Presentation Remarks
David Forman, Director of Operations, Stark-Portage Area Computer Consortium

Thank you for inviting me to speak with your group today. It is very gratifying to be part of a tribute to the late Spence White. He was an influential force in the development of the INFOhio project and the Ohio Education Computer Network.

I want you to know that the ITC Directors believe that INFOhio is a very powerful group in the state of Ohio. In our conversations, it is regularly said that if you want something done, you go to the librarians and the INFOhio staff because they have demonstrated their effectiveness over the years.

I have come here today to acknowledge the hard work of Dianna Ashburn on behalf of librarians and media specialists. You should know that I started at the Stark County office in 1981 and Dianna preceded me by 13 years. Doing the math, this means that she started in 1968 which means she has been working in the education arena for 40 years. It has been my pleasure and privilege to work with her. Her dedication, service and humility are three attributes which make Dianna truly special.

Dianna starts early in the morning and doesn’t leave until late in the evening and her work ethic is exceptional. For years, I thought that there was an abandoned car in the parking lot because it was there when I arrived and remained when I left. It turns out that it was Dianna’s car and it was there because of her time in the office. It is just one indication of her dedication to her work and the people she serves.

Dianna is committed to delivering outstanding customer service to the districts she supports. In her 40 years of service, she has seen many changes and adapted to these changes in order to serve the schools. She has accepted the challenge of being a fearless learner and quietly gained the knowledge she needed to be effective.

If you know Dianna, you know that she is humble. In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins talks about great leaders having a ‘compelling modesty’ and Dianna certainly has this trait. In some ways, it restores my faith that there is justice in this world when I see someone as humble and modest as Dianna gain recognition for her good work.

On behalf of the SPARCC staff and the districts we support, I want to say congratulations to Dianna and express our sincere appreciation for service she has provided schools over her career. It is an honor which is well deserved.