Robert KORTHALS Obituary

I was saddened to hear about Robin's passing. His kindness meant so much to me. As an entrepreneur, he was a true mentor, always kept his promises, and helped me out in so many ways. My heart goes out to his family. I'm filled with sadness over this loss

For me, Robin was TD Bank. He was iconic both personally and professionally and I consider myself very fortunate to have grown up under his leadership. My sincere condolences to his family - Robin was a great man.

David Livingston

Janet and Family: I first spent time with Robin when we shared offices at Suite 4545 in the T D Center. We also spent some time on a public company board .
Robin was always worth listening to. His curiosity and intellect was always functioning full steam ahead .
One small example was his push to eliminate the penny. I was on the Bank of Canada Board and he raised this issue on many occasions. I had nothing to do with the Bank's decision but it was eliminated. As usual, Robin was correct. The country saved money and within hours it was no longer an issue.
He was a very fine person. My deepest sympathies.
Spencer Lanthier

I am very sorry for your loss. I first met Robin in 1970 when he was setting up Corporate Banking at TD. I had numerous pleasant conversations with him over the years. My father, the late Douglas Peters, knew Robin well and reported to him at the TD for about a decade.

working for Robin at TD was truly an outstanding part of my career in financial services - having a direct reporting relationship allowed me to get to know him on a personal and professional level - he was a gifted thinker with a curious nature and willingness to experiment with technologies. I will always value our relationship and be thankful to have been his friend & subordinate

I am so saddened to learn of Robin´s passing. Robin served as a Board member for a number of years for our organization and I was in awe of what his knowledge and experience offered to our Board. This awe was also apparent whenever we had guest presenters come to our meetings when they saw Robin sitting at the table.

I am grateful for the wisdom and stories that Robin shared with us, and I send my most heartfelt condolences to his family.

Dear Janet and Families,

Our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences.

We have fond memories of Robin and his cycling buddies lunch al fresco with us in a Villa in Italy and Salmon fishing on the Bonaventure river.

Many years ago where the One Hotel sits now was a series of quaint shops in townhouses called "York Row", we formed a group called "Save Yorkville" to oppose the redevelopment of the site and asked Robin if he would be our President as he was a prominent and influential Yorkville Resident. Robin declined the position of "President" of "Save Yorkville". We then asked if he would be "Chairman" after some humming he rendered a quirky smile and accepted this higher position!

Robin may you cycle forever on the clouds in Heaven.

John Donald & Linda Chu

Robin had a unique management style and left a lasting impression on those he met. R.I.P.

I am saddened by the loss of such an exceptional individual, whose departure has left an irreplaceable void in my heart. Mr. Korthals' unwavering belief in me and the opportunities he provided were instrumental in shaping my career. I am forever grateful for his support and sponsorship. May his soul rest in eternal peace, knowing the profound impact he had on my life and the lives of countless others.

When I think back to my days at TD as a Senior Programmer Analyst, I remember Robin not just as a guiding force in providing us all with a clear strategic path, but also as a cycling companion on the open road. I had the privilege of leading our TD cycling team for "The Ride for Heart," an event that Robin supported with all his heart (pun intended). Year after year, we'd pedal together for the Heart and Stroke cause, and it was during those rides and the relaxed simple lunches that came later where I got to know the man behind the title.

Those rides weren't just about fundraising or health; they were moments of fun, laughter, camaraderie, and sometimes sheer exhaustion! It was during these moments that I saw another non-banking side of Robin -a relaxed, jovial, and... introspective soul.

True, he often appeared all about performance at work, that's the job, but Robin also had this knack for reminding us to take a step back and appreciate life´s little moments, whether it was a story about his family, or just a subtle bit of humour to lighten things up a bit.

Robin had a gift. He could weave life lessons into any story, whether it was about a professional decision or a personal misadventure. And each left us a bit wiser, or at the very least a smile.

Looking Back, while I deeply respected Robin the leader, it´s the memory of Robin the cyclist, the storyteller, and the 3 years as a lunch friend, that I'll hold close. Through thick and thin, highs of exhaustion and trials of a slow start, he was a person of positivity and warmth. Best in class... :)

I had the enormous privilege of working within Robin's orbit at TD for a number of years. Ever wise, so smart, mischievous and funny, he was seen as a maverick among conservative bank executives, for, among other things, riding his bike to work (at that time, radical behaviour!). Sometimes, on Saturdays, he'd go for a ride and drop in to various Toronto branches in cycling regalia (unannounced and often unrecognized) to engage with front line staff, genuinely interested in them and their work experiences, occasionally to the consternation of management.

He sought and respected others' well thought out opinions, listening intently to those with views different from his own. He could be intimidating and demanding, looking over his readers with that penetrating gaze, his fountain pen poised, always topped up with his signature green ink.

Also quiet, gentle and kind, he looked for and encouraged the best in people. A great teacher and the embodiment of enlightened management practices, he represented the very best of my years at TD; I learned so much from him. My sincere condolences to his family.

While I did not work directly for Robin , I did spend quite a bit of time with him as I was in Corporate Human Resources and worked with him on specialty hires and changes with executives. He was fun to be with especially, when we would cook hotdogs on the plaza for various events .
I will never forget the humming and I will always appreciate the wise council .
To all his family, friends, and associates, my sincere condolences.
Bart Reilly.

During my working career, both outside and within TD, Robin was by far the smartest boss I ever had. He also knew when to step forward with advice, direction or criticism and when to sit back and let me run my business unit my way. I learned along the way that when the "Korthals Humm" occurred, it was time to move on to the next topic....because he already had.
Robin´s soaring intellect, and his engineer´s curiosity about how and why things worked the way they did or should, made him the ideal CEO for the Bank....and I was proud to be part of his team.
During his time with TD, from 1967 when we both joined , until his retirement in 1995 he saw the bank grow from the smallest of the Big 5 Canadian banks into the second largest....something he was justifiably proud of.
Robin, may you rest in peace...and may you find many new paths on which to ride your bike.
And to Janet and Judy I extend my sincere condolences for your loss.
Allan McKenzie
Nanaimo BC