In Memoriam: Robert Cary Heterick, Jr. 1936-- 2003, Vice President Emeritus at Virginia Tech
Robert Cary Heterick, Jr. of Blacksburg, vice president emeritus at Virginia Tech, died Nov. 7. He was 67. He is survived by his wife, Mollie Miller Heterick, four children and eight grandchildren, his father and a sister.
Calling hours began Monday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. and family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday evening at McCoy Funeral Home (1560 County Club Drive SW, Blacksburg). Funeral services were held Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel. Private burial will follow at Westview Cemetery in Blacksburg.
Heterick began a 33-year career at Virginia Tech in 1959 teaching in the department of civil engineering. In 1968, he was named director of the University Computing Center. Under his leadership, Virginia Tech became one of the nation's leading universities committed to computing and among the many products developed in the computing center was the Virginia Tech Library System (VTLS).
In 1973, Heterick joined the College of Architecture and Urban Studies as professor and director of the Design Automation Laboratory. He remained associated with the College of Architecture for more than 10 years, serving as head of the building construction and chair of the environmental design and planning doctoral program. He also served as assistant dean of research.
In 1985, he joined the department of management science in the Pamplin College of Business. In 1985, he was named vice president for information systems with responsibility for computing, campus networks, the campus library, university printing and other university departments. Under his leadership, the first phase of the Andrews Information System building in the Corporate Research Park was completed and the university installed one of the most comprehensive voice, video and data systems in all of United States higher education.
After retiring from Virginia Tech in 1991, Heterick was named president and CEO of Educom, a Washington-based professional association. Under his direction, Educom became a potent political force in the rise of national networking and the use of technology in teaching and learning. In 1994 he received the CAUSE ELITE award for lifetime achievement in higher education technology, and served on the boards of several higher education organizations, library associations and technology companies, including IBM, Xerox and Apple.
Heterick received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering, a master's degree in structural engineering and a Ph.D. in engineering from Virginia Tech.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Robert C. Heterick, Jr. Scholarship Fund (872866), care of Virginia Tech, Office of University Development, 201 Pack Building, Blacksburg, Va., 24061 or visit http://www.GivingTo.vt.edu.
