Geoff Seely will be remembered as a compassionate people person with a passion for our industry.
Earlier this month, Holman announced the passing of Geoff Seely, who had led Holman’s Canadian business as Vice President & General Manager for the past five years.
“Whether you were fortunate to know Geoff as a friend, colleague, business partner, or industry peer, you know he was a good man, a great friend, a trusted leader, and a genuinely kind individual who will be incredibly missed by many,” said Bob White, President, Fleet & Mobility, Holman. “Throughout the years, Geoff inspired and mentored countless employees and always treated our customers and business partners as family, truly embodying Holman’s core values. Words cannot begin to express our collective sadness and on behalf of everyone at Holman, I ask that you keep Geoff’s family and friends in your thoughts as they navigate this unimaginable time.”
Geoff passed on December 21, 2022 and was celebrated soon thereafter during a memorial service held in Burlington, Ontario.
Warm and compassionate, Geoff will always be remembered for his big heart and his ever-present smile.
“I was at his memorial service,” recalls White, “and they had a display of photos of Geoff throughout the years and one constant in every picture was Geoff’s smile. Whether with his family, his friends, or his work colleagues, that same big smile was a constant in every photo. It’s the essence of his personality, it represents who he was, and how we will always remember him. You might wonder, ‘How could he always be that happy?’ but that’s just who he was.”
A people person
Geoff will be remembered as a people person, White adds. “He thrived around people and he cherished the relationships he had with those in his life, whether at home or at work.”
Geoff was also known for his high energy and positive, upbeat attitude, which many described as contagious. “He was just fun to be around,” White adds. “People naturally gravitated towards him.”
A remarkably impactful career
A Chartered Professional Accountant by trade, Geoff’s career path started in 1992 with KPMG Canada where he was a senior manager. After moving up the ladder with a number of organizations, he eventually found his way into the fleet industry. Geoff worked for Element Fleet Management as VP of Finance from 2013 to 2015, and after a stint as Chief Financial Officer with Sym-Tech Dealer Services, he joined Holman (then ARI) in 2018, and continued with the company until his passing.
“Geoff was a truly remarkable person and we’re celebrating the opportunity we had to have him in our lives,” said White. “We’re celebrating the friend, father, and husband he was and we’re celebrating the impact he had on our business. We’re going to carry on and do what he would want us to do.”
“Geoff was focused on our people, focused on our customers, and focused on striving for perfection. He was an unrelenting advocate for the voice of our customers, further enhancing our customer-centric mindset. That’s the legacy he leaves behind, ensuring we’re well positioned to be a service leader in our industry, and we’ll continue to do our best to honour his memory.”
Geoff’s family has asked to remember him by making contributions to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
