Ernest Ferguson
The CCSC presented the 2014 CCSC Distinguished Service Award to Ernest Ferguson during the CCSC General Business meeting held on March 7, 2014. Ernie served in key organizational roles for many years.
From left: Awardee Ernest Ferguson, CCSC President Laura Baker
Ernest Ferguson earned a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was a faculty member at Southwest Baptist University from August 1983 – July 2002 and at Northwest Missouri State University until his retirement in 2009 where he holds the rank of Emeritus professor. Ernie was named an ACM Senior Member in 2009.
Ernie was active for 15 years in CCSC from 1994 until his retirement in 2009. He was one of the founders of the Central Plains region of CCSC which held its first meeting in 1995. Ernie served in planning and committee work for Central Plains through his retirement in 2009. His service includes: regional papers chair in 1996, 1997, and 2001: conference co-chair in 2001 and 2006; and regional editor 2001 through 2006. He arranged with Henry Walker of Grinnell College for the Central Plains region to use the SIGCSE paper system and review system which is still in use today. Ernie’s leadership was instrumental in establishing the Central Plains region and in the region’s operation during its formative years.
At the national level, Ernie distinguished himself as the first National Partners Chair in 2005. Ernie was instrumental in organizing the duties of the new office. Among his contributions was the establishment of communication channels with the national vendors. At the SIGCSE conference each year he made a point of visiting each of the national vendors and of recruiting new vendors. He served as National Partners Chair through his retirement in 2009. According to Robert Neufeld, Ernie “was tireless in his efforts, creative in his vision for the program, and doubled the participation.”
Congratulations to Ernie!