Division of Information Technology Chief Information Officer Ann Stunden announced she would retire this summer from the position that was virtually created for her six years ago.

Formally announced on Wednesday, Stunden's retirement comes as a significant loss to the department she helped bring into the 21st century. However, at 69 years old, Stunden said the time has come to open the door for younger aspiring leaders to bring DoIT to the next phase in its line of business.

"My time at DoIT … has been extraordinarily exciting," she said. "I think we've done some pretty great things in the last five or six years."

During her time with DoIT, Stunden has spearheaded some of UW's most renowned digital and online resources, including an updated and completely overhauled campus network under the "21st Century Network Program," the My UW portal, My Webspace, Learn@UW and the current e-mail and calendaring system.

Considering those achievements, most current students would probably have a hard time imagining a UW before Stunden.

"There was a time when people didn't care much if the network went down," Stunden said. "They care a lot now. The network is the most important resource [on campus]."

When Stunden first came to UW from Cornell University in 2000, she quickly utilized the department's potential and brought it up to par with other world-class university IT departments.

"When she started at DoIT, she hit the ground running," said DoIT communications official Brian Rust, who added Stunden immediately set a higher standard for the department, taking on a proactive and communicative approach.

Stunden instilled a new set of rules for the department. By valuing trust, communication and providing a fun learning environment, Stunden established an IT department that thrived under its new leader.

"I had a vision for an organization I wanted to work in," she said. "I held it out for DoIT, and DoIT was willing to adopt my vision."

And Stunden's vision was just the first in many changes at the department, as the new CIO encouraged her colleagues to pursue and expand upon successful programs at other world-class institutions.

"That's the thing I held out, is we should be world class," she said. "We should be among the best in what we do."

Rust said the fresh approach allowed employees under Stunden to explore new ideas, and if they didn't work out, it would be considered a successful experiment in what not to do the next time around.

"She challenges all her staff to do their very best in the areas they're working in," he said. "We were all encouraged to do new things, and if we make a mistake, we were told to take it as a learning experience."

Rust added Stunden will be missed for her innovation and inspirational energy.

Likewise, Stunden said she will miss DoIT, the university and her colleagues, but at 69, she thinks it's a more-than-appropriate time to join her seven granddaughters in Pittsburgh. But never one to completely settle down, Stunden said she plans to remain active, working part time for various IT organizations and restoring an old cabin she owns.

"I'm going to be 70 next month and, honey, this is what 70 looks like, and this is what 70 can be," she said. "This has been a really special place for me and it's going to be hard to leave."