Holy Cow! Consulting h
as lost a good friend and supporter of our ministry. Roger Verny, 66, passed away suddenly on August 4, 2015 at his home in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Linda Karlovec and I came to know Roger while he was Deputy Director of the State Library of Ohio where he served for 15 years. In that position, Roger oversaw many projects at the State Library, such as managing LSTA funds for new and innovative programming throughout Ohio’s library community including the creation of a 24/7 virtual reference service and the automation of 1,556 school libraries.
It was during that time in 2000 that we won a major consulting contract to facilitate a strategic plan for the State Library. It was only the second contract for Holy Cow! Consulting in the library community, but Roger treated us with respect and an open, collaborative spirit. He was an early adopter and promoter of organizational intelligence in the library community even in the face of the now familiar resistance to metrics and accountability. I would rank Roger in the top three persons who helped establish the long term sustainability of Holy Cow! Consulting.
Outside of the business relationship, Roger was a wonderful friend and conversationalist. We regularly shared lunch at the North Market in Columbus, Ohio. I will always remember him as an open, yet formidable opponent on many topics. He will be greatly missed by any community he has touched.
Let us pray for his wife Carol and other members of his family.
Russ Crabtree
Founder of Holy Cow! Consulting