Larry Dicus

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Question Answer
Your name Larry Dicus
Email ldicus@gmail.com
Website or Facebook URL LarryDicus.com
If you're bringing someone to the reunion, please describe your guest Jane Dicus, my spouse of nearly 44 years, from Pittsburgh, PA
Alhambra elementary school(s) attended Emery Park
Current occupation (e.g., retired, working full/part time, volunteering, caring for family, other) I retired in August, 2014 after over 45 years in the Information Technology field - from Technical to Sales, Sales to Sales Management, Sales Management to Global Sales Channel Executive. My career included assignments with major IT providers including Burroughs, General Dynamics, AT&T, and Cisco Systems.
Describe your family/extended family I am the youngest of three brothers, all graduates of AHS, Michael, class of '61 and David, class of '63. Michael lives in Henderson, Nevada, unfortunately David passed away a few years ago at his home in Winona, Minnesota. I married Jane in 1970, after meeting her at a training session in Detroit with Burroughs Corporation in 1969. After we were married, we moved to Tustin as I worked in Santa Ana for Burroughs. We traveled for a few years before the arrival of our two sons, Eric in 1974 and Scott in 1977. We moved to Whittier in 1978 when I was promoted to Branch Manager of Burroughs in Los Angeles. We have been in Whittier since. Jane quit her job and stayed home with our boys during their formative years from birth through high school. She began a career as Financial Advisor in 1995 when our youngest son Scott went off to college. She is a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Investment Management Advisor, and Vice President at Morgan Stanley in Brea. Both our our sons went to college in Pennsylvania, Eric to Penn; Scott to Lehigh. Eric is now married, has two daughters and lives in Los Alamitos. Scott is now married, has one daughter and lives in New York City. Therefore, we have 3 grand-daughters, ages 7, 3 and 3. They are such a blessing!!
How have you gained knowledge or continued your education after high school? I went to Cal Poly, Pomona after AHS and graduated in Information Systems (Data Processing at the time). I began my career as a computer programmer and progressed to systems analyst, and then to computer sales. Most of my post degree training has been job development oriented, Dale Carnegie, Steven Covey Leadership Training, Deming Quality Management, to name a few.
What would like to share about your life's work? I enjoyed a rigorous career in a fast paced, high growth marketplace. To summarize, the Information Technology field was demanding and required continuous learning to keep pace. I enjoyed the opportunity to grow with the field and gain increased responsibility during the years. After 2000, I looked around and everyone was getting a lot younger! When I started in computer sales, a 10MB disk module sold for $30,000. Now a hundred thousand times as much memory is in your smart phone!! To say it was an exciting career would be an understatement!
What special interests and/or activities have you enjoyed during the last half century? Jane and I continue to be very active, both of us enjoy golf, tennis and traveling. I was a boy scout leader, and served as elder/trustee of our local Presbyterian Church. Jane and I have also served on the Board of Directors for PIH Health in Whittier. In 1996 I joined my local Lions Club in Whittier and since have become very involved in leadership with Lions Clubs International. After serving as club president, District Governor, and California Council Chair, I was elected to the Lions Clubs International Board of Directors in Hamburg, Germany in 2013. I now am serving a two year term. As a result, Jane and I travel all over North America to speak at Lions conventions and also travel internationally. In the past two years we have traveled with Lions to Australia, New Zealand, Korea, China, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Hawaii.
Please share the highlights of the places you've lived or traveled Since the mid 1980's I have traveled extensively for business, mostly domestically, but in the later years globally. Although we have lived in Whittier since 1978, my business and personal travel have taken me to Japan, much of Asia, North and South Africa, South America, Mexico, Europe, and most states of our country. Jane and I have also enjoyed several cruises, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska, and Mexico.
What is your favorite AHS Memory? There are many, but marching as drum major with the AHS band in the Tournament of Roses parade in 1964 has to be a highlight!
What are your favorite books or movies? I have gone through phases, certainly Tom Clancy books, great airplane reading, David McCullough books John Adams, 1776, Brooklyn Bridge, etc., recent non fiction books include Unbroken and Summer of 1927. I enjoy live stage more than movies, and see Broadway musicals as often as I can.
What were your favorite songs or artists from 1960 to 1964. What genre of music and type of dance do you enjoy most? Certainly Beatles and Beach Boys were my favorites. Since then, Billy Joel and Elton John have taken their place. I enjoyed two 'Two Piano Concerts' with Elton John and Billy Joel, one in Sydney and then in Los Angeles!
How do you spend your quality time? I enjoy volunteering in my community, and sharing my Lions club volunteer experiences with others around the world. Weekly bible study when we are home. We enjoy traveling for leisure, learning about other cultures and people.
In your life thus far, what stands out as most significant, growth-producing, moving, or heart-opening? There are so many things I am thankful for in my life - the blessing of a happy marriage, blessing of children and grand-children. When our oldest son Eric was born, he was a preemie and weighed only 2 pounds. The doctor gave him a 10% chance of survival. Today, Eric continues to be a blessing to us and others he touches. I'm convinced God used that difficulty to help me grow, and when Jane and I turned to God, He answered. Our life has never been the same!!
What matters most to you about the life you've lived? Number one - my relationship with God, my thankfulness for Jane and my family, and my thankfulness for my health. I hope to have many years to give back!
As you move forward into the future, what are your aspirations, hopes, dreams? We hope to continue to travel and have a productive life - learning and helping others.
What do you still hope to accomplish or experience? (What's left on your bucket list?) Every day is a blessing! There are still so many places to see and people to learn about. Jane and I enjoy traveling and exploring together!

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