Dear ones,
In October of 2006 I came to Concordia as a consultant—to look at the state of information systems across this community.
I recall, to this day, sitting with President Jolicoeur in her office on the second floor of Lorentzsen Hall, talking about the results of my visit. For a reason I guess I will never fully understand, Pam and I simply clicked. From that day to the day she died, we remained connected not just by supervision, not just by leadership, but by something much deeper and something quite difficult to describe. The years following her death working with Presidents Paul Dovre and Bill Craft have also been simply and totally amazing. The quality of leadership of our community has been nothing short of breathtaking.
Likewise, serving two Deans of this College, Mark Krejci and Eric Eliason, has been a highlight of my professional life.
I also must say a few words to the members of our amazing Board of Regents. They love this community beyond measure—they share their treasures, their caring hearts, their amazing minds, and their ever constant good works with all of us.
From those fall days in 2006 to these early spring days in 2018 it has truly been a privilege and my pleasure to serve this community in all ways possible, and to support the information technology needs to the very best of my ability. Sadly, I wasn’t always successful, yet my heart and mind traveled in only one direction, toward exceeding the expectations of you, the members of this community that I have come to love.
Now I will be saying farewell. At almost 71 it is time for me to retire and to pass on leadership to someone with new ideas, with new motivation, with new energy, who, no doubt, will also come to love this community and the people in it. And also to a new leader who will no doubt exceed my own expectations for service to the other.
Before I move on to the next chapter of my life, I must thank each and every one of you for your support, your very good wishes, and sharing your hearts, minds, and very good works as we wrestled with all manner of problems and issues. I know that my life is all the richer for the time I have spent working with you.
I owe special words of appreciation to the women and men who work in Information Technology Services. The changes we have made, the improvements we have adopted, the services that focus always not on boxes and wires but on the human beings of this community. YOU made it all happen. For that and so much more I shall be eternally grateful.
I also must thank everyone in Academic Affairs, Conference and Events, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Cultural Events, Student Development and Campus Life, and the Office of the Registrar. It has truly been a privilege for me to provide support for all that you have done in service to our Community.
To the students and alumni of Concordia, words escape me. You have been the energy, the passion, the amazing competency and caring with your hearts and minds joined together to truly make a better community, indeed a better world for all.
My Lutheran friends like to say, “God’s work, our hands.” Surely they must have had the members of the Concordia community in mind.
JoAnne and I are planning to relocate to the St. Louis area. e’ve actually purchased a home there—120 Foxtail Drive, St. Charles, MO, 63303. We lived in Missouri for over 30 years, and our younger daughter and her family live there, as does JoAnne’s family. Our older daughter and her family will continue to live in Fargo, and instead of traveling south to visit, we will instead travel north (but may not do so in February.)
I will end my time at Concordia in May. I hope to have opportunities to say, “Thank you,” to each of you personally over the coming weeks. We will have a reception on April 24th from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. in the Lorentzsen Hall atrium. Please stop by if you are able. I would love to share a hug and a handshake with everyone.
In the meantime, all I can say is: Make it a great day . . . and it will indeed be so.
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