Alfred Taylor

Alfred Robert "Bob" Taylor, age 89 of Givens Estates passed away Monday, July 7, 2008 at John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center, following a period of declining health. He was born on January 21, 1919 in Toronto, Canada, to the late Lawrence G. and Edith Jane Dunn Taylor. He began his professional career in 1940 as Chief Safety Engineer with Trinidad Leasehold Ltd., Petroleum Producers and Refiners in Trinidad, West Indies. He joined the RAF and later was a pilot for BWIA. Over the next 30 years, he led positions as Assistant to General Manager of Mobil Oil Co. in Venezuela, Director of Administration of Reaction Motors, Inc. in New Jersey, Manager-Europe, Middle East and Africa for International Telephone & Telegraph Inc., Managing Director of Learning Systems Institute, Paris, France, and Vice President – Latin America for Boyden Associates, Executive Search Consultants. In 1970, he founded TASA Inc., an international executive search firm headquartered in Mexico City and subsequently in Coral Gables, Florida, which grew to 19 offices in 17 countries. In 1985, he left TASA to start his own executive search firm in Miami, Florida, and then as Senior Vice President, Executive Search for A.T. Kearney Inc. in Miami, Florida. In 1994, he and his wife Joan moved to Haywood County where he continued as an Executive Search Consultant until his death. Mr. Taylor was preceded in death by two sons, Kenneth and Robert Taylor and two brothers, Eric and Kenneth Taylor. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Joan Francis Taylor, of Asheville; two daughters, Helen Taylor Kokubo and her husband Dr. Junzo Kokubo, of Toronto, Canada, and Sybil Taylor of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. No formal services will be held. Burial will be in Verulam Cemetery, Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Care Partners Hospice Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813. Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Canton is in charge of the arrangements.