Editor's Note: Holly Phillips guest blogs to share with us her thoughts on the late, great Darian Chustz.

I was surprised when Darian Chustz, president of Coca-Cola’s Gulf Coast region, agreed to sit down with me for an interview with Dig last July. I knew he was a busy man, so I appreciated his time.

When I arrived at the local bottling company, I was in awe. It was his kingdom, decked out in vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia. I tried to keep my jaw intact as I followed him, known as the “Coca-Cola man,” to his office.

There, we sipped from ice cold glass bottles of Diet Coke—Chustz’s favorite way to drink his soda—and talked about his career, his life.

This morning, I heard the sad news of Chustz’s passing.

I remembered Chustz telling me that his dad died at a young age; Darian was just 42. Because of his father, Darian said Coca-Cola was always a part of his life and held great memories.

Through his hard work, the Baton Rouge economy has benefited and welcomed the bottling plant into the city. It was the first Coca-Cola bottler to earn certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

Although Darian was the man in charge, he was humble and kind. It was important to him that Coca-Cola employees loved their jobs, and he meant it when he said that no job is more important than the other.

He was at the top of his career, and he was happy. He spoke fondly of his wife and children, and my heart goes out to them.

“I have a great balance with my career and home with my wife and our three children,” he told me. “Coca-Cola is it for me. When you work for a company that prides itself on treating people with respect, why would you want to leave that?”

Our community has lost a great mind, and a powerful spirit. I am honored to have met him. Today, I think I’ll sip a cold Coke from an 8-ounce glass bottle. If I could, I would buy the world a Coke, for Darian.

-- Holly Phillips