In Memory of Gary Houk

Yesterday on , August 18th, 2008, Gary R. Houk - Vice President, Corporate Information Technology and Business Integration for OCLC  passed away after waging a courageous battle with cancer.

Gary joined OCLC in 1974 as programmer/analyst. In the first 18 years of his career, he held various technical and management positions in product development, quality assurance and systems engineering. In 1992, he was named Vice President, OCLC Services, and in 2000, Vice President, Cataloging and Metadata Services.

Since 2004, Gary has served as Vice President, Corporate Information Technology and Business Integration. In that capacity, Gary has played a key leadership role in the evolution of OCLC from a technological environment based on proprietary systems to a globally networked, Web-based information resource based on open architectural models.

Besides being well known and highly respected in the OCLC community, Gary was also active in local civic and technical groups. At the time of his death, he was serving on the boards of the Dublin, Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Business Technology Center, Columbus, Ohio. He was also very active in the local CIO Forum.

Earlier, Gary was president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, 2003-2004, and President of the Dublin A.M. Rotary Club in 1997-98. He also served on the City of Columbus Mayor’s Advisory Council for Volunteer Service and on the Board of Governors of the Dublin Fund.

Gary received the B.S. in Computer Science and the Master’s in Business Administration from The Ohio State University.

Gary was an exceptional colleague and leader who contributed greatly to OCLC's and this region's success. He will be sorely missed by all of us who had the honor to know him.

There will be a time of visitation at the Rutherford Funeral Home in Powell --450 West Olentangy Street on Wednesday evening form 5 until 8 PM. Memorial services will be at Northwest Chapel - 6700 Rings Road, west  of Avery Road at 11 AM on Thursday.  

Please keep Gary's wife, Randi; daughter, Shannon and the rest of Gary's family in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead.