West Hartford's Rick Miller, a 'magnetic' leader in the US property industry, dies at 62 [Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.]

Apr. 26—Rick Miller, a man colleagues described as "a giant" in the North American property industry, died this week at 62.

Miller, who was from West Hartford, worked at Aon PLC, a major British-American professional services and management consulting firm, as the U.S. property's practice leader. He had been battling an illness before his death, his colleagues said.

"Anyone he ever worked with was a better professional for having spent time with him," said Robert Stein, chief broking officer for Aon's U.S. Middle Market.

He had known Miller for over 30 years and worked at Aon alongside him for over a decade, Stein said.

"A word that keeps coming to mind is magnetic," Stein said. "Because he just had such a big personality and everyone just wanted to be around him. Because whenever he was in a room, it was joyful. He was kind and smart and funny, and sort of all the things that you say about everybody else, but in such a profound way."

And while Miller was based in Boston and had been leading Aon's national team from there, Stein said he was always proud of his Connecticut roots.

He said he couldn't emphasize enough the tremendous joy he brought to all who knew him.

"I always knew that people loved him because I spent so much time with him, I could see it," Stein said. "But the outpouring of affection in the last few days really cemented it — how much of an impact he had on people."

Since Miller's death on April 23, many of his fellow industry professionals have expressed their sadness about the loss of a colleague, friend, and property sector veteran on LinkedIn.

"Rick was not only an amazing property broker, leader, and industry icon in serving clients and solving complex and difficult placements, he opened his heart to everyone around him and cared passionately for his team and all the clients he served," wrote Lori Goltermann, Aon's CEO of Regions and Enterprise Client Group, in a post Thursday. "My life is better having known Rick and our firm will always remember our great Rick Miller. We will wrap our arms around Rick's family, and while our time with his illness was short, our remembrance of Rick will be visible and live on."

Brian Wanat, head of Commercial Risk Solutions, North America at Aon, also shared the news about his colleague's death in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday.

"I didn't necessarily think twice when Rick said he was a little run down after the Property Symposium this year ... We literally just sang 'Happy Birthday' to Rick in February at our big Aon North America offsite in Florida," he wrote. "Good grief, the cancer consumed him so quickly."

Wanat's post has been met with over 150 comments of support and condolences.

"Everybody loved Rick! I loved Rick! His Hollywood handsome good looks, his confidence, his swagger, his infectious personality, his quick wit, his endless knowledge, his business instincts, his golf game; he was a true renaissance man," he wrote. "The ultimate character! Rick would have you laughing within the first 10 seconds of every conversation no matter the circumstances. Everyone wanted to be around Rick, he lit up the room. Rick was a family man, a best friend to many, and an incredibly successful business professional! He simply excelled at life!"

At the time of the post, Wanat wrote that there had not yet been plans made for a celebration of Miller's life.

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