Town Manager Chris Whelan appointed Mark Howell to be Concord’s first chief information officer the same year I first served as town moderator. Everyone familiar with Town Meeting knows how important technology is to its smooth operation. Hundreds of documents, pictures and maps have to be coordinated with dozens of speakers. And mikes, cameras, and displays need to be coordinated seamlessly across three venues – auditorium, cafeteria and gym.
Mark, his staff and I worked together through a dozen annual and special town meetings. Mark’s 30 years of IBM professional experience were consistently on display. So were his character and his principles.
Those additional characteristics impressed me greatly. Mark’s working style, including during times of high stress, is calm and collaborative – demonstrated when making on-the-fly adjustments with a thousand discerning voters waiting for the process to proceed. And I was consistently appreciative of Mark’s steady focus on the big picture and long-range objectives.
Recently a U.S. Supreme Court Justice quipped that they were “not like the nine greatest experts on the internet.” Technical expertise can be an important addition to any policy body.
We will be fortunate to have Mark’s collaborative style and long-range thinking, in addition to his technical expertise, on our select board.
Please join me in voting for Mark on March 28.
Sincerely,
Eric Van Loon
Marthas Point Rd
