Newsroom

The RMI family reflected on the 10^th anniversary of the untimely passing of our former CEO, co-founder, mentor and friend, Martin Stein at the age of 58.   His death after a long battle with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma on March 8, 2010 has left a legacy still palpable to those he worked with and touched a decade later. 

Debbie McLain, RMI’s President, Partner and longest tenured employee recalled, “As our boss, Martin’s door was always open.  We knew we could walk into Martin’s office at any time, bounce ideas off him and get his input on how to resolve problems.  He earned our respect, admiration and devotion every day.

As I shared at his memorial service, Martin wasn’t just my boss & mentor, he was my friend and my big brother. He had a huge heart and a huge impact on my life. I cherished our 25 years together and still miss him to this day.”

Rich Leary, Executive Vice President and Partner remembered his former boss, “My memory of Martin was his genuineness, generosity and exceptional sense of humor.  What you saw is what you got.  He treated people the same, whether they were his biggest client or an entry level intern.  He had a unique way of making everybody in the room feel important.  

Not only was he an outstanding mentor and benevolent leader, he was a good friend.  His relaxed all-embracing style made RMI a fun place to work.  RMI's low turnover rate is a testament to that.  His leadership skills were 2nd to none as he would encourage differing opinions, embrace independent ideas and urge out-of-the-box thinking.    He truly was a great man who left this world way too soon.  I still miss him immensely, and will forever.”    

Under RMI’s stewardship, Martin was committed to serving the company’s clients above and beyond their expectations.  Our clients trusted and respected Martin’s input, integrity and leadership and many deep, long-lasting friendships were forged.   He served as a List Leaders board member and was past recipient of the HVDMA (Hudson Valley Direct Marketing Association) Founder’s Award.

Stein was a charitable and giving individual who selflessly gave of himself outside of the direct marketing industry.  He served as a board member of the Charles Ives Center for the Performing Arts in Danbury; volunteered on the fundraising committee for the Danbury Hospital Cancer Center; donated resources to the AIDS Project of Greater Danbury; and helped the Youth Organization at the Bridgewater Congregational Church.  

But Martin wasn’t all work and no play. If he wasn’t spending quality time with his family or traveling, you might find him building a pumpkin launching air cannon or a spaceship out of a Subaru.  He could speak intelligently on any subject (he was an avid fan of The Discovery Channel), loved books, movies, the NY Times crossword puzzle, and good wine.  And he always made us laugh with his outrageous Halloween costumes which were legendary.  10 years later, his presence is missed more than words can describe.