Editor's note: This special edition of the Milwaukee Biz Blog is a tribute to Jerry Moses, who passed away Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009. This blog is written by BizTimes Milwaukee columnist Cary Silverstein, who had the good fortune of being one of Jerry's long-time friends. I too was blessed to cross Jerry's path through my work at BizTimes Media LLC and the Milwaukee Press Club. May you rest in peace, Jerry, my friend.

Steve Jagler

Executive Editor

BizTimes Milwaukee

On Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009, the Milwaukee community lost a great volunteer and businessman. Jerry Moses was involved in many community organizations in his over 30 years as a resident of the north shore.

Jerry was active in Boy Scouts as an Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 391, where his son Scott earned his Eagle Scout rank and as a long-time member of the Council Budget Committee. Jerry was also a member of the North Shore Rotary Club and was the president elect for 2010. Jerry was one of the original volunteers for Gathering on the Green in Mequon. He was an active member of the Milwaukee Press Club and enjoyed listening to and meeting the speakers.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Eileen, and his children, Tammy Yashar and Scott Moses, and two grandchildren, Ryan and Emily. Jerry was born in the Bronx in 1940 and lived in Atlanta before coming to Milwaukee where he worked at GE Medical Systems as an executive recruiter. He then formed his own recruiting firm, JM Eagle Partners.

Jerry grew up riding the New York subways. Soon, riding the rails became one of his passions. When he was 14, he rode the BMT, IRT and IND lines of the New York subway and stopped at every station in the system in one day. At one time Jerry held the Guinness record for this adventure. His love of riding the rails reached out to the Milwaukee trolley system before he even considered moving here, and to the trains in most of Europe. He and Eileen loved to travel by train, boat or plane. They have traveled to the Far East, Europe and Africa. Last year, they flew to South America, and they took a cruise ship that stopped at Africa and Portugal.

Jerry archived thousands of business and personal contacts in his office computer. As an executive recruiter, he had a worldwide social network before the Internet, before Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Jerry had a curiosity and appetite for knowledge that was not easily satisfied. A discussion on politics, law, and any business topic would be an intellectual duel.

Nothing stopped Jerry - his heart disease, diabetes, the amputation of a foot - nothing. Every time you thought he was down for the count, he came back stronger and more focused on his life's goals. Jerry was known for calling ahead to conferences, airlines and hotels to arrange for a wheelchair so he could navigate on his own. If life threw Jerry a screwball, he hit it out of the park. When other people would quit, Jerry would forge ahead. He saw every roadblock as a personal challenge and would not be deterred from his goal.

The family asks that any donation be sent to Gathering on The Green in Mequon, The North Shore Rotary Club Foundation and The Columbia Hospital Hospice, The Boy Scouts of America, Milwaukee Council.

Milwaukee business consultant Cary Silverstein is a columnist for BizTimes Milwaukee.

Fox Point business consultant Cary Silverstein is a columnist for BizTimes Milwaukee. To view a previous BizTimes Milwaukee news story about Jerry Moses, click here.