As part of his 46-year career as a Certified Public Accountant, Dick Running taught accounting at LBCC.

One of the first things he'd do with each class was go around the room and have students introduce themselves and talk about why they were taking the class.

"By the time they were done, I was almost crying," the North Albany resident recalled. "Single moms with three kids saying, ‘This will help advance me.' God, I couldn't believe what people were giving up to take classes at LBCC."

A 17-year member of the community college's Board of Directors, Running has also served the past few years as one of the board's two members on the LBCC Foundation Board before stepping down in February. He said he loved being a part of an organization that helps make the LBCC experience more affordable.

"The Foundation board is in the business of giving money away," he noted. "That's part of the joy."

Education and financial help are both central to Running's life. He loves both numbers and teaching, so through the years he's found ways to combine them.

He grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho, served almost four years in the U.S. Navy and received a Master of Science in Business Administration from the University of Denver in Colorado. The master's was important, he said, because he planned to teach, and after graduation he began looking for a smaller town that would have a college nearby.

Running moved first to Corvallis and began teaching accounting for LBCC in 1974 while working as a CPA. Two years later he moved to Albany. 

"I taught several years, took a break and then came back," he said. "I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I was any good or not." 

He was good at being a source of support for the community college in various ways, however. He worked for accounting firms that audited LBCC and completed Contribution and Expenditure reports for the college's bond measures. 

About two decades ago, when the LBCC Board of Education had a couple of unfinished terms available, it was natural that someone would ask Running to hold one of them until the next election. 

However, under the rules at the time, Running wasn't allowed to then run for the open position if he took the position. It would give him an unfair advantage, he was told.

Running thought that was silly, so he declined and simply ran for the slot when it came up for election. He kept running - and winning - every time the position opened. 

The Board of Education works with overall policies rather than day-to-day administration. The Foundation Board, however, has a direct impact on individual students. He especially loves to hear about that impact in meetings with donors and recipients.

"It was just incredible to hear that giving a $2,000 scholarship meant just the world to this kid who's now doing his thing," he said.

Since retiring from the LBCC Foundation Board, Running and his wife, Sharman, married 35 years, are often spending time with one of their three grown children or seven grandchildren. 

He finds it funny if someone refers to the residents the board represents as "constituents," as if they were part of a political faction. "I represented Albany, but all I could do was vote the way I think is best," he said.

In 17 years, he said, he has never had a single letter or phone call from anyone with a complaint about the college.

"LBCC," he said, "is pretty high on everybody's list of good things."