Matt is one of the best personalities to ever be a voice of our industry. He was the voice of Google during times when black hat tactics were more wide spread and companies began investing in a space that was vastly unknown. Matt's contributions to our space are still evident today and many of his Q&A videos are still relevant. When talking to or watching Matt, you are instantly aware that his purpose at Google was to make the internet a better place. His ability to provide ongoing education on best practices while strictly following Google's own disclosure policies was amazing and he did this all with a humble tact and respect that is unmatched to this day. I've had the pleasure of speaking/laughing with him on multiple occasions without the guise of extracting information and can honestly say he was just like one of us. That being a geek at heart with an eternal smile and a love of how the internet works (for the better). Matt played a huge role in my professional advancement over the years. While much of it is intangible, it is not forgotten or taken for granted. As he continues to do great things for our society, he is missed greatly by most of us who have been doing SEM for a while. There are a couple of other people who have tried to fill Matt's shoes but they fall way short of even coming close. Thank you Matt...for everything.

PhotoCredit - Joe Hall slide from Search Exchange 2013