Editor's Note: Goodbye Too Soon
Articles Anne Millage Jun 06, 2022
Just two years ago, if you combined the time the magazine’s five staff members had been with the publication it would total nearly 100 years. We were a great team. We were a family.
Gretchen Gorfine, the magazine’s production manager, was our matriarch. Gretchen was dedicated to Internal Auditor magazine, and beyond that she was devoted to serving The IIA’s members. “Put Members First” was more than just a value that appeared on her annual performance review — to Gretchen, it was her raison d’être. She worked tirelessly to serve The IIA’s North American members and its affiliates around the world, addressing concerns and making sure they received every issue of the magazine.
For nearly 30 years, Gretchen ensured the quality and timeliness of the magazine. She was relentless when it came to working with the printer, post office, and shipper — quality and price were always top of mind.
As hard as Gretchen worked, she made sure to balance that with having fun. She enjoyed serving on every IIA event planning committee she could, and she remembered and celebrated every birthday and anniversary. She was a member of the Florida Magazine Association for years and was so proud and excited whenever the magazine would win awards for publishing excellence.
Family was everything to Gretchen (she has a beautiful one), and she treated the magazine team like members of her extended family. She was giving, thoughtful, funny, and wise. Her big heart, creative spirit, and sage advice made Gretchen, Gretchen.
In 2016, Gretchen, our former senior editor, Shannon, and I celebrated our birthdays together with a “Decades” birthday bash, as we were each 10 years apart in age and had all reached milestone birthdays. It was so much fun to dress up, and we were already talking about our next one in four years. Sadly, that won’t happen now.
In April, less than two years after retiring, Gretchen passed away. She was 65. It was much too soon. She leaves behind her husband of 47 years, Jim; her beautiful children, Michelle, Jonathan, and Elizabeth; their spouses; and five grandchildren.
Gretchen’s loss is felt throughout The Institute. For nearly three decades, she was the heart and soul of this place. We are all better for having known her, and we will miss her greatly.