Terry Paul, generous innovator, dies at 67.

"The only way anything can truly improve is through feedback," Terry Paul would often say. Terry spent much of his adult life developing and delivering breakthrough systems and products that harness the power of objective feedback in his mission to close the gap for disadvantaged children.

Today there's a considerable gap in the hearts of the employees, collaborators, partners, and customers of two organizations built to make a difference. Philanthropist, innovator, and businessman Terry Paul, 67, died last Friday, September 5, surrounded by his family at his home in Boulder, Colorado, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Together with his wife of 49 years, Judi, Terry was a founder and driving force behind Renaissance Learning in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and the LENA Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado. Renaissance Learning was born of Judi's desire to boost their own children's reading, which led her to create a program called Accelerated Reader in the basement of their Port Edwards, Wisconsin, home. Renaissance Learning went on to become an education technology powerhouse, with software products used in kindergarten through 12th grade in about one third of the schools in the U.S. and in 50 foreign countries. Terry and Judi led the company's growth together, with Terry inventing other software well-known in education today, including Accelerated Math and the STAR Reading and STAR Math assessment products.

"What seemed to us like a simple way to build a love of reading with our kids grew into a pretty big idea about closing the school achievement gap for all children. It was an amazing transformation and a daunting mission," Judi Paul said.

Renaissance Learning went public in 1997, and was traded on Nasdaq before being sold to a private equity firm in 2011. Along the way, Terry thought at times that closing the achievement gap might be beyond his reach.

However, in 2001, Terry read a book by Betty Hart and Todd Risley that gave him insights how he might create technology to achieve his vision. Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Lives of Young American Children showed that children from disadvantaged homes hear 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers. "This was the answer: The achievement gap was really a talk gap that began to grow at birth," Terry would recall. Waiting until kindergarten to intervene was often too late to make a difference.

If Hart and Risley lit the torch, then Terry was their torch bearer. He conceived of the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system in 2002 and launched what would become LENA Research Foundation, an operating non-profit whose mission is to close the talk gap and level the playing field.

An investment of more than $50 million of the Paul's own funds established the patented LENA system as the world's only "talk pedometer," providing objective feedback about children's natural language environment to parents and clinicians. The LENA system is now used worldwide by researchers and clinicians and in several initiatives designed to close the talk gap for babies and very young children. "LENA is a game changer. For the first time we have a tool that can allow parents, anywhere in the world, to measure and change their behavior to create an optimal language learning environment for their young children" said Steve Warren, Vice Chancellor and Professor of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders at the University of Kansas.

Terry was born on September 23, 1946, in Streator, Illinois. He earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois, his MBA from Bradley University in Peoria, and JD from the University of Illinois College of Law. He began his career at Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, Illinois, where he held various executive management positions in law, employee benefits, and finance. He departed Caterpillar in 1980 to run and lead Best Power Technology, a pioneer developer of computer backup systems. After going public, Best Power was sold to General Signal in 1994.

Terry was diagnosed with melanoma in 2012 but supported by new immunotherapy treatments at the Mayo Clinic, he remained focused on his mission at LENA until just a few days before his death. "The level of productivity and optimism he maintained was truly stunning," said Dr. Stephen Hannon, LENA president. Prior to and during his treatment at the Mayo Clinic, Terry and Judi contributed generously to Mayo, with Terry providing his considerable knowledge of technology and feedback control systems to help Mayo create the groundbreaking Ask Mayo Expert system. John Noseworthy, M.D., President and CEO at Mayo Clinic said, "Terry Paul was an extraordinary person and philanthropist who will be missed by so many. We extend our deep and sincere sympathy to Judi and the entire family. Terry's significant financial investment has allowed physicians and providers to deliver better outcomes for our patients around the nation and world. His passion and wisdom on use of technology and knowledge has placed in their hands the most relevant information for best care for our patients. Mayo Clinic is extraordinarily grateful to him, Judi, and family. The impact of their generosity is profound and will have an enduring impact for generations to come."

As proud as Terry was of the mission-focused product portfolios developed at Renaissance and LENA, he was most proud of the accomplishments in his personal life. His four children and thirteen grandchildren were his biggest source of joy. He was regularly found competing vigorously on the family pickle ball court or around the kitchen table locked in fierce card games with his grandchildren. His life and his success were singularly focused on his family.

Terry's closest confidant and advisor was his wife, Judi. He was fond of saying how Judi provided the feedback he needed and made him a much better person. Feedback wasn't just something he recommended for others: it was a principle by which he lived his own life.

The achievement gap too many disadvantaged children face may not be closed for quite some time. But Terry Paul has taken us a good distance down the path and has just handed off the torch to us.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in Terry's name to the Mayo Clinic Ask Mayo Expert (Mayo Clinic Department of Development; 200 First Street S.W.; Rochester, Minn. 55905; or by calling 1.800.297.1185). A private family service will be held for Terry in Boulder. A celebration of a life well-lived for Terry will be hosted by his family on November 8, 2014. Please email Linda Chambers ([email protected]) for details.

Published in Stevens Point Journal from Sept. 12 to Sept. 15, 2014