Diana Lynn Shumick is a retired office manager and marketing support specialist celebrating a career with IBM spanning more than 35 years. Ms. Shumick credits her start in the field to her intellectual curiosity and naturally outgoing personality. While she initially dreamed of becoming a social worker, she started working as a data entry clerk for Ohio Power Company and the Canton Police Department to finance her studies at Walsh College and Ohio University.
Ms. Shumick transferred to Kent State University in 1971, a move that brought her to IBM as a systems engineer in 1973. She recalls that while social work remained close to her heart, the more time she spent in the technology industry and administrative leadership, the more she began to enjoy the specific challenges of the fields and appreciate her unique perspectives and problem-solving abilities. She concluded her studies at Kent State University in 1977, but remained in Canton, Ohio, with IBM until 1981, when she accepted a transfer to Dallas to become an advanced market support representative for the company.
In 1989, Ms. Shumick was promoted to systems engineer manager for IBM’s Madison, Wisconsin, offices and excelled in her role for four years before again relocating to Research Triangle Park in 1993. After briefly serving as the manager of marketing and customer satisfaction, she transitioned to become a HelpCenter manager focusing on desktop and consumer system support, followed by terms as manager of call center brand operations and product support services solution manager. Ms. Shumick was named technology solutions manager and manager of strategic outsourcing for IBM Global in 1999, drawing on her extensive background with the company and her demonstrated ability to master the skills and logistics of a broad range of roles. She retired from IBM in 2006 and spent the last 15 years of her career as an office manager for Myakka State Forest in Englewood, Florida, ending her career in 2021.
As a certified master naturalist and master gardener, Ms. Shumick has volunteered with Cedar Point Nature Park, the Coastal Wildlife Club and the Florida Native Plant Society, in addition to human services projects including Habitat for Humanity, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Senior Olympics and the American Red Cross. She is the recipient of numerous honors and accolades for her work with community action groups and faith-based charities, and regards volunteerism as a chance to relax while giving back to others.