Emilio Pardo

Emilio began his journey through life on August 24, 1963, in a Washington, DC hospital. He was the younger son of Ambrosio Pardo and his wife Ana (Pucha), Cuban immigrants who fled a communist country in search of freedom for their two older children, Robert and Carmen.

Growing up in the DC area, graduating from Blair High School, and then the University of Maryland, Emilio was a proud and lifelong Marylander, flying the MD State flag wherever he lived. Though he was a powerful voice and force in the working world, he was most proud of his son, Luke, and valued the time and experiences he spent with him above all else. Because of his constant travel through the decades, he found ways to have Luke travel with him as much as possible, sharing many amazing adventures and events with him by his side. Whether holiday or weekend, when he was home, he loved to host big parties regularly for family and close friends, always making sure there was an abundance of food and drink for everyone to enjoy into the wee hours. Always the ultimate host, his singular goal was simply being with people, sharing stories, and making sure each and every one had an amazing time… every time.

A visionary brand and business strategist, in a career that spanned over 34 years, Emilio became known as a man of firsts. It started with becoming the first Hispanic press secretary of the U.S. Senate, followed by GM of Fleishman-Hillard’s first Latin American-based office in Puerto Rico... Co-founder of a first-of-its-kind broadband startup, CityNet Telecom… the first-ever head of strategic partnerships at Discovery Networks… the first-ever Chief Brand Officer of AARP... starting AARP’s first-ever subsidiary, Life Reimagined, to serve the needs and interests of Americans planning the next chapter of their lives... Transforming and innovating the marketing/communications department at Jackson National Life Insurance… and ending with building the brand and reputation of LifeSpark, a revolutionary home healthcare company with a whole-person approach to how older Americans really want to live.

Though he was best known for his unparalleled knowledge and expertise in modernizing the concept of retirement and generational marketing, along the way and at each stop, his true signature was caring about the needs and wants of everyday people, and zealously finding ways to improve their lives. Though he never wore it on his sleeve, this passion emanated from his deep sense of pride in our democracy and way of life, always believing you can accomplish anything you dream of in this country. His faith lay in the diversity of our country – Americans of every race, color, gender, sexual orientation, those with long American lineage or recent immigrants – at his core believing that this was the overwhelming reason for the strength, greatness, and wonder of our nation.

Though Emilio loved his family above all else, his work was his life, and because of that, many of the people he worked with became his lifelong friends, always in the fight with him along his journey. After being diagnosed having pancreatic cancer and given three to nine months to live at the time, it’s no wonder the fighter in him surprised his doctors by beating the odds for over four years. His desire to live, his fervently positive attitude, and most of all, his faith and belief in a higher spirit and power gave him the energy and will to, among many other wonderful things, see Luke graduate from college, and continue living life to the fullest to the very end. Rest in peace our beloved Emilio, most hopefully feeling a warm breeze on your cheek… sitting under a swaying palm tree on a beach… gazing out across a vast ocean somewhere.