At the Murdock Trust, we are incredibly fortunate that every staff member embodies elements of Jack Murdock’s character and legacy. Each of us brings something of his innovative mindset, strategic thinking, and caring leadership to the Murdock Trust team as we seek to carry out his mission to serve the common good of the Pacific Northwest. Few people have embodied the mission of the Murdock Trust more than our beloved Jennifer Larson-Cody.
After 23 years of loyal service, Jennifer has chosen to step down as our Director of Technology and Information Management Services and venture off on a new path of service. While we will greatly miss Jennifer’s smiling face around the office, we could not be more excited to cheer her on during this next phase of life.
With integrity, thoughtfulness, a learning spirit, and a good dose of humor, Jennifer led the Trust through some of its greatest years of technological change. After starting as an accounting manager in 1998, Jennifer displayed an eager spirit of learning as she took on a new role as investment and finance manager. She challenged herself professionally and personally as she completed her undergraduate business degree while working full-time at the Trust. As the technology needs of the Trust grew, Jennifer leaned into the challenge of helping the Trust adapt to modern needs, developing and managing our new technology and communications program and eventually serving as Director of Technology and Information Management Systems for five years until her departure.
Thanks to Jennifer’s foresight and leadership, the Trust was prepared to operate remotely and maintain 100% capacity during the pandemic, allowing us to continue supporting grantees and their constituents without disruption. In addition to supporting the day-to-day technology needs of the Trust, she helped digitize 40+ years of records, developed strategic information management systems, and was instrumental in creating state-of-the-art audio/visual systems for the use of our team and grantees in our new office space. We could list many more accomplishments, but they could never convey the deep and lasting contributions that Jennifer has made on the Trust, as an employee, leader, and friend to the entire staff.
“It’s hard to imagine where the Trust would be technologically without Jennifer’s oversight,” said Steve Moore, executive director of the Murdock Trust. “Jennifer not only planned and executed a move to new offices and new ways of incorporating technology, she also planned and executed our move to remote learning and working. But even more than her great work, Jennifer is a great person, colleague, and friend to everyone at the Trust. She challenged us to adapt to new technology while making us laugh and feel encouraged. It’s truly impossible to communicate our gratitude for her 23 years of service to the Trust.”
Jennifer, Jack would have been so proud of you. We know he would have been the first to thank you for your commitment to the communities of the Pacific Northwest, and the first to say congratulations for this next phase of your life.
