Pasco Reporter

Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller issued the following announcement on September 9.

Lifetime Achievement Award Named For Our Harold Sample

Harold Sample, who's busier in retirement than most of us who are still holding down regular employment, thought he'd been summoned to adjust a problematic video screen. Isn't that just the way? You volunteer a meeting room for an organization your Office holds dear -- in this case, Leadership Pasco -- and something always goes wrong.

But even if Harold remains the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller AV expert, his troubleshooting appearances rarely are greeted with a standing ovation, as he was this morning. It was all a ruse; rather than arriving to fix a problem, Harold was welcomed as the guest of honor.

Thursday morning at the East Pasco Government Center, LP board members unveiled the Harold Sample Leadership Pasco Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will go, annually, to someone, like Harold, who has dedicated time, energy, and devotion to the organization.

Presented by LP President Manny Long -- our Office's Financial Services Director -- and overseen by Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, the award left Harold properly beaming.

"To me," says Heather Grimes, our Office's Chief Administrative Officer, "Harold is Leadership Pasco." A member of the 1991 charter class, Harold ever since has continued his commitment to Leadership Pasco, annually leading the two-day bus tour that introduces that year's class to Pasco County.

"That tour is the class' first taste of what it means to be in Leadership Pasco," Heather says. "And Harold is always there, sharing his knowledge." Which, it bears noting, is second to none.

"You are an amazing person," said LP Director Emeritus Tom Celotto. "Your leadership for our organization goes unmatched." Echoing Heather, Tom praised Harold's tour mastery for being delivered with "passion and love."

The inaugural recipient of the Harold Sample Leadership Pasco Lifetime Achievement Award has been decided, but not yet announced. Leadership Pasco alumni will be invited to nominate future recipients; nominees will not be required to be alumni themselves, so long as they have a deep and prolonged history of service to the organization.

Harold Sample, a servant leader whose admirable professional life covered five decades but never strayed from Pasco, included productive stops at the Office of Clerk & Comptroller, the Sheriff's Office, a return to the Clerk's Office, and a time as Dade City's city manager. Even now, as our Office's hybrid senior consultant and on-call special projects manager, Harold continues to supplement his countywide legacy.

Thursday morning, however, Leadership Pasco made Harold Sample's legacy official.

Original source can be found here.