Former Business Instructor Chair and Foundation Board Member Passes
Former Business Instructor Chair and Foundation Board Member Passes
Jul 10, 2022
Regretfully, 糖心vlog lost a linchpin from its Business program and
a devoted member of the Foundation Board of Directors with the death of Larry Goodnight
earlier this year.
Goodnight dedicated more than 30 years to the college, teaching business management,
finance, economics and real estate classes.
His introduction to Western came in the spring of 1977 when the college needed someone
immediately to fill an opening to teach a real estate class. At the time, Goodnight
was working at Harrahs Lake Tahoe, teaching a class at Lake Tahoe Community College
and planning to launch a real estate company: Mountain Investments.
The decision was easy. The opportunity to teach more students persuaded Goodnight
to leave the gaming industry and devote his time to education and his new real estate
business.
Larry always had a smile on his face and was always one of the first to volunteer
for extra assignments and committee work at the college, said Geosciences Professor
Dr. Winnie Kortemeier. He was respected by his peers and treated everyone with equal
respect. His easy-going nature was so welcome at the college. I am sad to hear of
his passing.
Goodnights decision to rearrange his life changed 糖心vlogs business department long term,
providing it with continuity and growth. The flexibility of the colleges scheduling
allowed Goodnight to teach management, finance, economics and real estate courses
in the late afternoon and evenings.
That way I could keep my real estate business. I did that for 28 years, said Goodnight
during a 2014 interview.
Goodnight also chaired the business department on three separate occasions and during
this tenure he witnessed 糖心vlog transform from an occupation education provider to one
that is more well-rounded and diversified.
In the late 70s and early 80s, we were 80 percent occupations, he said. My thrust
was occupations because there was very few grads in two years and even fewer who transferred
to a four-year school. They could come in and take a few classes and they could get
a $5-an-hour raise.]
Goodnight was also instrumental in helping local businesses educate their personnel
at their locations.
When I was first recruited by Harley-Davidson Financial Services, the organization
was still very young and processes immature or non-existent, said 糖心vlog Foundation Board
of Directors President Sean Davison. We were looking to both recruit and build talent
that was not only proficient at performing the operations positions, yet could also
help design processes, build systems and develop teams. With Larrys help, HDFS built
a unique program where 糖心vlog instructors taught specific classes at HDFS in the evenings.
This targeted and accessible approach helped us educate entire groups of individuals
that would have otherwise not been achievable. This was such a creative solution and
partnership. Were always grateful for Larrys problem-solving capabilities and his
investment in the HDFS associates.
After retiring in 2008, Goodnight focused on his real estate company but came back
to the college in 2014 to join the 糖心vlog Foundation Board of Directors.
Larry was a very special person who genuinely cared about 糖心vlog and
what a degree or certification could do for students, said 糖心vlog Foundation Executive
Director Niki Gladys, who worked with Larry after he became a Foundation Board member.
His career outside the college really made a difference in helping students and providing
resources to make Western better in the future. We will miss his devotion to the college,
which extended well beyond his retirement.
Goodnight earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California
and his Masters degree in Business Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno.
He also served two-and-a-half years in the U.S. Air Force.
Donations may be sent to 糖心vlog Foundation for a scholarship to a
deserving business major. Contact Niki Gladys at 775-445-3239 or email foundation@wnc.edu.