only for raising an exceptional young woman who is already following in his footsteps of excellence, but also for his immeasurable wisdom and the countless ways that he brought joy to others.

Because of Ali, I know that 60th birthday parties are better when they’re “pyjamas optional,” that Jell-O shots are best for daily use, and that woollen hats should be worn in moderation.

With heartfelt condolences,
Carrie

Shocked and so sad to hear. Ali was a champion for the student experience, leading Beedie to new heights and as a result many of our alumni are leading successful careers. His impact will continue to blossom in the lives of our alumni community. I feel fortunate to have known Ali, my condolences to the family.

Heartbreaking news... Dean Ali's legacy lives on in the countless students' lives he's touched; he was truly a visionary and key part of the community in all aspects. I'll miss our conversations, and will be sending thoughts and prayers to his family during this time.

This is indeed a great loss for our communities, international business education and research. Ali was a visionary leader who connected with students, staff, faculty, and alumni with genuine care and interest. I benefited from Ali’s leadership as a student and then staff member at ULeth and UVic. He continued his positive impact at SFU. Reading through these tributes brings tears to my eyes as I think about the community and connections Ali created by investing in people and leading with his heart. My deepest condolences and biggest hugs go out to Ali’s family and closest friends. May we remember Ali always and carry forward his good work through our actions.

As a Beedie alumnus, I will remember Dean Ali as one of the most kind and genuine people I'd ever met. He provided so much support to us as students especially through extracurricular engagements and student organizations. He was a role model to me and many of my peers, and I hope he rests peacefully knowing how many lives he's changed.

Ali lit up the room like nobody else I know. Always with a big, cheeky smile, he brought so much warmth and kindness into the lives of people around him. Whether it was dancing on the streets at night or singing while he cooked, he was full of life and laughter.

Considerate, insightful and inspirational, he was a true visionary in how business can foster the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders.

He was taken far too soon in a world that could really use his positivity, leadership and humour right now.

I miss him so much already but am so glad I had the opportunity to know him. My heart goes out to the Dastmalchians, family that he deeply loved and treasured.

Dr. Ali was a genuinely warm and wonderful individual, hegave energy, commitment and inspiration to his students, staff and to otherswith whom he worked. He looked always happy, one of those who not only wascheerful in himself but who gave much cheerfulness to others. He was bright,logical, and systematic in his thinking. He was always willing to share hisideas and information. For me, he was even more special. He wrote me the mostwonderful reference letter to start my career in Academia with, and he wasalways there for helping more…I was hoping to visit him this coming September and I amstill in shock… He would not miss any arrangement, meeting, or deadline. EVER.This one really broke my heart…By his death, all the people who knew him will miss a highlyintelligent, a vibrant individual with a rare friendliness and charm ofpersonality.My sorrow is lessened only slightly with the comfortingthought that I had the privilege to know him.
My heart is with his family, his wife Ann, and my dear Yassi...

No one can truly explain the relationship between a Dean and his assistant – I often joked that I was his bouncer, bodyguard, timekeeper, ghostwriter, mother, or child. Our relationship was constantly evolving where I could scold him for coming into work when he was jet-lagged one minute and then have a deep conversation about my career goals in the next minute. I knew his favorite wine, that he didn’t feel confident cooking fish, and a technique to try and make him smile/giggle on camera. Even so, what I did know about Ali could never be enough.

During the last 5 years, I did my best to onboard Ali into his Dean role (including scheduling 4 months of one-on-one meetings when he first started), working with him on the many stages of the ‘B3’ process, and making sure he was taken care of when my role transitioned out of the Dean’s office. Throughout this, Ali continued to invest his time and energy into me. I received many heartfelt cards from Ali and have kept them all knowing just how much his words meant to me. (Even the one that stated he wrote me a message in invisible ink so I can’t see it followed by a large circle underneath). His encouragement and mentorship are irreplaceable.

Ali spoke very highly of everyone and took the time to make sure each person he encountered felt appreciated - often in the form of hallway chats or heartfelt Christmas cards. When delivering Christmas cards one year, we accidentally set off a security alarm – I froze, not knowing what to do, while Ali yelled “Run!” and ran for the exit leaving me behind. He reminded me that you can’t take things too seriously, he was kind, caring, funny, and a kid at heart, and my memories of him will be cherished forever.

To Ann, Niki, and Kia – Ali’s stories of you all were constant and his smile was the brightest when doing something he knew he was not supposed to be doing, or talking about his family. My deepest condolences on your loss and know he will be missed.

Ali was a kind gentleman, who cared deeply about the people around him, and provided his insightful comments, friendly greetings, and support.
Ali, you will be missed. My condolences to Ann, Niki and Kia, and to all of his friends and colleagues.

Murdith and I are sad to learn about Ali’s passing. Many fond memories of him are passing through my mind. He became Dean one year after I arrived at UVic. My first memories of Ali are his wonderful food. He was really an amazing cook. I loved his stories dreaming about being a man he called Ricardo. He loved hats to complement Ricardo’s character! I remember the big smile in his face when I bought him a Che Guevara beret from Cuba. Ali was curious about people and cultures. As Dean, Ali worked incessantly for the school, and at the same time he was an active researcher. Chatting with him was a dialogue with a fellow researcher. One day, Ali told me – as though thinking out loud, “Yeah, you are a big picture researcher,” and he encouraged me to keep looking at the world in that way. I missed him when he left UVic. He listened, and understood differences.

In 2018, I had the privilege of travelling with him by car on our way to the Academy of Management in Chicago, when our plane couldn't land in Chicago and we had to land somewhere in Idaho. Ali immediately rented a van and five or six of us travelled through the night, sharing stories and laughing. Thanks to him, we arrived safely in Chicago at five in the morning.

Ali adored Annie. They were so good together and I hope the precious memories help her pain.
Nikki and Kia, your father was so proud of you both. Our thoughts are with all of you.

I only knew Ali for a short period of his amazing and accomplished life, but in that time he made an immense impression on me with his kindness, wisdom and graciousness. He will be deeply missed by many, we all thought we had more Ali time in our lives, what a wonderful man. My sincerest condolences to Ann, Kia, Nikisa and Ali's many, many friends.

Ali was a true gentleman. I knew him as a scholar and leader in his academic field. I immediately felt his warmth and genuine kindness the first time we met. I will forever be grateful for his invitation to join the GLOBE 2020 team, which has been one of my life's most prized honors. I learned a lot from Ali and I wish I could have had more time for those opportunities.

Ali, you will certainly be missed. God Bless you, your family, and your friends.

To his family and dear friends, sincere condolences on this heartbreak. Ali was the best listener ever, the most compassionate but also analytic person I ever knew. Because of his model, I came out of near-retirement to be dean again. Ali was so helpful the first time I was dean, coming to University of Saskatchewan and in his ever-so-gentle way, urged high standards for resistant faculty. We met and dined at so many meetings over the years. His passing is a profound shock to all of us. Beloved by all deans, a role model, a friend, a guide, a mentor, and a leader. May his name be for a blessing.

I have spent the last several days thinking of Ali and reading these wonderful tributes. What an amazing roll model Ali was and will continue to be for academics, students, business people and families. I recall when my son was a young boy playing hockey. Often, after a game or practice I would try and point out to him those adults who stood out as people with special qualities who would be a strong role model. My son is a grown man now but I was thinking that if he were young today I would say “you see that man over there? That is Ali Dastmalchian, and I would be so proud if you were to grow up to be like him.”

If every educator was like Ali what amazing graduates and body of research we would have!

Ann, Nikki and Kia, these wonderful tributes and values Ali has left you will give you strength for the rest of your lives and eventually will give you peace.

Ricki and I send our love.

What a great man he was! I as a newly immigrant into Canada many years ago, had the opportunity to work under his wing as Master student in Lethbridge. He was honest and always straight forward with me in all our interactions. I send my most sincere condolonces to all his family members and friends. Rest assure that he will not be forgotten. May he rest in peace.

Like so many others, I was shocked and saddened to hear of our collective loss. I am in awe of his ability to slow down and focus on each conversation, making you feel like he had all the time in the world. Ali came to Beedie to help us to become what we wanted to be. He threw himself into everything with an amazing mixture of hope, enthusiasm, patience, and a quirky sense of humour. I wish that we all had more time with such a kind and caring man.

My thoughts go out to his family. I can only hope that you each find ways to celebrate him and keep his spirit alive.

Dear Ann, NIkisa, and Kia,

On behalf of all Canadian Business School Deans, I want to express our profound sympathies on the loss of such a caring, loving, and wonderful leader. Ali was our guide through all challenges, and our inspiration for always creating bigger, better, and more caring versions of ourselves and our schools. No one had more respect or deserved more admiration. Even through the pandemic, Ali was the one who took charge and surveyed all Canadian deans to determine best practice going into this fall. He was a true friend to all of us, and we have each lost a friend we could always rely on for the most thoughtful, wise, and loving response to any situation.

This is a very sad moment for so many, and I want to reach out to all our colleagues at the Beedie School of Business, who must be shocked beyond imagination to have lost their deeply beloved leader.

Ali's smile is forever etched in our memories. His kind and gentle manner, reinforced with decisive and positive action and energy, provide a memory that distinguishes Ali Dastmalchian as the dean of all deans, the gentleman of all gentleman, the scholar of all scholars, and no doubt a husband and father above all others. He was a true friend and leader to all.

Ali was the dean at UVic when I was a student, and then the dean at SFU as I became a Lecturer. His positivity was infectious and his support immeasurable throughout these stages of my life. Thank you Ali, you will be missed.

When I first heard the news, I struggled to find the right words but there were simply none. And there are still none. Ali was a kind, gentle and compassionate man, who cared deeply about the institutions in which he worked and all the people who worked with him. It will be a loss for us all, and I am personally reeling from the news. I will miss our periodic catch ups over wine.

My deepest sympathies to Ann and his family.
May his memory be a blessing.

During my time working at the Beedie reception desk, on the one day of the week he was in Burnaby, I would often catch him rounding the corner from the staircase, knowing he had just walked down 6 flights of stairs, scurrying off to yet another meeting somewhere on the opposite side of campus - suit on, backpack on, he was ready to take on what was to come. He would always stop and wave from where he was or if he had just a second, would take the time to walk over the few meters to my front counter to ask how I was doing. I will never forget the countless times he did that as our day-to-day work seldom overlapped. We would often converse about his family, the city of Victoria and all the great restaurants there. Ali has touched my heart and is greatly missed.

What made Ali such a great leader was that he connected with everyone as a friend. I remember we shared a drink together when he was visiting New Orleans for a conference. We were in the lobby bar and every few minutes someone would interrupt us to greet him. He was a celebrity - our Ali.

Ali was an exceptional Dean and human being. He was my mentor as a new dean at SFU, and he mentored me through kind encouragement, discussion, and most importantly, through example as an extraordinary and visionary leader. His ability to bring diverse communities of thought together into a true collaborative was his greatest strength. He was deeply respected by all and will be sorely missed at the executive table at SFU. I cannot begin to imagine the gap he has left for his family and close friends.

My deepest sympathies go out to Ali’s family and the SFU community during this during this difficult period. In my short time at SFU, it was my pleasure to have met him and had the opportunity to work with him. Ali made a big impression and he was well respected. He was very passionate about the work and well-being of his faculty. He will be missed.

Ali clearly made an impact on both staff and faculty here at Beedie and will be missed greatly. He was very humble - he would insist I call him something other than "boss". My deepest condolences to his family at this sad time.

I met Ali in 2017. Although I worked with him only for a few years, he impressed me with his vision of what he saw as the "future of international business education". He was so gentle and kind in his demeanor, willing to patiently listen, and laughed when I was trying to be funny and lighten the mood of our numerous conversations. His "Ali's Updates" were classic examples of him wanting to connect with everyone in a fun and humorous way. I always looked forward to seeing what he and the video guys would come up with next! Ali was, in the truest sense of the word, a gentle man. We will miss his kindness, his compassion, and his genuine concern. He was a "Class Act" in every way, and I am so happy that I had the privilege of working with him for at least a few years. Everyone who knew him will miss him dearly, but remember him fondly because he was always positive, genuine and sincere. My Heartfelt Condolences to his Family.

I would like to add my sincere condolences to Ann, Kia and Nikisa on the loss of their dear Ali. I had the distinct privilege of hiring Ali to our Administrative Studies program at Athabasca University shortly after his arrival in Canada. Ali was a personal friend , a visionary scholar and as many of his other friends and colleagues have commented, he was also remarkable leader and sensitive soul. We shall all miss Ali deeply but honour the opportunity that we each had to know him as a colleague and friend over many years. Yes, he was also a remarkable chef too(smile)!

It was a bad news. Ali's death shocked and upset us. I want to offer my condolences to all his family and friends around the world. Our hearts are saddened by this incident. About 20 years ago, Ali and Dr. Javidan were teaching an MBA program in Iran, and I met them. He was a great teacher, a kind friend, forgiving, thoughtful and humble. I remember that he came to our organization (IMI) in Tehran last year to talk about the GLOBE 2020. My friends saw him for the first time and they were very eager to communicate with him. Ali calmly answered all their questions. He took pictures and had lunch with them and laughed at their Iranian jokes. Everyone really loved him.
We will mourn for him in Tehran. We cry for his absence and read the Quran. We ask God to give him paradise for his kindness and for what he did to develop science in the world.
We will pray and ask God to give his family the power to bear this endless grief.
رحمت خداوند بر روح پاکش باد
Habibi- Tehran

I smile when I think of Ali. He had a very subtle way of bringing you around to his point of view- asking you to consider possibilities. He was fun and funny. I have very fond memories of traveling with Ali in India and Asia. He introduced me to shopping at Marks and Spencer (a great place to buy travel clothes - who knew!). He was always up for a nightcap in which the day was reviewed and strategy and opportunities were discussed.
In addition to being a great Dean - he was a great scholar. His work on the Globe Project was a game changer.
He cared deeply about faculty, staff and students.
My heart goes out to his family. He will be deeply missed.

Compassionate, charismatic, a real visionary. These are just a few words that come to mind when I think of Ali. I first got to know him when I started working in the Business School at the University of Victoria in 2006. I would be amazed at the collaboration between Ali and Pat Elemans, whom we lost earlier this year, when they came to Calgary to host alumni receptions. They complemented each other so well and were so publicly appreciate of each other! The alumni were so happy to see Ali and hear about any updates he had on what the school was undertaking. Ali drew people in with his warm-hearted nature and captivated everyone in the stories he would tell.

Personally, I will always think of Ali fondly as he was such a support to me in my new role in Calgary. His kind words and the way he treated everyone with such respect will live on in my heart.

So sorry for your loss, Ann, Nikisa and Kia.

I have known Ali for 20 years. I still remember our first meeting in his office at University of Lethbridge. He spoke softly right into your heart. Ali had a special ability to make all friends felt special. When he moved to UVic, he extended welcome to old friends. Several colleagues also were attracted to follow him to the new institute. He arranged a seminar for me to exchange ideas with the faculty members there. Where he went, Ali always left remarkable footprints for the institute he served. We had an agreement to meet in Vancouver some time last year. Because of schedule changes on both sides, we were hoping to actualize the meeting this summer. Now with great regrets, I won't be able to meet him in person for his insightful comments and friendly greetings. Ali, you will be missed deeply!

While Ali was Dean at SFU Beedie he made it clear that all people working there were valued and made a special effort to ensure staff voices were heard. I was working late one evening and he came by with his hand written Christmas Card and stopped to chat for a moment and thank me for what I did working with the students. I was surprised and appreciative. I am aware others have shared that same story and it is a powerful one as he made a point to take time out of his busy day to spend time making sure the people who worked for him knew we were all in this together! Safe journey Ali and my condolences to your family and many friends, colleagues and students who will miss you and your warm, generous spirit.

I should have hugged him tighter and longer the last time I saw him.
A piece of my heart is gone...

I first met Ali more than 20 years ago at the University of Lethbridge and always found him an inspiration and mentor. He inspired confidence, creativity, and vision... when working with him and around him, I never wanted to let him down. Through the years we remained in touch whether he was at UVic or at SFU, and he always offered sagely advice and words of heart felt authentic support. When I think about his ability to foster relationship, I am reminded that the core elements of a successful team are the way that we connect with each other.

One of the benefits of knowing Ali was the connections that came with it. He spoke fondly of his connection with Mansour and brought him to facilitate one of our faculty retreats. It was a clinic in how to do that and watching the two of them interact with each other was a lesson in collaboration. The last time that I saw Ali it was in Edmonton and we shared a table at a dinner. We reminisced about the Edmonton Campus and laughed as we thought of the years that had gone by. As always, he was the model of graciousness. He will always be my Dean. My heartfelt condolences go out to Ann and the girls.

If I had to describe Ali in one word (a near impossible task), it would be a "dynamo". He will be fondly remembered by every life he touched, and has undoubtedly moved on to his next bigger purpose. My deepest condolences to his three greatest loves - Ann, Nikisa, and Kia.

Sad about the passing of Dr. Ali Dastmalchian, we would like to extend our condolences to his family and friends. As collaborators in the GLOBE study, we would like to express our admiration for developing ideas into a worldwide project and gratitude for inviting us to be part of it.

Argentina CCI Team

Maria Marta Preziosa
Marina Altschul
Isidoro Felcman
Michel Hermans

Ali was passionate, highly dedicated person to education, diversity and excellence. He was always exceptionally well prepared and never hesitated to share his knowledge.

Ali was a great colleague, true friend, honest, gentle and devoted.

He will be dearly missed and remembered with his great achievements.

My deepest condolences to every one who were lucky to get to know Ali and to his family.

Ali was a great mentor and I will be forever thankful for the time I've gotten to know him and learn from him. I first met Ali during our dean search process in 2015 and shortly after he started with us at Beedie, I went on maternity leave and would not be working directly with him for at least another year. Not only was I not expecting communication from a boss who I had yet to work for but certainly not the kind of notes that he sent where he recounted the small details from our conversations about this next stage in my life and encouraged me to enjoy this time with my newborn. From my interactions with him - be it work or about home life, he listened to all the "big things" but never at the expense of the "small things" either. He is deeply loved by our students for this reason too. In the lead up to hosting JDC West at Beedie, our student organizers were so proud to be representing Ali - a true legend in the JDCW world for all his years in supporting the competition - hosting it at al three schools that he had been a Dean at. My favourite memory was of opening ceremony - as he took the stage, 600 students from Western Canada, chanted Ali Ali Ali! At closing ceremonies - I recall, it had been a long week with the Canadian Western Dean's meetings and he came to the ceremonies at 7pm and quietly said to me - "Rosy, I might not be here the whole night as I'm quite tired" - but at the intermission as many other faculty members, guests and Deans had to head off to sleep, he hurried to get another cup of coffee as he realized it was going to be a big night for our students. At 1am, I can still see Ali, laughing and jumping up and down and rushing to the side of stage each time our students took home a trophy just to give them a hand down the stairs and congratulate them. At the end, he stayed the whole night, outlasting even many of our alumni, congratulating our students and thanking each of our student organizers. He was truely a champion of the undergraduate student experience. Ali, you are so loved by your students and alumni here at Beedie and it has been my honour to have worked for you. My sincere condolenses to Ann and the family.

Dear Dastmalchian Family,

Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of Ali. Words can't express how saddened I am to hear of your loss. The first thing that stood out to me was his kind spirit and authenticity. His passion for education and wanting what was best for students was evident from day 1. Ali was a leader who would take the time to listen to your ideas, provide valuable insights and suggestions, and support you 100%. He has been a mentor and friend to many within the Beedie family. He will truly be missed, but his spirit will remain with us always. My prayers and thoughts are with all of your family during this difficult time.

Doug Leong

Ali came from a family of carpet sellers in Mashhad, the famous Persian carpet producing area in north-east Iran. I have a silk carpet from his hometown given to me by him. In England there is a beloved short story called Ali and the Magic Carpet that is used to teach young kids English.

Ali Dastmalchian came into all our lives like a Prince from the East, riding on his magic carpet. He swept up his sweet Welsh lass from Cardiff, and rode off with her into the New World, touching down in city after city, leaving a trail of gold created by his innate goodness.

His magic carpet also took him round the world multiple times, further blessing the many whom he met on these travels. He told my wife about meeting others in detention rooms as he was inevitably picked out to be questioned as he tried to enter the United States, talking to all the other temporary detainees (some of whom could be criminals!) and passing out his business cards to each of them.

I was at the University of Saskatchewan when he was there, but our friendship had nothing to do with our jobs. We never saw each other teach, never did research together – we were just good buddies. I watched Kia and Nikisa as they grew and matured over the years under his subtle guidance.

We visited and stayed often with Ali and Ann in Victoria, meeting his wonderful mother, and marveling at how he had learnt to cook so well under her guidance. Ali, in turn, taught me how to make Koresh, and how to make a perfect Yoghurt and Saffron TahDig, with that crispy, crunchy golden crust at the bottom of a pot of steamed rice.

Ali bought me a large bag of dried limes to aid in my attempts at copying his cooking skills – I think I still have some tucked away in a cupboard somewhere. His tea towel over the shoulder while cooking, and the inevitable slugs of frozen vodka are vivid memories of our times in his kitchen.

I was amazed that he took on the task of being the Dean of Beedie after having stepped down from the same task at Gustavson, a job that he had performed for so long and so utterly well. I always nagged him to take it easy, to stop and smell the roses. But he was an insatiable workaholic, eager to fly off on his carpet to transform yet another culture for the better.

It is remarkable and awe-inspiring how in his short life he has accomplished so much and how he has influenced so very many people in so many positive ways.

Goodbye Ali. I grieve for your passing, and I share the profound pain felt by your treasured loved ones, Ann, Kia, and Nikisa.

Ali had away of making everyone he spoke with feel valued. I will remain inspired by how he transformed his vision for Beedie into reality by valuing individual voices, seeing the opportunities rather than the challenges and creating an inclusive sense of community. I'm thankful for the opportunity to have been able to call you a colleague.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

I got to know Ali many years ago through a joint academic program, which is still ongoing today and the reason of my yearly visits to Victoria. Something caught my attention early on: It was the first time I experienced that everybody (!) talked enthusiastically and respectfully about their own dean. Over the years I quickly learned what this enthusiasm was based on:

Ali was the personification of what we call a good leader, making things happen for the good of all. He was able to get everybody on board –not an easy task in academia–, rowing in the same direction and he himself was rowing the hardest. He had an enormous level of energy and probably did not need a lot of sleep. (I sometimes got e-mails, which were sent off at 3 o’clock in the morning). He was passionate to create a collaborative climate in all the endeavors he initiated at his university and all over the world and to be considerate of the needs of all persons involved.

Getting to know Ali, also beyond academic cooperation, was a privilege. I will always remember the day when Ali and his wife Ann were at our apartment in Linz/Austria and Ali cooked a fantastic four course Iranian meal.

I will miss Ali; my thoughts are with his family.

I am saddened by the news. Ali was a gentle leader who was a strong advocate for inclusivity. He truly made an effort to get to know everyone and let them know that they are appreciated, that is so rare in the fast-paced world we live in today. Every Christmas, right before the break, a card with a customized message and a piece of chocolate would magically appear on my desk. I remember one year, Ali saw me down the hallway and came out of his office to personally hand me my Christmas card. I have all of them neatly stowed in a box and they will be cherished forever. I will also miss Ali’s updates for Beedie. I diligently watch each and I always look forward to the end of the video as he will always add in something silly, fun, and unexpected.

My sincere condolences to the family, Ali was a beacon of light and he will be deeply missed.

I was shocked when I heard the sad news and just couldn't believe……In July, I emailed Ali about teaching Ph.d seminars in our school. He replied a few days later saying that he would like to do it just as he has done for our students in the past years. He is a wonderful professor and an experienced advisor who always encourages and inspires students and colleagues. I also remember the talk we had during his visit in Shanghai last December and the greetings he sent to me and our students early this year when China went into lockdown.I feel so grateful when I think of all those moments.
Ali, May you rest in peace and you will be deeply missed by the Chinese team of GLOBE 2020 project and the students you have taught at Antai.
My sincere condolences to Ali's Family.

I will miss Ali's caring leadership, his kindness, humility and his wonderful sense of humor. I had the pleasure of serving as Associate Dean with him at Beedie and plYED a few bit parts as a sidekick in some of "Ali's updates". He was smart, humble and had a remarkably good sense of where Business Schools were heading. He suggested that the changes and processes necessary for real justice, equity, diversity and inclusion would challenge business school around the world for the coming decades. It is not going to be easy, but in his usual way, Ali was excited to begin to address these challenges and his leadership will be missed. I particularly remember working on a proposal for a new program with Ali. He dropped into my office after everyone had left for the evening and we had a great 90 minute whiteboard discussion on how to put the program together, including the details of implementation and how best to simplify and communicate the program to others. I missed my train home, but it was well worth it as his input was invaluable and I recognized just how wide his program experience was. He lifted our school and helped make me a better manager. I will miss our discussions, his laughter and wisdom, his creativity and always his caring.

My sincere condolences to Ann and Ali's family. He was great man who made a positive impact on many others.

It is not surprising to see such a wealth of wonderful tributes here, for Ali was one of life's anomalies: search as hard as you can to find a flaw, and your vision comes back weary and empty-handed. If he had negatives, they were either well-hidden or so insignificant that they hardly registered; since he was a man of consummate honesty and integrity, I know for a fact that it has to be the latter. Ali accepted me into the extended family - I am married to a cousin of his - immediately, with absolutely no reservation, and from the very outset made me feel welcome and at home. For a short time he stayed with us in our tiny student flat in Durham, where he had found a job with the university. Later he rented a house - just metres away from where we still live - and lived there for a while with his wife, Ann. Unfortunately their stay in Durham was short, for Ali had bigger fish to fry. He and Ann went to Canada, where they made a life for themselves, their family being augmented in time by two wonderful children, of whom Ali was immensely proud. In the almost forty years since Ali has been in Canada, I have had the misfortune not to see him as often as I would have liked, for he was a frequent visitor to the UK, using the opportunity without fail to visit my mother-in-law - his aunt - near London. Although we did not meet often, we kept up with each other's news and, as the years rolled by, kept abreast of each other's trajectories via news from relatives and, without fail, from Ali and Ann themselves, every Iranian New Year. It is difficult to conceive that forty years have passed since Ali and Ann were here in Durham: a picture of them with our first child is one that we cherish dearly. But forty years is only time. Granted, it is a long time, but no time can erase the impressions left by a truly human soul with truly sublime human characteristics. Ali was a man with a fierce intellect, but with the softest, gentlest and most solicitous demeanour of any man that I've ever met. When you were with Ali, *you* were all that seemed to matter: he gave you his undivided attention, and when you spoke, you knew that he was really listening, and not just preparing what to say next. He was patient, encouraging, very quick off the mark and extremely humorous. His humour, however, was always warm and never brittle or unkind. He was gregarious and could be the life and soul of the get-together, but in a way that never placed him at the centre of attention. As someone said in one of these fulsome tributes to him, he 'led from behind'. His presence was unobtrusive, but it made its mark, and when he gave advice, it was advice you would never forget. Knowing how Ali was - and it is clear that these past forty years did not change him - makes it hard to accept that he is no longer with us. And it makes it impossible to know how hard his passing must be for dear Ann and the children. Despite not having seen him for such a long time, I sense today that the world is a far poorer place for his passing. Human souls like his don't appear that often, and if anyone doubts my words, or believes it to be hyperbole or the over-exaggeration of the grief-stricken, all they have to do is scroll up and down and read these tributes. I knew Ali was loved and respected - mainly because I loved and respected him myself, which means that the bar is high from the start! - but reading these wonderful tributes brings home exactly how much he was loved, and the extent to which he was respected. I pray that Ann, Kia, Nikisa and their families will have the patience and fortitude to bear the grief of these days, and the loss through the weeks and months to come. But his memory is safe in their hearts, and in ours, and he will clearly never, ever be forgotten.

Thank you all who have contributed such wonderful memories of Ali. I'm deeply saddened by Ali's passing and am thinking of his family and friends during this difficult time. It was a pleasure to work with him over the past few years. Most of all, I will remember his genuine interest in the well-being of others. This is a rare quality that will not be forgotten.

My relationship with Dr. Ali Dastmalchian started back in 2015. I congratulated him in becoming the President of GLOBE and Chairman of the Board of GLOBE Foundation for Research and Education. And also, I informed him of successfully completing my research which was related to GLOBE studies.
In response to my note, Dr. Dastmalchian congratulated me and shared me of the plan of conducting Phase 4 of GLOBE research, which is underway in 165 countries! In his email, he wrote, “I am sure we will be contacting you for ideas and participation.” Though the Phase 4 of GLOVE research did not materialize as planned, we kept communicating.

True to his word, he broke the long-awaited news of starting GLOBE 2020 in an email sent in April 2019! In May 2019, I received a formal invitation letter to join the research team as Country Co-Investigator (CCI) in Ethiopia.

These and the ensuing steps until his passage showed me that Dr. Dastmalchian was humble, forthright, transparent, and responsible person!

My sincere condolences to the entire family of Ali!

Ali's calm, thoughtful presence at Dean's Council at UVic was appreciated by everyone. He had an extraordinary ability to listen quietly and then choose the optimal moment to interject with a comment or suggestion that would coalesce the discussion and move everyone forward. As a colleague, he was kind and generously shared his wisdom and support. He was, for me, the epitome of what a senior university administrator should be and his genuine warmth and intellectual curiosity was apparent to all. He will be deeply missed.

My deepest condolences to the Ali Family. He will be missed.

Ali, we met in London and had a great dinner discussing how the university can better engage its Alumni abroad. Your passing is such a loss for the Business school, but also for all universities in Canada. I'm glad to have met you and may you rest in peace.

So sad to hear about the demise of Ali. Ali was a unique human being. His passion in life was to help others and often donated his time and energy selflessly. May God grant his family, friends and colleagues the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

May his gentle soul rest in peace!

Dear Family Dastmalchian, SFU colleagues and friends

It was with shock and incredible sadness that we at the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics learned about the passing of Dr Ali Dastmalchian last week, and we extend our deepest condolences to all of you.

In the world of international exchanges it was next to impossible to not know who Dr Dastmalchian was. Prior to being Dean of the Beedie School of Business he was indeed Dean of the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria, and SBE was lucky enough to work with him in that capacity already.
Those who only got to know him through E-mails used to comment on how pleasant he was in his conversation; those who dealt with him in person were usually even more appreciative of his affable and warm demeanor. Dr Dastmalchian was equally supportive of his students and his staff, always keeping an eye out for the human aspect. Paired with his vast and varied knowledge, this made for an incredible business partner.

Following several projects started at UVic, we at SBE looked forward to continuing working with him on projects involving the Beedie School of Business, but alas, this was not meant to be. His passing is a huge loss for the entire community, and we cannot even fathom the grief that his wife and children must be experience right now.

We salute you, Dr Dastmalchian, may you rest in everlasting peace!

To all who remain: may you find the strength to overcome this loss.

Warmest regards
On behalf of the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics community.

Lyan E.J. Ploumen (Ms)
Director International Relations Office
Maastricht University School of Business and Economics
l.ploumen@maastrichtuniversity.nl
www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sbe

Room G2.21
Tongersestraat 53, 6211 LM Maastricht
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
T +31 43 38 83706

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I first met Ali when I was just starting my PhD journey, about 15 years ago. I remember our first conversation as though it was yesterday. He listened attentively as I garbled my way through a very poor explanation of my half-formed doctoral project. He was so encouraging, kind and thoughtful – he really made me believe I could do it! It was a real turning point for me, and was the start of one of the most important friendships of my life.

I never really told Ali what a profound impact he had on my life. He was a wonderful and giving mentor and friend. If I could say one last thing to Ali, it would be simply thank-you. Thank-you for your belief in me, your encouragement and for being such a wonderful role model and confidante. I’ll miss that smile, his captivating stories, his sage advice, those delicious BBQs and his boundless enthusiasm. The bar is set very high, and I will strive to live up to the example he set.

My most sincere and heartfelt condolences are with Ann, Niki and Kia, and with Ali’s family, friends and colleagues across the world.

Farewell Ali, my dear friend. Rest in peace xx

On behalf of the Board of EFMD, the members and staff we were deeply saddened to hear of Ali’s death.

Prof. Ali Dastmalchian, the dean of Beedie School of Business at the Simon Fraser University in Canada, and past chair of the Canadian Federation of Business School Deans dedicated his career to promoting excellence in management education globally.

Ali has actively contributed to numerous collaborative efforts in the development of business education with enthusiasm and conviction. Over the past 15 years, Ali was a dedicated EQUIS Accreditation Board member and participated in nearly 20 EQUIS peer review visits, having taken the responsibility of chairing 11 of them.

Apart from his excellent leadership, research record and industry insights, which helped schools around the world climb the quality improvement ladder, Ali was a wonderful man, full of energy, kindness and humanity.

The management education community has lost an outstanding leader and a genuine and beautiful person. Ali has been a long-standing, and great friend of EFMD and words can’t express our grief. Our sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with his family, colleagues and the whole academic community. Please accept our sincere condolences.

Prof. Eric Cornuel, President, EFMD Global

Ali was an amazing dean, scholar, colleague and friend. I joined Beedie only two years ago, but have been deeply impressed by how considerate, dedicated and passionate he was. There was just so much to learn from him. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

I was celebrating my birthday with my kids at Marinaside Restaurant patio. I saw Ali walking by and said hello. Ali joined us, bought a bottle of wine and celebrated my b-day with us.

Ali, you are missed by all.

Dear Ann, Nikisa and Kia,
My heat breaks for you all. Ali was such a wonderful man and he will be sorely missed around the world. He was a great friend to our family, through the good times and the bad. He inspired me in many ways and I'm sure I'm not alone there. I know how much you must all be suffering at the moment, so I hope it helps to know what an impact Ali had in so many lives, and that he lives on in our memories and how we live our life from this point on. You are all so precious to us so please take care of yourself, do what you need to do, and know that we are always here for you.
Love Margaret

Ann, Nikisa and Kia,
I worked at UVic when Ali was Head of the MBA programme and he always knew how to inspire his students to excel in all areas of their studies. He was a kind and compassionate man and never forgot anyone’s name or their areas of interest. This in itself is an outstanding quality of a true leader.
My heart goes out to you. Ali spoke of you with love and admiration.

It is nearly impossible to believe that someone so vibrant and passionate could be gone. Ali always knew how to bring people together and how to lead from behind, so each team member could be the best contributor they could be, knowing that Ali had their back with his encouragement and support. He had a joie de vivre that you don't expect from a business school dean -- an impish sense of humour, a passionate appreciation for fine food and wine, a generosity of spirit that was unparalleled. His power was to lead without power because he made you want to go along on this wonderful adventure. He always listened and he always had time for people. He will be sorely missed. Ann, Niki and Kia, we wish you strength, and know that you have many wonderful memories of Ali to treasure forever, as we do too.

Ali,
You were the light in our lives.
You demonstrated how to Live ,how to Love, how to Laugh, how to Listen, how to Laugh again.
How to be the best you can be .
Never to judge. Earning friendships by being a friend.
We will keep holding on to the richness you brought to our lives.
We shall love and miss you eternally. Words fail to express our sorrow for now, but we will go on following your light and being the best we can be in your memory. You filled your life with so many adventures and joys, we hope to at least to live with optimism and see our glass full.
Ann our beautiful sister, he could not have loved and adored you more. Kia and Nikisa he was so proud of you, loved you with all his heart.
Amir, Yassi and Will and all other members of the family, we are so vey sorry, he was devoted to you.
Wrapping you all tightly with our love, Carole and John
We will be sure to wear a tea towel on our shoulder in the kitchen, one never knows when the urge to have a shot of vodka and do a Greek dance may hit.
Salute

In the last few messages that Ali sent me this summer, he shared some of his experiences with being ill, recounting them as an adventure tale, with multiple exclamation marks to denote the dramatic moments, but always concluding with reassurance that he was “massively better” and hopeful. Even in such a difficult circumstance, Ali was characteristically positive. He was a person who always lifted others up, offering a hopeful vision, and encouragement to achieve beyond what we believed of ourselves.

I am grateful for every moment of the last four years during which I worked closely with Ali as part of his leadership team at the Beedie School. I am a better person for having known him and will miss his quiet wisdom, his kindness and his friendship.

Ann, Nikisa and Kia – Ali spoke of you always, always with such love. I am deeply sorry for your loss.

There are few people who know me that don’t know that, “one of my parents’ best friends is a business professor and dean!!” Your Dad is absolutely legend-like to me. Growing up, he was the only person I knew with a PhD and he is the reason I went on to get mine. Ali inspired me and my whole family. My heart is breaking for you and everyone that knew him. All my love, Nikisa, Kia, and Anne.

Although I knew Ali only a short time, I was immediately struck by his gentle, thoughtful and sincere nature, his constructive approach and optimism, his vibrancy, and his generosity of spirit. He cared for people and made time for all.

I have a lovely memory of his bringing back some saffron for me from Iran, together with advice for his particular technique on how best to use it. Given the demands on his time and how relatively little he knew me, this small gesture was most appreciated and treasured. I'll think of him fondly now each time I use it.

I am very thankful to have known Ali, and SFU was fortunate to benefit from his contributions and vision; his presence will be felt for years to come. Ali will be sadly missed and no doubt his passing leaves a deep void at SFU, the broader academic community, his many friends, and most importantly, his family. My sincere condolences to Ann, Kia and Nikisa, and family. We are thinking of you during this very sad time.

I only recently had the privilege of working with Ali. Starting with our initial conversation you could see he was a man of great intelligence, empathy, curiosity and care. His ability to bring you into the conversation and connect your passions with his wonderful vision created a warm and engaging environment where you were inspired to embrace and follow his leadership. My sincere condolences to his family, his colleagues and community. We have lost a great leader.

I was so shocked and saddened by the news. Ali was a great leader with warm and humble attitude. But he was a kind-hearted person at most. Though I had only a few chances to talk to him in person when he was our Dean, he always made me feel more motivated, encouraged, and less worried. He will be remembered as our lovely Dean by the people in the Beedie School. Send my sincere condolences to Ali's family.

My deepest sympathies go out to the family and many communities during this difficult period.
Ali was a great and honourable man. I was one of many souls that felt supported and inspired in his path. He will be dearly missed.

What words can I muster to do justice to the life and legacy of my dear and friend and colleague, Ali? Those who knew him will, of course, mention his kindness and decency, his curiosity and brilliance, and his amazing capacities to bring people together to bring about change. He was a man who had big ideas and the ability to implement them. He was a futurist, a strategist and a pragmatist.

Ali was also a great mentor and colleague. He was an engaging dinner companion and a compelling story teller. He loved and embraced the complexities of a puzzling world, sharing ideas and contemplating the possibilities.

What will I remember most about Ali? That he was an extraordinary academic, a visionary leader, and a dear friend – someone who elevated the universities with which he was associated, and who worked every day to make the world a better place.

Maureen's and my hearts go out to you, Ann, Kia and Nikisa, at this sad and difficult time.

I am deeply saddened by the loss that you and your family have encountered. Our condolences.
I am truly sorry to hear of the loss of your father. Please accept our condolences and may our prayers help comfort you.

Ali had a positive impact on the lives of those around him. I looked up to him and will miss him, and I offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends. It is helpful to read the tributes and reflections of others, as they remind me of my own interactions with Ali. We are all better off for having had Ali in our lives. He was an amazing teacher, mentor, and friend.

Ali was the reason I was attracted to UVic when I was looking for my first academic position in 1993. While I was a PhD student, I read and admired his work in labor relations, a topic close to my heart. The opportunity was exciting. Luckily, I was hired because it allowed me to learn that Ali was not only a great scholar but, more importantly, a great person. As one of the 4 founders of UVic’s business school, he laid the foundation for an organizational culture that we now enjoy, appreciate and safeguard, one that values and respects people.

I had always hoped that Ali would some day come back to UVic.

Thank you, Ali – I will miss you.

Ann, Niki and Kia – I grieve with you.

Rarely do we encounter a human as selfless, considerate and capable as Ali; he had a way of conveying the most complex of ideas in ways that enthused and bonded people. He generated and supported the biggest of ideas, had such a unique way of navigating the politics and practicalities of projects and always delivered on his promises.

He was a man in perpetual motion and the only way I could get him to slow down was to talk soccer.

When I met Ali in 2002 I was struggling to come up with the second act of my career and he simply handed me keys to an office at UVic, told me to make myself available when I could and to use the office to launch my next venture. That was 18 years, and 5 or 6 companies, ago and my relationship with Ali only strengthened over the years. (I have often said that I’ve been riding Ali’s coattails for nearly twenty years.) The guy I would follow into a burning building may be gone, but he leaves a vision and a legacy behind that will be there for generations of friends, students and colleagues..

This is devastating news - my deepest condolences to Ali's family.

Ali was the Dean at Gustavson and was the main reason I chose to work here - a decision that has permanently and positively changed my family's life and for which we will always be deeply grateful. He created and nurtured the amazing culture of the school that continues to this day. It is a testament to his lasting impact that so many of us feel a sense of deep personal loss at his passing.

I will always remember the lessons learned at lunches with Ali at the Tropical Island and will try to emulate him in how he dealt with people. It is how I will remember Ali, the way he dealt with everyone, while being an outstanding academic AND an administrator.

Rest in peace.

I feel so fortunate to be a friend and colleague of Ali and to know his beloved wife Ann and his children Kia and Nikisa, his mom and sisters. He connected his friends in Istanbul with his family. He visited us in Istanbul whenever he came close to this part of the world.
For more than 20 years, we collaborated on so many projects and never any hurt feelings but only very positive memories. I am deeply sorry for this very early separation. Life will not be the same after August 13, 2020.

Even if I did not meet him personally. Only through my contact via emails. I found him very kind and humaine. I offer my condolences to his family.
My God, please accept him as a good person and reward him paradise.

He was very kind humble and great personality. I offer my condolences to his family for such a heavy loss. May he rest in piece.

He will always be alive in the memories and scholarly world.
This is a big loss for his family for GLOBE and his friends.

Ali was one of the good guys. Ali was a clairvoyant. Ali was my Masters thesis advisor. Ali understood leadership and organisational behaviour like very few do. Ali was my friend.

I first met Ali in 2001 and it was this chance meeting that made me move to Canada for graduate school. I had the privilege of knowing him and benefiting from his astute understanding of human nature and academia over the last two decades. Not only did he have the capacity to forecast what would happen, he also took the time to mentor people and share his wisdom.

There is a lot I learnt from Ali. Above everything, what I remember most about Ali was his easy-going nature and humility. I remember our conversations on the importance of functional and friendly workplaces with low tolerance for prima donnas or special deals. I also remember Ali’s desire to build a community and connect people across geographies, something that is admirable and so rare in academia. His contributions through the GLOBE project are an exemplar of this ability to connect and create a critical mass of people working towards a common goal. Another thing I remember from our conversations is the importance of voice and trying to influence outcomes even if one perceives that it may not matter. We should not underestimate how we all can have an impact in our way.

I will remember meeting Ali over the years in Delhi, Lethbridge, Vancouver, Victoria, Berlin, and Dublin. He was a very special person and will be dearly missed. Ali, thank you for your friendship.

My deepest condolences to Ali’s family and friends.

Ali had every right and every bit of experience to share and commit his opinion. But he chose a life of listening, learning, and connecting.

It is so clear in reading through the global comments above - his impact. A true heart. One that every one of us will carry forward . Ali. Thank you. We will all carry your legacy with pride and humility.
Greg

Ali was a caring and very capable leader, deeply committed to students and community. He supported a lot of us to colour well outside the lines of what is typical of a business school. Fittingly as my boss for the last five years, a colleague said in reference to him "A great leader gives you all the rope you need, and then when you get tangled, cuts you free, gets everyone to look away and hands you some more rope".

He had a vision and knew where we were headed, but he trusted a lot of people to find their unique ways to contribute. On two separate occasions other Canadian business school Deans visiting RADIUS went out if their way to describe him as a mentor to many.

He also always cared about how I was as a person, wholeheartedly supported me to take long parental leaves despite the disruptions involved, and made sure my daughter Juniper got a lovely welcome present when she was born. We will remember him whenever we read one of her favourite books.

It was so reassuring to know he would be around for our next steps, and I will miss him very much. My thoughts are with his family, and to the great many people he impacted around the world.

Like everyone, I am devastated by the passing of Ali. . He was a creative soul with a gentle spirit who led with love and laughter. He taught me so much about so many things ... he was filled with so much passion and love for his family, the community and the Gustavson School of Business. My deepest condolences to Ann and family.

Dear Ann, Kia and Niki,
Ali was an inspiring educator and true friend, who kept in touch with us throughout my career and beyond. He made the effort to attend my two Australian retirement parties and you both made it to our Cleveland wedding. We will miss him terribly.
As the 'outsider' in the new School of Business at UVic Ali made me feel most welcome and helped me adjust to a new field of study. We covered a wide range of subjects and opinions in our talks: in the office, on the soccer field and it the bar. He was a champion of innovation, of working closely with business, of field trips and challenging people to 'try'. We discovered we had much in common regarding philosophy and mentoring. We both wanted to see university education become more challenging, relevant and fun. These talks proved to be most beneficial in my final task at U.Vic and in my subsequent Australian academic career. So I owe Ali a lot for my successes.
I am sorry Ali will miss out on the golden years of retirement, when you could spend more time together and watch Kia and Niki grow into adulthood, with careers and families of their own. But don't forget, you have friends around the world who love you all and would welcome the opportunity to return some of Ali's kindness and hospitality as you go through this hellish period, as Carrie and I have done recently. We will keep you in our prayers.

I am deeply saddened by this news. Ali is an incredible leader who made so much positive impact to all the organizations he joined and the people he met. He embodied the qualities of a great leader - visionary, brilliant, authentic, humble, always ready to listen, and the list goes on.. His passion for leadership research and putting it into practice is deeply inspiring. On top of all that that he's such a wonderful person. Thank you Ali, for all that you have done and showing me what a great leader looks like. You will be forever missed. My deepest sympathies to Ann, Nikisa and Kia. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

I had heard great stories of Ali’s leadership at the University of Lethbridge 16 years ago when I was in Calgary. I wrote to Ali back in 2008, when he was the Dean at UVIC, asking him about the opportunities to relocate to B.C. Even though he did not know me personally, he spent time writing a long email helping me with my career choices. Ali started leading Beedie School of Business in 2016. I met him for the first time in 2016 and was quite impressed with how he remembered the earlier emails.

Ali had so many positive impacts on me and was a role model in our university. His visionary thinking was inspiring, and he demonstrated leadership by example. He was a compassionate, kind, and thoughtful leader and was available when you needed his support.

Ali was always proud of being Persian and was a great ambassador that the Persian community in Vancouver and worldwide were proud of. Every single year after 2016, he sent me and my other Persian colleagues a kind message wishing us Happy Nowruz. His busy schedule did not make him forget about the traditions. It was impressive how he kept reaching out to every staff and faculty at Beedie. Ali set a great example of how much impact one could have at the workplace and other communities. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work under Ali’s leadership, and I will always cherish his memory.

My sincere condolences go out to Ali's family, friends, and colleagues.

Ali was such a wonderful man. I can hardly believe he is gone (and I'll never be able to buy him the beer I promised him, in Boston last year). The GLOBE Community and his many friends and colleagues around the world will morn his passing with great sadness. But his great legacy will live on.

Like so many others, Ali has had an overwhelming impact on my life and career path. I am honored to have worked with Ali for many years on unique projects and programs. Ali seemed invincible, and a bit of a quiet super-hero, so this loss comes as a great shock.

From Ali I learned about generosity, collaboration, humility, attention-to-detail, creativity, and to not be afraid to change your mind on a whim. Watching Ali present to a group was magical. His enthusiasm for any new idea was contagious, even if it was highly implausible. (With wild arm waving, some pacing, and a white board, Ali could convince you about anything!).

From Ali I learned that every single person in an organization or on a project matter - "it's like a big carpet and every thread counts". I learned that humor and practical jokes are key to enjoying your job and for making a memorable impression. I also learned that brilliant minds never sleep…and they expect the rest of the universe to also be online at all times. ;-)

We are so lucky to have Ali and his legacy in our world. I adored him, cherished him, and already feel his loss so terribly.

Ann, Niki and Kia - thank you for sharing Ali, your home, meals, and your lives with so many of us through the years. You were everything to him and he loved you all so, so dearly. Big hugs to you all.

A true gentleman and scholar

My condolences and thanks to his family for sharing his gifts and talents with so many

He made such a positive difference in the world

He was a great friend , builder and influence

The pain in our hearts reminds us every day of him and when I think of him I will always be grateful for his friendship care and example

Elio

My deepest heartfelt condolences to Ann, Niki and Kia. Ali was an amazing and kind person who I had the utmost respect for. I am truly sorry to learn of passing.

Even those of us who did not know Ali well felt his profound, positive impact on our community at SFU. My family is keeping your family in our prayers.

My deepest condolences to Ann, Niki, and Kia - and to Ali’s family near and far.

Ali was kind and compassionate, and he will be sorely missed. He and Ann made Gustavson special, and I’m forever grateful that we got to be part of it.

They say that we all hear different drumbeats, a different music, and so we walk through life in different ways. The music Ali was listening to made his walk through life a truly beautiful one. For those of us who walked with him (for Ali never walked alone), it was a walk overflowing with warmth and affection, rich in generosity and openness, graced with authenticity and humility, infused with passion and a spirit of adventure, and marked by laughter and goodwill. It lifted all of us who walked with him – we became more than we ourselves thought possible. Walking with him was not prose, but poetry.

A head-hunter once asked me what made Ali special as a leader. I told them “if you are looking for a leader who can ‘dream, design and deliver’, Ali is your man”. Ali had a unique ability to inspire others to dream with him, motivate each person to tap into his/her undiscovered potential and dare to step out of his/her comfort zone to achieve that dream, get us to collaborate with each other even when we had radically different worldviews, celebrate our togetherness and aspire to the next summit. With patience, listening, trust, caring and respect, he modeled the way for us to relate to each other at Gustavson, and earned the enthusiastic support and commitment of the business community. Our school’s culture today reflects Ali’s values. Ali was instrumental in my stepping up to serve as the Director of International Programs and Associate Dean at Gustavson.

I’ll miss him profoundly and the world seems like a lesser place without him. He was more than a colleague, mentor and friend to me – he was like an older brother. He made me a better man, and even through his illness and till the end, left me with lessons that will guide me to reach for the finest of the human spirit. I know that if he were giving me advice now, he would tell me in his quiet way to take the time to mourn deeply and then move forward to live life fully and robustly. I shall try to do so …

We have all lost an incredible friend, family member, leader, educator, mentor. Ali lived his life sharing his laughter, showing us how to be better in all aspects of our lives, and perhaps most importantly being a father figure for so many, including a `second Dad`to Jasmine and Tristan.

He was Rosa`s twin, or at least born on the same date - and many a happy memory was founded around those birthday celebrations. As well as any holiday, or just an excuse to get together as a larger family

To Paul, he was a colleague, a co-researcher, a mentor and friend.

We are all enriched by having known Ali for over twenty years. His presence will remain with us and we are grateful.

At this time of grief, our thoughts are with Ann, Nikisa and Kia . Our second family and lifetime friends to Tristan, Jasmine, Rosa and Paul.

I am so grateful to have worked with and gotten to know Ali. His leadership at the Beedie School of Business was exceptional. Ali elevated everyone with his soft-spoken, yet firm advocacy for a culture of community at Beedie, where everyone mattered. In one of my first meetings with Ali he said he want to create a place where there are no titles on the office doors. only our names, because he believed that we are all important to the success of the school and that titles can be divisive. It was easy to feel comfortable with Ali, to trust him and entrust in him the oversight of the school and the people who work and learn here. His video updates are a perfect example of the way Ali made himself vulnerable to further cultivate a warm, welcoming, celebratory, and humourful community. I do and will miss Ali as a dean and colleague. My heart goes out to each of you as you acclimate to his absence and draw strength from the community he has created and sustained through his effort, care, and support.

May peace be with you.

I am so grateful to have worked with and gotten to know Ali. His leadership at the Beedie School of Business was exceptional. Ali elevated everyone with his soft-spoken, yet firm advocacy for a culture of community at Beedie, where everyone mattered. In one of my first meetings with Ali he said he want to create a place where there are no titles on the office doors. only our names, because he believed that we are all important to the success of the school and that titles can be divisive. It was easy to feel comfortable with Ali, to trust him and entrust in him the oversight of the school and the people who work and learn here. His video updates are a perfect example of the way Ali made himself vulnerable to further cultivate a warm, welcoming, celebratory, and humourful community. I do and will miss Ali as a dean and colleague. My heart goes out to each of you as you acclimate to his absence and draw strength from the community he has created and sustained through his effort, care, and support.

May peace be with you.

I'm completely saddened by this news. I joined Beedie not too long after Ali began his position as our Dean, so he is the only Dean I have worked for at Beedie. I always found him to be extremely kind, supportive, and humble. He was always smiling and had a great sense of humour (I will especially miss Ali's video updates!). He also had a great vision for the future of the school; one that would focus on innovation, inclusiveness, and excellence so we could develop future business leaders who would make meaningful contributions to our society. It is hard for me to imagine that he will not be at Beedie when we return to campus in the future. I will miss his presence greatly and offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.

I first met Ali and his wife, Ann, at a CGA-BC Convocation when he was dean of the Gustavson School, University of Victoria. He was kind, gracious and someone who could talk to people even at a first meeting. When Ali decided to move to the Beedie School of Business, I thought he was an excellent choice to be our new dean. He worked diligently to make Beedie an inclusive, welcoming and notable business school. I am so very sorry we in Beedie have lost Ali. He will be missed by so many.

I am so sorry for his family's loss and you are in my thoughts.

I first met Ali and his wife, Ann, at a CGA-BC Convocation when he was dean of the Gustavson School, University of Victoria. He was kind, gracious and someone who could talk to people even at a first meeting. When Ali decided to move to the Beedie School of Business, I thought he was an excellent choice to be our new dean. He worked diligently to make Beedie an inclusive, welcoming and notable business school. I am so very sorry we in Beedie have lost Ali. He will be missed by so many.

I am so sorry for his family's loss and you are in my thoughts.

Friend, colleague, inspirer, builder, connector, advisor, visionary - these are just some of the ways I think of Ali. Working with him when he was dean of Gustavson was an incredible experience. He motivated everyone to do their best, while building a community. He demonstrated through everything he did what it means to be an exceptional academic leader, trusted and caring, and all round good guy.

Taking over from Ali was both scary, because of what he had achieved, and reassuring, for the same reason. He was always available to provide advice and we shared many great conversations, often over meals. He leaves us all richer for having known him, but poorer with his passing.

I'm so grateful to know Ali. It's hard to think of a better example of someone I admire for how they live and work with love. He changed all of us at Gustavson, and me personally, by leading with love in all that he did.

What a great loss for everyone. Ali was a true mentor and leader. He helped me so much when I came from the private sector to start an academic career at the Faculty of Management at the University of Lethbridge in the late 90's. He cared so much about people and the hopes we all have. He was someone who challenged you to exceed your own limits and was always there to support you. It was such a shock to hear that he passed away. He was a great benchmark for true leadership. I was so fortunate to work and get to know him. I will miss him. Rest in Peace Ali.

I will miss Ali as a friend and colleague very much. My deepest condolences on this very sad loss of a wonderful person.

So sorry and my condolences to the family. As part of the Globe research team I worked with him on the board and also saw Ali inspire many people for new studies. He was a generous academic and will be sorely missed!

My sincere condolences go out to Ali’s family and friends. Ali and I met in 1994 when I was thinking of doing an MBA at the University of Victoria. His kindness, passion and intelligence were part of what sold me on that MBA program.

During my studies Ali was always a friend, always knew me by name and always took a moment to talk. He sold me on his “MBA 556 Power and Politics in Organizations” course which was a brilliant course! I am retired now but through my corporate career that course turned out to be one of the most useful courses I had ever taken.

Ali’s friendship and encouragement were critical in my enjoyment of, and success in, the MBA program and my success in business (and life) after.

Thank you so much Ali; you will be missed.
Randy Giles (MBA 1997)

Ali was smart, witty, gracious and humble. Whenever we met I always felt that he was genuinely interested in how I was doing and what I thought - the world would be a better place if we all did the same. He was one of the good guys and we will miss him.

It was devastating to learn the loss of such a special person in my life, a dear friend, mentor, colleague… He was truly like family to me- as I always said, both Ann and Ali were like my family in Canada… Ali completely changed my career path opening many doors, being a fatherly mentor, always supporting me in endless ways, and beyond that being a genuinely caring person... No words can describe how amazing he was as a person, he touched many lives in many ways, always inspired us with his energy and enthusiasm in his work and in his life…

I wish I could give him one last hug if I could go to Vancouver this summer. I can only console myself that I always tried to show how much I value and appreciate him and all he did to support me. And I can only find relief in having the honor to get to know him and work with him closely over many years, though still not enough…

Now all I can do is to honor his memory by continuing to take our projects forward, as he would wish, and have a lunch in remembrance of him at Kennedy Lodge at Bogazici University, facing the Bosphorus which he deeply loved, wishing his spirit can maybe feel from somewhere...

Rest in peace Ali… I will miss you so much...

As I read your comments, I have tears in my eyes and smiles on my lips. Ali and I were best friends since the 1960's. We went to the same school and became friends very quickly. We played a lot of football together. We were separated when he left for the UK and I left for the U.S. to continue our studies and rejoined in Canada where both of us had started our careers as professors. We have been working closely together since early 1980's. Our friendship was unique because he was a unique human being. His passion in life was to help others. He sprinkled love and hope on anyone he touched. He had a deep belief and trust in other human beings and lived his life to help others be better. He had a very soft personality on surface but a very strong and tough core. He believed in what he was doing and always dedicated himself to achieve his goal regardless of how hard the obstacles. It was such a privilege to have him as my best friend and such a heavy pain to lose him. My deep condolences to Ann, Niki, and kia. We all lost a beautiful human being.

Ali made everyone, especially students, a priority in his time with Beedie. He met individually with many staff and faculty members soon after arriving, to better understand the school and the people who were/are part of it. He talked with students throughout their Beedie journey, starting at the beginning (BUS201), somewhere in the middle (such as JDC West case competitions in various Canadian cities), and as it "ended" at convocation. He promoted international/cultural experiences for students, as he understood that there are many ways of solving issues, and going abroad exposes people to new ones.

His authenticity and caring nature had an impact on these people, who perhaps live a little differently each day going forward because of it.

My deepest condolences.

اگر چه اندوه بزرگی بر قلب ما سنگینی میکند ، او تنها به آغوش خداوند بازگشت که بالاترین آرامش روح آدمیست. تو نیز آرام باش از خدا میخواهم او را در سایه رحمت جاویدانش قرار دهد و ما را برای دیدن جای خالی او شکیبا سازد
Ali had the biggest heart not only for his staff, but also for the students. He was kind, generous, and a wonderful leader who took pride in being present and engaged. He remembered the smallest details and it really showed how much he cared for his interactions and how meaningful those were to him. Ali was a true inspiration to many, and it is with a heavy heart that I say, he will be truly missed.

Very sad news. Deepest condolences to Ali’s family and friends.

I am deeply shocked by the news that Ali passed away. We have been so lucky at Beedie to have Ali as our dean. Ali has been an inspiration to me of what good leadership is. His style, a combination of goal directed, practical, humble, and supportive was unique and incredibly effective. Ali has been so supportive and encouraging to me personal; he excelled at treating people with respect and giving them confidence. I will miss him. My condolences to Ali’s family for this enormous loss.

Visitors to Gustavson often comment on how uplifting and extraordinary it is to see a group of faculty and staff so happy and dedicated in their individual and collective pursuits. However, what I believe they really experience is a group of people incredibly grateful for being part of a team shaped by a humble man with a compelling vision and an even greater capacity for empathy and service. While his presence is lost, Ali’s spirit carries on in the hearts and souls of those he touched.

On a personal note, parties at the Dastmalchian’s were epic. Ali was proud of his culture heritage and thoroughly enjoyed celebrating and sharing the food, drink, dancing, and stories of his youth. Ann was a most enthusiastic and gracious host and accomplice. As the morning hours approached, the look on Niki and Kia’s faces raised the question, “should parents really be allowed to have this much fun?”

I will forever miss Ali’s wit, wisdom and grace.

Ann, Kia and Niki please accept my deepest condolences on you loss. I know how much he loved all three of you and how proud he was of his beautiful children. Ali was such a wonderful, kind, special person that change me for the better in so many ways. He was much more than a boss to me....I considered him a dear friend who would do anything for me. The world was a better place from having him in it. I will miss him.

We are so saddenen to learn about Dr Ali Dastmalchian's untimely passing. It is just a couple of months ago, he was helping to seek additional financial support for Haiti Research Team's efforts to implement the survey nationwide for the first time in Haiti. Ali will be sorely missed. Our team sends its sincere condolences to his family and to all of his collaborators.

Ali was a unique leader for an academic setting; he had a knack for pulling independent people together around a vision. He was kind, empathic, humble, could be stubborn, always a sense of humour, a welcome excitement for ideas, understood the value of connecting a business school to the local business community. As a teacher he was a students' professor. We were changed by his friendship.

Ann, Niki and Kia our hearts go out to you, Robin & Marline

Ali was a gifted and special soul.
I had the pleasure of working with Ali at UVIC for many years and because of him, things really did start to look different. Due to his leadership and warm connection to the community, we started the Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award. And because of Ali, UVIC Business became Gustavson and it never looked back. He was part of the Golden Triangle, as he and Pat and Elango raised the bar on so many fronts. I know Elango will help keep that momentum alive and the keep spirit of these two souls we lost this year going.

Ali was a gifted and special soul.
I learned during those negotiations of attracting Ali to the school and then keeping him around, that he had this special skill of leading in the most effective manner. The community adored him because of how he connected to all, and the faculty and staff trusted him knowing they were on the right path for the common goal. There probably was not a more capable dean who knows how to get people out of their silos and work as a team.

Ali was a gifted and special soul.
My last meeting with Ali was in the produce department at Thrifty's and his smile was there again naturally and he then followed with a funny joke relating to his home country. He always made me smile, and he just knew how to make people relax, smile and be appreciated.

Ali was a gifted and special soul.
Of all the great attributes this man had, nothing was better than being an amazing father and a loving husband. He was a mentor to me in so many ways, but it was how he conducted himself as a father and a husband that I will remember him the most.

Ali was a gifted and special man and my thoughts and prayers are with Ann, Niki and Kia.

I respected Prof. Ali, as he truly made a mark for my learning and career. He promoted me as he did for many specially in grooming younger generations to take a lead in future. Its hard to believe that he is not among us. You will be deeply missed by All of us.

Our sincere condolences to the family. Ali's death is a great loss for the academic community.

I’m deeply saddened by this terrible news. Ali was such a good man who touched so many people so positively. Many years ago, Ali hired a whole bunch of us in the very early days of the UVic Business School. He set a tone for the place that was serious about the job we had to do, but equally serious about making it a warm, fun, trusting, connected community. He led with love.

As a friend and colleague, Ali taught me a great deal over the years, especially about how to live a full and balanced life as an academic. Even though I left UVic as he was coming back, his deeply human approach to being an academic has always been a real touchpoint for me. When I think of meeting up with Ali over the years, what stands out to me is his ongoing, irrepressible excitement for the contributions and the potential of the people around him. Every lunch, beer or dinner was an opportunity for Ali to share his current sources of optimism, joy, and passion, in regards to the people he was working with as a Dean, his research colleagues, and especially his family.

I’ll miss him very much. My most sincere condolences to Ann, Niki and Kia, and to all of his many close friends and colleagues.

with my dearest condolences for all his loved family; we all lost a great colleague, scholar, and leader - very inspiring for the GLOBE research. We will miss him with his humour, attention to detail and personal warmth he shared when guiding students and colleagues, in formal and informal settings we learned a lot from him.
Thank you Ali and GLOBE 2020 will also preserve your Memory!

Sorry...
We will be missing Ali...
My sincere condolences.

When we me Ali, we found out that he came from Iran to Germany, and that he worked in Germany in the area of Stuttgart. So he had soemthing in common with my wife Heidi - she was born in the black forest, and her family emigrated to Canada as well. Our relationship with Ali included cooperation in the GLOBE Program, where I was involved with the Johannes kepler University in Linz., Austria and with the national Sun Yat-Sen Universiy in Taiwan. Working on this program was a unique achievement, that is still "alive" today. During this work we developed a close relaitonship. Hearing about his death touches us deeply, since this relationship went far beyond the mere professional connection. We will not forget him and hope to remeet with his family again, if a a visit to Victoria becomes possibel.

May he rest in peace and the rest of us continue with the cause he is one of the key leaders, and importantly, an inspiration. The trust research he is an important part is especially relevant in today's world. Both researchers and business managers own him a lot in asking how trust could be integrated in intercultural cooperation and world peace at large and would no doubt keep on moving towards a better international environment full of trust and understanding among societies and cultures.

My sincere condolences to Ali’s family, he was a great leader.

We are proud to be part of the GLOBE2020 research program that Professor Dr. Ali Dastmalchian initiated and led. Although we never had the privilege to know him personally, he has touched our lives trough his brilliant work and ideas.
Deepest condolence to the family of Professor Dr. Ali Dastmalchian from the team of University American College Skopje.

I met Ali at one of the conferences a few years ago when the GLOBE project team was looking for potential country co investigators. The infectious passion, openness and friendliness of Ali (and his team) encouraged me to be part of the GLOBE project. It was a great pleasure and an honour to know and work with Ali. Thank you Ali for your kind guidance.

Although I did not have the opportunity to meet professor Dr. Ali Dastmalchian personally, through his academic works he significantly influenced my research career as a member of the GLOBE project community and especially the way I perceive the world of organizations and management today. To professor Dastmalchian’s family: I am very sorry for your loss. Please accept my sincerest condolences.

Deepest condolences to Ali's family from University Malaya team. It is indeed a great loss to us all.

Ali was a genuine, passionate leader and a loving and caring colleague! He had changed my view or definition of “Dean of a business school” because of the attitude, energy, and enthusiasm he brought to Beedie. He had surely impacted so many lives in a positive way in and out of school, in and out of Canada! He will be sorely missed by all of us! My deepest condolences to his family!

Ali was always an inspiration to me. He didn't have to be the dean of a business school (again) - he had a fine career already and no doubt could easily enjoy his retirement from academia. Clearly Ali was doing the job out of passion, and it showed. His kindness showed through as well, at all times he was a calm, thoughtful, and above all caring person.

I could tell many stories of Ali, despite not being in his "inner circle". I will share three vignettes.

Ali was part of the inspiration for me to finally stop saying "no thanks" to opportunities in life, and to say "YES!" to everything - especially scary stuff. Scary stuff like starting my MBA at age 52. Like saying "YES!" to teaching when the opportunity presented itself in the middle of my MBA. I was terrified of speaking in public, let alone in front of students! The timing was terrible – I was only half-way done the MBA. But despite not being ready, I said "YES!" (well a little more reluctantly than that). And I am still teaching today.

When Ali found out about my teaching and my embarking on the MBA, he made a point of searching me out and congratulating me – with a sparkle in his eyes and real enthusiasm he said that he was excited for me and that it was "never too late to keep learning". And when I was crossing the stage to get my diploma, there he was, right in front of me – I don’t know why I was surprised, I guess all the pageantry of the day made me a little foggy. I reached out to shake his hand, and to my surprise, he opened up both arms and gave me a big hug, the big hug! What a guy.

Another story - it was just before Christmas at about 7pm. I was still at work and all the staff had long since left. I heard a rattle on my door. It was Ali and Rebecca, delivering Christmas cards. But not "normal" Christmas cards. These ones were hand-written and customized to the person. Mine was directly for me. That had never happened in the 30 years I have worked here.

I don't know how long he spent on those cards, but it meant a great deal to me. And the fact that he wanted to deliver them personally was the topper. I helped them open up doors that night, dropping off little notes and he looked so very contented.

Finally, I would be remiss to not point out how he was also not afraid to make a little fun of himself. In "Ali's Updates", his update videos to the faculty and the world, he regularly made fun of himself or acted playfully at the end of the video. Being a bit of a goof-ball myself, I appreciated his ability to show humility and be able to be the "low status" character for the sake of a smile, despite his lofty position.

Ali was a lovely man, and a great man at that. We will all miss him terribly. I am so sorry for your loss.

Proud to be part of the GLOBE 2020 Project headed by a great and brilliant academic Prof Ali. To Prof Ali's family: sincere condolences.

Prof Ali will always be remembered as a model of a great academic.

To Dr. Dastmalchian's family: our sincere condolences in this most difficult time for a man, husband, father, and teacher that touched the lives of so many.

Feel sorry to hear about the sad news of Ali Dastmalchian, professor and Dean of Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, and a former Dean of the University of Victoria and the University of Lethbridge. I never got a chance to meet him personally but through Globe project I got a chance to get connected.
I pray almighty may give strength to his family, friends and colleagues to bear the loss.
(BhagwadGeeta Chapter 2, verse- 27)
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛityur dhruvaṁ janma mṛitasya cha
tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śhochitum arhasi
Death is certain for one who has been born, and rebirth is inevitable for one who has died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable.
OM SHANTI

It’s funny, I never knew Ali Dastmalchian was younger than me. He had the wisdom of a man who had experienced a lot when I met him, in the spring of 1994. I was 46 and making application as a student in the second MBA cohort. Ali must have been 39 at the time, though he portrayed an older and much wiser Director of MBA Programs. He told me he thought my small business background might contribute to the broader perspective of the cohort and welcomed me into the MBA program. His confidence in me gave me the confidence to succeed as a student. I loved being back at school and continued on to get my PhD. I was honored that Ali Dastmalchian, now Dean of Business attended my dissertation in 2002.

Ali Dastmalchian was that kind of teacher. He was loyal to his students. When Ali helped you, it was never a quick fix. He helped people; he remembered them; he went back one student at a time to follow up and make sure each one was doing well. Ali paid me a visit when I was an Assistant Professor at California State University, East Bay.

Aloha…Ali Dastmalchian. You will always be remembered as a loyal friend, a mentor, and an excellent example of what a professor can be.

I am so sorry for your loss. Ali was a great leader, and seemed to be a great human being, and I am so very sad that he is gone. I can't image how sad you must be. Perhaps it helps to know he had such a positive impact on so many lives.

I think words like considerate, calm demeanor and friendly personality are the words I would chose to describe Ali. He always had time for a conversation and a smile. He might have been running to a meeting and if he saw you, he would stop to say hello. When you would sit with Ali, he would want to know how you were doing, what could we do to make the business school and SFU better, cared about the students and was a respected colleague.

Thank you for gracing us with your presence. While it was shorter than we had hoped, we are thankful for the opportunity of getting to know you. May your family find comfort in knowing how much we cared for you and each other.
With respect and strength.

Beedie has lost a great leader and friend to all. Ali was always very kind to faculty, staff, and students and was well liked and admired by everyone. I always enjoyed his updates over the years, whether through his Ali's Updates videos or in person or email updates. My deepest condolences.

He was a life (and organization) changer.
There is nobody can bring people together, motivate people, and change the entire culture of an organization for the better - like Ali. I remember alot of what he's said to me other the years but three things in particular stand out because they speak to how he managed, led, and lived:: 1) " ... always ask about the culture ... ask ‘what is this place like? ’and ‘what makes this place special'?"; 2) "You need to get out there and speak more to and about the culture of the organization which is the glue that holds all of this together. The culture is what cannot be replicated. We may have the best and most innovative programs in the world and these things can be replicated. What cannot be replicated is the culture"; and 3) "Performance Management: should not only look at what you’ve done but also look at what you want to do and how we (the organization) can support you to do it. In performance reviews I ask ‘what can we do to help you achieve your dreams?" ... Such a kind, dignified, ambitious, brilliant, talented, capable man who was an inspiration to all. Love to Ali and the entire Dastmalchian family - Thank you for being the glue that always brought and held people together. May you continue to do so in your own way ... the world needs you.

I consider myself honoured to have worked with Ali during our time at SFU. He embodied someone who truly cared about what he was doing. I’ve always admired him for his transparent and inclusive leadership, values-based decision-making, and truly calm and compassionate demeanour. He had vision, involved others, and truly made an impact. I know that he worked hard to “Build a Better Beedie” and that he did (and more) - he most certainly was an expert at building authentic relationships. He was always willing to go the extra mile and did so with that wonderful smile of his. Sending my more heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues across the world.

I only have positive memories of him. Ali always treated me with respect whenever we crossed paths. And, like others, he always remembered my name! Ali will be missed.

Deeply grateful ...

Ali was many wonderful things, to me, a leader with tremendous curiosity and generosity of spirit, drive and discipline. Deepest condolences to Ali’s family.

Ali was the life of every party and the light and joy he brought into this world will be so dearly missed. He was so easy to love and he created connections absolutely everywhere he went. I feel so lucky to have known him since childhood and to have gotten invited in for delicious home cooked dinners and big living room dance parties. His was a life very well lived full of stories that will continue to be told by his wonderful family.

I have plenty of priceless memories of Ali (many as an embarrassing teen in his house), but my favourite memory was a surprise party held for me when I got my Master's degree abroad but couldn't attend the ceremony. I walk in to find Ali there in his full university regalia ready to give a speech and formally present to me a cheesy fake degree as a placeholder in front of friends and family. Because of course he was, he was always ready to celebrate and make things feel extra special and add his easy laugh and smile to all occasions. I am so grateful for those moments.

Ali you were so loved and you will be so deeply missed. My heart is with you and your family.