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Former Business Instructor Chair and Foundation Board Member Passes

Jul 10, 2022

Larry Goodnight served as a ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍø business instructor from 1977-2008.

Regretfully, ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍø lost a linchpin from its Business program and a devoted member of the Foundation Board of Directors with the death of Larry Goodnight earlier this year.
Goodnight dedicated more than 30 years to the college, teaching business management, finance, economics and real estate classes.
His introduction to Western came in the spring of 1977 when the college needed someone immediately to fill an opening to teach a real estate class. At the time, Goodnight was working at Harrahs Lake Tahoe, teaching a class at Lake Tahoe Community College and planning to launch a real estate company: Mountain Investments.
The decision was easy. The opportunity to teach more students persuaded Goodnight to leave the gaming industry and devote his time to education and his new real estate business.
Larry always had a smile on his face and was always one of the first to volunteer for extra assignments and committee work at the college, said Geosciences Professor Dr. Winnie Kortemeier. He was respected by his peers and treated everyone with equal respect. His easy-going nature was so welcome at the college. I am sad to hear of his passing.
Goodnights decision to rearrange his life changed ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍøs business department long term, providing it with continuity and growth. The flexibility of the colleges scheduling allowed Goodnight to teach management, finance, economics and real estate courses in the late afternoon and evenings.
That way I could keep my real estate business. I did that for 28 years, said Goodnight during a 2014 interview.
Goodnight also chaired the business department on three separate occasions and during this tenure he witnessed ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍø transform from an occupation education provider to one that is more well-rounded and diversified.
In the late 70s and early 80s, we were 80 percent occupations, he said. My thrust was occupations because there was very few grads in two years and even fewer who transferred to a four-year school. They could come in and take a few classes and they could get a $5-an-hour raise.]
Goodnight was also instrumental in helping local businesses educate t