I worked closely with Erik for many years in Latvia. He wasn't just my boss; he was one of the most influential people in my life. I wanted to share this story with his family and friends to show the incredible impact he had on me and the community in Riga.
My name is Gints, I am from Latvia, and I am 35 years old. I will try to tell you how I saw Erik. My story with him began when I was 18. I was attending a high school with a vocational focus on tourism—I’m not sure if such schools exist in the US, but in Latvia, it was an option to gain a professional qualification alongside your diploma.
When it came time for my first internship, I was considered the "smart kid" in school, which meant I had many advantages and choices for placement. Erik later used to call me the "sharpest pencil in the box"—he always had a way with those kinds of idioms. My tourism teacher told me about a man named Erik—an American-Latvian who owned a travel agency called "Travel Time." Erik organized trips to exotic destinations, very far from Latvia, for both groups and individuals. Back then, planning travel wasn't as simple as it is today. Travelers needed someone with experience, knowledge, and integrity; the internet wasn't as developed as it is now. Erik had found his niche. By the time I met him, he was already a well-known professional figure in the small Latvian tourism circle. It all seemed very interesting to me, so I chose to intern with him. That first internship lasted a month or two; it gave me just a glimpse into tourism and Erik himself—to me, he seemed like an incredible, larger-than-life authority figure.
The following year, I returned for a second internship which lasted six months. I loved everything I saw at "Travel Time"—it felt different. I didn't quite grasp what it was back then, but I knew I wanted to practice there again. During those months, I helped with various tasks and became friends with Erik and the other colleagues. He wasn't a typical "boss." They had unique traditions—having lunch together, celebrating holidays as one—Travel Time was a family. As my internship and school ended, Erik offered me a job. Incidentally, he even attended my high school graduation.
And so, I began working for Erik as a travel agent. From the age of 20, my desk was directly opposite his; we sat face-to-face every day he was in Latvia. During that time, I was forming as a person. Erik and I talked about this a lot, and he knew my ideology: that our personalities are a composite of the five people closest to us. Erik was definitely one of my "five people." I shaped my own personality through his values, his way of thinking, and his art of communication.
Erik led very long group tours. Imagine traveling far away with strangers for a month or more, building a business on the foundation of friendship—it requires being an exceptional diplomat. Whether it was canceled flights, stolen belongings, or health issues, one had to react precisely in non-standard situations. On top of that, there were always issues back in Latvia that needed solving. In my eyes, Erik was a "businessman" only on paper. Yes, he was a tourism professional and an aviation fanatic; he knew how to "dance on the edge of a knife and thread the needle," meaning he found solutions where others would have given up long ago. But his motivation wasn't money. He pursued his career out of pure passion. He wanted to show people the world—not for profit, but for that feeling when someone next to you nudges you with their elbow to share their excitement. Business was just the added value. Many of those travelers became friends who returned again and again; I still stay in touch with some of those "top clients" even today. He built communities through photo evenings and daily check-ins.
I remember when he offered to let me lead a group of his best clients to the US West Coast while he was in Japan. He told me: "Don't worry, I'll give you a 'TomTom' navigator. Just enter the address, get on the highway, and drive—it won't be hard." I was about 22, with very little experience, but he trusted me. It was a massive opportunity. Being away with a group for a month, I truly learned how hard it is to maneuver between client relationships, daily problems, and logistics. It isn't easy; you have to be a great diplomat. After that trip, I realized tourism wasn't my calling, but I wanted to keep Erik in my life. I went to the UK for a year to gain experience, promising to return and help him remotely. I did return, lead one more group to confirm my feelings, and realized my calling lay elsewhere.
In the background were his family properties. His agency was in the Quiet Center of Riga, in a family property that Erik and his sister Māra had inherited from their grandparents. Erik viewed these properties as a responsibility toward his grandparents; he did things the way he thought his grandfather would have wanted, and later, he taught me to do the same. I heard so many stories about those grandparents that I felt I knew them. Eventually, in addition to tourism, he began managing two large rental houses in the center of Riga—about 60-70 units. It was a lot of work. He needed an assistant because his previous one had left to start an indoor volleyball business with him (but that's another story).
In 2014, I began helping him with the properties. I lived in one of the buildings, so I could react quickly. Step by step, I became a professional in the real estate field. He gave me a "playground" where I could grow. By the time he moved back to the US, I was handling everything, and he trusted me completely. That’s when I realized that this was my calling. Over the years, I followed his example—I took the way he built Travel Time and applied it to the properties: building relationships and communities where people matter more than just numbers.
Sitting face-to-face all those years, I saw his true values. Family and loved ones always came first for Erik—he put himself second to them. He had a "problem-solver's brain." He loved statistics—calculating flight hours, miles, and the number of travelers. He was obsessed with airplanes, collecting models and knowing every spec; he even flew on presentation flights for new models. Even my phone number ends in "737" because he saw a plane in those digits. In fact, he surrounded himself with significant numbers; figures were his thing. He also loved the color yellow—yellow sweaters, pens, phone cases, plates.
Regarding business, money was just a tool for him to help others and enjoy life. Erik was a very good man and deserved only the best. We kept in touch regularly after he moved back. We talked about me coming to visit, but unfortunately, it never happened. I could tell so many stories about Erik, but I’d have to write a book, and I’m not the best writer.
To me, Erik was a role model, a friend, a teacher, and a confidant. He played so many significant roles in my life. I grew up beside him; we experienced different times, but we got through it all—together. I will be eternally grateful to him for shaping me into the person I am today, for teaching me his values, and for giving me these opportunities. I’m sure we will meet again on the edge of a cloud.
Rest in peace and sleep well, Erik. Farewell.
