Lam, Mike

More than one person has sung Mike’s praises!

Greg Liskey at JMU writes: ” So many times the people behind the scenes do not get the credit they deserve. Mike Lam has worked at JMU for over 30 years and the students changed as a result of how he has lead the technical systems hear cannot be counted. Their experience has been made better and their memories of JMU enhanced due to how technology has performed for them while they were hear. As a 6 year employee of Mike Lam and a team lead I can say he will be remembered as one of the two best managers I have had in my 30 years of working in the technology field. He is always concerned about the personal life of his employees, not just their job duties. If there was ever an example of a loyal employee paddling hard under the surface to keep the ship afloat Mike Lam is the man”–received Dec. 15, 2006

Peter Baitz, another colleague at JMU, said: ” Mike Lam has been the manager of the IT Systems group for a very long time, and has overseen so much change and improvement to the JMU Data Centers, his seemingly unending energy and years for JMU ought to be recognized before he retires at some future but (perhaps) nearing point, for his years of labor for JMU and building up people. Just interview all his reports, and you will be very happy you did. They should name the new datacenter in Massanutten Hall after him, which he is going to oversee as well! Because of the technical aspect, I don’t think most people really know what the Systems group does as related to JMU, in general only being “seen” in times of difficulty and overlooked when all is well – which is a good thing since the nature of this field is infrastructure, not topical. But for one, universities everywhere are always looking over each other’s shoulders, and I am sure JMU’s datacenter solutions have certainly
been noticed, having been in involved in several such processes, from campus E-mail solutions to application and server solutions. Additionally, if there is any man who can just go up and talk to anyone and befriend them, or win them over, Mike can. I hope when I am his age I can remember even half of what he does, and his ability to process complex information and make good decisions quickly, or to stand firm when need be or bend like bamboo when the time an change call for it, but still go on strong, not for himself but for his people and JMU! Because he is such a quick thinker, some might have mistaken perceptions about his quick wit and decisivness, or strength to move people or situations, or take a few punches where the job needs getting done for JMU. But I see what Mike does is all about JMU, keeping the ship running steady for all that rely on it.”–received Dec. 8, 2006