Mick Fleming: Legendary Leader
Mick Fleming is a legend. He defined the word legendary. I looked it up, according to Merriam and Webster – to be legendary is to leave an unforgettable impression – to touch lives, to be remembered, to be cherished. Mick Fleming is legendary.
Mick Fleming left an unforgettable impression on all of us. He lived with a remarkable combination of qualities that made him not just a leader, but a beacon, a shining light for us all:
caring, inquisitive, humble,
passionate, eloquent, courageous
a man of character.
Mick Fleming: a legendary leader.
Mick was a mentor, friend and devoted family man.
Mick earned the trust and admiration of chamber executives around the world. Last week, I attended his memorial service. Mick served as CEO of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, for more than 16 years, and was a mentor to me and many. I brought condolences to his wife Barb and family not only from across Canada, but also from friends in Dubai, Uruguay, Chile and around the globe. I expressed thanks to his family, for sharing him with us and wanted them to know how much we enjoyed his friendship.
Mick modeled the way. He taught us to be better leaders by being better humans—demonstrating for us that authenticity and humility, are as essential as, strategy and vision.
Personally, Mick's impact on my life and career has been immeasurable. He was there at pivotal moments, demonstrating his care in deeply personal ways:
I’ll never forget, almost two decades ago, when he attended the Canadian Chamber Executives AGM in Saskatoon, standing with me as I was inducted as President. A proud moment and Mick was there.
I remember that it was Mick who encouraged me to apply for the inaugural ACCE Ford Fellowship in Regionalism and Sustainable Development—and, knowing Mick, I suspect he had a hand in selecting me. Again, Mick was there.
Mick also championed my work. He went out of his way to include innovative concepts from Kitchener-Waterloo into the ACCE Horizons report. And Mick, always made sure people new of its origins. Mick was there.
It was these small acts that showed the depths of his character—his generosity, loyalty, and belief in his friends and colleagues.
But again, Mick was more than a leader. He was a devoted family man. I learned this early in my time on the ACCE board, at of all places, a very crowded House of Blues in Cleveland. Thrilled to have a moment for a chinwag with Mick, I navigated the crowd, slid up to the bar and claimed the stool beside him. What I didn’t realize was that the seat wasn’t for me—it was for Barb. With a gentle but firm nudge, Mick reminded me where his priorities lay…..and rightly so. Family first. He loved his family fervently and carried that same loyalty and protection into his friendships.
If I may offer an analogy: For me, Mick was like Superman – defending, protecting, doing good around the world. Do you remember in the Superman movie, where he turned back time? He summoned all his powers and flew around the world backward, stopping the rotation of the planet. Like Superman, Mick had this incredible ability to help us pause, reflect, and appreciate the moments that mattered most. I think, if he were with us today, he’d challenge us now to go back to those memories, those moments of time, those moments of Mick. To remember them fondly. To share them. To learn from them……and then, to move ONWARD!
So as we move onward, let us honour Mick not just by remembering, but by emulating him. As our mutual friend Bob Crow recommends, let us “be like Mick”—a leader, a listener, a champion of others, and above all, a person who loved his family and lived with purpose and heart.
Thank you, Mick, for the memories, the lessons, and the love. You sir are legendary …and you will always be cherished.
