Maksim Sitnikov RIP

[Vaughn]

  Last June I had the pleasure to sit and chat a while with Maksim, who founded Maksim Introductions and several offshoots including the Virginia Travel Agency, all based in Yoshkar-Ola. This evening I
found out he has passed away, and although details are still sketchy, I'm pasting this notice from his partner:

No matter how sorrowful the news is we have to inform about Maxim's death.

It happened yesterday, on March 29, day time.
He stayed in hospital for over a week before that and of course we
hoped for the better. One day he even called to the office to talk to
us, that day we heard him laughing.
A few hours before his death he fell in coma, then passed away.
His mother and his wife were next to him till the last moment.

Maxim will be buried today at 11 am, Moscow time at local cemetery. He will rest next to his relatives.

It's a very big loss, as you all know what Maxim has been to us.
He has not been only a good leader, he has been like brother and
father to many. We will miss Maxim very-very much.

Rest in Peace, Maxim.

Sincerely,
Nikolai Orlov.

Executive Director
Maxim's Introductions
www.yoshkar-ola.com/e
Phone: + 7 (8362) 46-79-68
Skype: nikolai.orlov.virginia

[CaptB]

Vaughn,

I am sorry to hear of Maksim's passing. Although I never met him in person.....I had several phone conversations with him over the years. I think he was one of the "good guys" in this business. If I had not met my wife in Stavropol........my next trip was to be to the Mari-El Republic.......Yosh-kar Ola in particular. Hopefully the agency will continue to run......as when Maksim was there.


Capt B

[Vaughn]

I think he was one of the "good guys" in this business.

  CaptB, I have to agree. Even though I never used Maksim's matching services, I know scores of friends and aquaintences who have. Aside from developing a vibrant agency that successfully matched many hundreds of couples, he helped jumpstart the local economy -
many in Mari-El have benefitted from his vision. Elvira and I walked into his offices years ago to deliver a few gifts I muled over - we were impressed at the bustle of activity, especially on a subzero
day in February, with dozens of women checking their mail and writing their own letters by hand, travel agents making arrangements
and reservations, qualified translators putting legal documents into
English, lensmen setting up for a shoot in a first class studio. My wife-to-be clutched my arm a little tighter as we walked through a gauntlet of eligible ladies, all checking us out.

  Maksim caught his share of criticism, mostly from competitors, and no surprise - he crafted a full-service agency that served the community above and beyond MOB - a successful business that others envied.