Curt Pederson
The Hugi Leadership Award honors Curt Pederson for his many years of service, leadership, and invaluable efforts to further the goals of NWACC, OSU, and computing in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Since joining the NWACC Council in 1997, Curt has served on the Executive Committee, the Membership Committee (chair), the Excellence Award Committee (chair), the Coho Open Source Study Committee, and the Nominating Committee.
In 1998, as chair of the Membership Committee, Curt steered it through some very difficult conversations. His report, which was delivered in October 1998, outlined a coherent transition plan from NWACC’s earlier role (as an internet service provider) to its new role (as a framework for IT collaboration in education and research). The report provided a thoughtful description of different classes and fees for membership and recommended that the door be opened to new members.
When the report was presented to the Board, it met stiff opposition from those who felt that NWACC’s newly found wealth (from the sale of NorthWestNet) should not be diluted by sharing it with a larger membership. The report recommendation was put to a vote and soundly defeated, but Curt took it in good spirit and carried on the crusade. In 2003, he participated in a Membership Task Force that once again proposed admitting new members. This time the Board approved the recommendation and eventually NWACC opened its doors to new members. Without Curt’s tireless efforts in support of inclusiveness, NWACC might have gone in a very different direction.