What Will Be Your Lifetime Achievement Award?

I have the honor of being a friend and colleague of this year’s **“Ron Muns Lifetime Achievement Award” winner, John Custy. Have you ever thought about your legacy or how other people perceive you? I had the chance to speak to John today to catch up and congratulate him on his rewards. That’s right; he also won the “IT Industry Legend” award from Cherwell Software…

“It’s a fact that we will all leave a legacy; here’s how I described it in my first book: “we will all leave a lasting legacy for the loved ones in your life. (Hopefully not the “Uncle Lou is walking around with his pants on backwards again,” type of legacy, but a legacy you can be proud of.)

John Custy will leave a powerful industry changing legacy. There is no doubt that his dedication and propensity to pay it forward has already made a huge impact on a very important industry. We talked today about the award but more importantly we talked about what it means to have an impact on this world. Our conversation reminded me of how much I miss having intellectual discussions about industry, strategy, and relationships. I know he is a friend because we hadn’t talked in many years and when we connected it was like we talked yesterday.

John and I collaborated for many years when I was Executive Director of Membership at HDI and John was one of our close advisors that we counted on to give us honest, relevant, and valuable feedback, whenever we were making big decisions for the organization. John was involved when we needed advice and direction for training material, certification standards, conference programs, Membership deliverables; he helped us position our organization as ITIL was introduced, and even when we launched a new association called ITIM (Information Technology Infrastructure Management). If it was important to the association, John was asked to be part of the conversation.

John has spent many years training IT Support Professionals but that is only a small part of the greater footprint he’s made in the IT Service Industry. When we reflect about the changes the industry has seen over the past decade, John’s fingerprints can be found. When I asked John how he felt about the award his answer was very revealing. He talked about the people he respected and looked up to over the years. People like Ron Muns, Malcolm Fry and others he said were his mentors and collaborators as he was making his way through his career. He humbly told me what an honor it was to be placed in the same category as the people he looked up to for so long. He said, “Rich I think we perceive ourselves differently than others see us. I still see myself in the mirror as if I am locked in time when I was thirty five. I didn’t think of myself in this category and it is overwhelming to think others respect me enough to be honored with this award.”

I assured John that this award was given to a man that always answered the call, gave his time, energy, and knowledge to help the industry leading association HDI remain on the cutting edge of IT Service Management practices. I reminded him of the guidance he shared and the value our executive team put on his input, and how by helping HDI remain relevant, he helped change the course of the IT Support industry.

John in his humble way said he thought it was strange that he really felt that many people who have never heard of him might wonder why he deserved this award. Again I had to remind him that even though he was not someone that had “celebrity” status, he was the guy who rolled up the sleeves and got it done. If you know John you understand what I’m saying. If you have never met John I will tell you he is a guy you want at every important discussion about IT Service Management. And being a friend, he is also a guy you want at the dinner table enjoying conversation. (And an added bonus he has excellent taste in food and wine, knowing the best restaurants around the globe!)

So if this is the first time you have heard about John Custy, it doesn’t surprise me. But I will suggest that you get to know him. If you are in the IT Service Industry you need to know him.

I want to wish my friend John, again, congratulations! You have made an impact on more lives than you know but not as many as you will. You, my friend earned that award!    

 ** The Ron Muns Lifetime Achievement Award is in honor of the founder of HDI (Help Desk Institute), Ron Muns. Ron is the consummate entrepreneur. He is currently creating a new organization called Certification Game Inc.