Hawaii Preparatory Academy
The award was presented at the Annual Dinner in Boston, MA. Dee Forgette, Business Manager at the Center for Early Education, had the honor of introducing the recipient:
"One of the distinct pleasures in working as a Business Officer in private education is the opportunity to work closely with so many of our colleagues. Unlike many industries, Business Officers have a long tradition of sharing acquired knowledge and expertise for the betterment of all of our schools. Ken White was a great believer in this tradition.
Ken, in whose memory this award is presented, passed away, much too soon, in 1996. He was a beacon of foresight, innovation and cooperation among Business Officers. He worked tirelessly to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and improve services at his school. At the same time, he worked just as hard to share his innovations, experiences, and results with anyone in the business who was willing to listen and learn. Ken served on our national and local business officer groups. Where the appropriate organization didn't exist, he created one.
To many of us, Ken is the model of what a Business Officer should be. Not that Ken was perfect. Ken was irascible, impatient, and at times abrasive (unlike the rest of us who came into our positions based on our sparkling personalities). Ken was highly competent in all of the tasks of being a Business Officer. Just as importantly, he was a visionary, he understood what was going on, saw where we needed to go, and dragged us, sometimes kicking and screaming, in the right direction!
This award has previously honored two other business officers who brought professionalism, sharing, innovation, and integrity to our profession. Our 2001 honoree, Will Hancock, brings that plus a new dynamic. A dynamic that has made it possible for Business Officers to look at ourselves in a new light. Simply put, Will allowed us to not take ourselves to seriously. He made us understand that even with the very best of planning, there was the 1% rule. No matter how much effort and perfection we put into something, at least 1% of the time something would go wrong. On a really bad day you might have to apply the 3% rule. Personally, I think that Will's theory that something will go wrong 1% of the time is wildly optimistic! Still, the recognition that perfection is not a reasonable expectation is a liberating idea. It allow for innovation, and occasional failure while still doing a good job.
Will has given us all permission to be imperfect, to not to carry the weight of the institution so heavily on our shoulders. This never meant that we should give less than our best effort, but rather than perfection is not a great goal. What a relief to be given permission to laugh at ourselves.
Even while he was teaching us how to make presentations to our Board of Trustees he reminded us that it was a school after all and we could have a lighter side. We should take advantage of the environment in which we work and let the child in all of us peek out, just a little.
Known for rising with the sun and going to work, Will was off and running very early in the morning. But he had his priorities straight when he stopped work and went back home to have breakfast with his family before returning to Hawaii Preparatory Academy to complete the workday. This balance of family and work is a goal for which we should all strive.
Will includes almost everyone in his family. His wife Judy, his children David, Max, Thane and Theana and of course his extended family that includes many special people. He is enormously proud of all of them and his grandchildren, Ana, Mikela and Griffin.
Will spent 35 years at Hawaii Preparatory Academy in a variety of positions. What lucky students to have had him as a history teacher. What a lucky school to have had him as their Director of Studies. What a fortunate Board and Head to have had him as their Business Manager. As the job grew so did his responsibilities and title - Assistant Headmaster for Business Affairs and finally, Chief Financial Officer & Director of Planned Giving. His final title is that of "retired" which he was awarded in 1999.
Will's teaching went beyond the traditional classroom and spilled over into the many organizations he participated in and lead. He served on the Faculty of the NAIS Summer Institute for 6 years and served as the Director of that workshop, using those years to share his wealth of knowledge with his fellow business officers. In Hawaii he was an active participant in the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools where he was a founding member of their Business Officers group.
Will has traveled the world spreading his good will from London to Nepal. His service as a Board member and managing Director of School College University Underwriters, Ltd. (SCUUL), took him to many ports of call. And all along the way he encouraged his fellow business officers, giving them the spirit and confidence to carry out their tasks. While Nick Bakker and Jim Martin, previous award winners, gave us lofty goals to attain, Will Hancock gives us the spirit to try. Ever the professional (well, mostly anyway), Will often thought outside the normal perimeters but always with an eye to getting the job done. He urged people, and himself, to get on with things. If it wasn't perfect that was OK - we can all be tolerant of a little 1%.
Will has given countless hours of time to the many professional organizations he belongs to - NACUBO, ABOIS, Hawaii Planned Giving, National Committee on Planned Giving, National Society of Fund Raising Executives. But he didn't limit himself to business organizations; he gave his heart and time his local community serving as a director on both the North Hawaii Hospice Board and North Hawaii Community Hospital Board. It is not surprising then that the National Business Officers Association would see Will Hancock as an extraordinary asset and jump at the opportunity to make him a part time Associate Director. Will's 6 months of service has not swayed us from the wisdom of that decision.
The Hawaiian mystique and macadamia nuts are just window dressing for a very solidly rooted man who has graciously fulfilled the criteria for the Ken White Award - visionary, innovator, mentor, and friend.
It is with great pleasure that I present the 2001 recipient of the Ken White Award - Will Hancock."