It is with a sad heart that we share with you the passing, in Poland, of Wojciech Danecki. He was a wonderful friend and colleague and the co-organizer of the first IODA Conference in 1987.
Wojciech was a leader in developing organization development in Poland through his work with the Academy of Science of Poland, Institute of Management, Department of Psychology. They worked diligently in introducing and utilizing organization development theories and methodologies in their work with clients of the Institute of Management.
Among the important events that he organized was an encounter with about ten persons from the West to discuss how organization development could help Poland in the transition from a centralized to a market economy. This event was held in June 1985 at the House of Architects in Kazimierz, Poland, and was a precursor to the later meeting at the Shoresh Moshav. Also included were the beginning discussions about holding an international conference of organization development.
Wojciech and his colleague, Marian Dobrzinski, participated in the November 1986 conference in Israel at the Shoresh Moshav, west of Jerusalem, where the decision was made to create IODA -International Organization Development Association- and it was also agreed that the first conference would be in Poland. IODA was formally founded in January 1987.
Wojciech and Marian worked on the conference design with several of us who were at Shoresh, during that meeting. The first IODA international conference was held in the beautiful town of Zakopane, Poland in 1987.
Subsequently, he taught several years in the USA before returning to Poland and to his consulting.
Wojciech – we thank you for ALL that you have contributed to international organization development and to IODA.
May you rest in eternal peace.
– IODA Executive Committee
Many thanks to K.C Soares for her valuable input in putting together this article.
