TSL Express Daily News

Gordon Brothers announced the passing of Sheila Smith, who passed away peacefully at her home on November 11, surrounded by family after nearly a decade-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Gordon Brothers mourns her loss and expressed their deepest condolences to her family.

“Sheila was one-of-a-kind. There was no one more positive and inspiring,” said Ken Frieze, Chairman of The Board at Gordon Brothers, in a news announcement. “Sheila, dressed in bright colors with a welcoming smile and outstretched handshake, shifted the center of gravity of every room she walked into. Her energy was infectious to all those who had the good fortune of interacting with her. Sheila battled her cancer with that same tenacity, defying the odds and extending her life. She inspired many along the way to never give up. Her impact in the medical community—both on other patients and doctors—will forever be remembered.”

Shelia began her professional career as a special education teacher, moving to Boston to get her MBA in Public Management. Soon thereafter she was a senior finance officer of a building materials company that failed, resulting in her introduction to the restructuring industry and transition to managing director at KPMG Corporate Recovery. She then achieved one of the pinnacles of our profession: building and running one of the largest restructuring practices in the industry, Deloitte CRG.

Sheila retired from Deloitte in 2015 after serving 15 years in numerous leadership positions including restructuring service line leader for the Americas Region, service line leader of the U.S. and the New England FAS practice. Since retirement from Deloitte, Shelia was a senior advisor to Gordon Brothers: serving a critical role in guiding our firm through many key decisions. An incredible force of nature, Sheila wielded her charisma and intelligence to move so many transactions forward.

Sheila’s perhaps greatest impact was as a motivator: inspiring the people who work for and with her to achieve their best. She was a teacher at heart, helping contemporaries and up-and-comers with the basics and nuances of conducting business effectively. She was considered a leading authority in the restructuring marketplace and has been recognized by numerous professional organizations including the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY), International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), New York Institute of Credit (NYIC), Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and the American College of Bankruptcy (ACB).