“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
–Attributed to Aristotle
Congratulations to Penn State IT for an over 20-year commitment to investing in leaders with MOR Associates. From Penn State’s first CIO, Gary Augustson, who initiated the partnership with MOR in 2005, to current CIO David Horton, Penn State IT’s senior leaders have made investing in leadership a core part of IT culture. Despite changes and challenges along the way, Penn State IT has always been committed to developing and supporting its people.
Demonstrating High Value and Return on Investment
Beyond an embedded belief in the importance of developing individuals, this two-decade partnership has delivered impact across Penn State. MOR’s programs at Penn State deliver a high operational return, consistently paying for themselves through time savings, heightened strategic focus, alignment of work to personnel, and increased retention. Overall, it’s a significant return on investment.
Additionally, MOR has been a key catalyst in helping bridge organizational silos, furthering alignment for joint initiatives across Penn State. This important collaborative work has built scalable internal leadership capacity, with such deep reserves of talent enabling employees to engage and contribute directly to university strategies. Most recently, this includes Penn State’s transformation of IT.
“Without MOR we likely wouldn’t be where we are today with this integration effort,” said Chris Lucas. “We appreciate the long partnership and support MOR has provided.”
The inaugural 2005 Penn State MOR cohort gathers regularly for a reunion/breakfast.
Lasting Connections and Continuous Support
To honor this remarkable 20-year milestone, MOR recently presented Penn State IT with a special recognition award, commemorating this investment. The enduring strength of this partnership is best reflected in the bonds formed by its participants. The very first Penn State cohort from 2005 remained closely connected for years, meeting monthly for breakfast to encourage and support one another long after completing the program. These are precisely the types of lasting relationships MOR aims to initiate and the sustained leadership practices we seek to nurture.
Penn State CIO David Horton echoed these sentiments, expressing immense pride in being part of an organization like Penn State IT that deeply cares for and consistently invests in its people.
MOR founder Brian McDonald presents Penn State IT CIO David Horton and Deputy CIO Chris Lucus with a recognition award. Collage includes past MOR PSU cohort photos.