
Chris Longston — Mentor profile, Title: Former Library Technology Officer (retired), Company: ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø Public Library (retired), Industry: Non-Profit, Mentor Type: Albers
Job Title: Former Library Technology Officer (retired)
Company: ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø Public Library (retired)
Industry: Non-Profit
Mentor Since: Fall 2009
Will Mentor: Graduate Students
Mentor Type: Albers
Background
Job Description
I was responsible for aligning the technology vision with the overall organizational strategy and overseeing all aspects of technology, including implementation of strategic initiatives as well as operational support for the technical infrastructure, business systems and computing services for staff and the public.
Company Description
ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø Public Library sees ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø as a city where imagination and opportunity thrive. Their mission is to bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. SPL has 27 branches across the city, including the iconic 11 story flagship in downtown ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø.
Employment History
Chris spent 27 years at PACCAR in a variety of executive positions in the US and Europe. He was responsible for developing IT strategies to support business initiatives in sales, marketing, engineering, manufacturing, materials management, finance and after-market support. In 2013, Chris joined Altruist Partners to pursue his passion of working with non-profits to help them magnify the impact of their work. In 2018, he joined the Pacific Science Center in a role that brought together his background with both technology and nonprofits. Chris continued his focus on serving the community by joining the ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø Public Library in 2020.
Education
MBA - ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø
BS - Washington State University
Mentoring Objectives & Scope
I enjoy helping students leverage their ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø U. degree and plan for their next career steps. Topics I've covered in past years include resume writing/reviews, interviewing, networking, job searches, setting up informational interviews, and tours of various facilities where I've worked. My style in informal and interactive. I expect students to bring their ideas of what they want to accomplish, be proactive in scheduling meetings, and be engaged in the discussion.
When and where do you hold meetings with your students?
Flexible - I work and live in ħ¶¼×ÊÔ´Íø
Additional Information
Since retiring, I have focused on providing pro-bono consulting to nonprofits and mentoring the next generation of leaders, as well as traveling in the US and abroad.