Char LaBounty, based in Colorado, stands among the most respected and influential global leaders in IT Service Management. Throughout her career, she has consistently shaped how organizations define, design, and operationalize Service Level Management (SLM) at scale. As a Global HDI Lifetime Achievement Honoree, her influence spans industries, continents, and decades of service excellence.
Moreover, Char does not simply teach service management principles—she applies them. Consequently, organizations trust her guidance to move from theory to execution, from fragmented support models to measurable, business-aligned outcomes.
An Influential and Treasured Mentor in My Journey
Early in my career, my involvement with HDI became a turning point. During that time, I had the privilege of learning directly from Char. As a result, my understanding of service management matured quickly, while my engagement with the Support World community deepened significantly.
Importantly, Char models leadership through action. Her mentorship reinforced that effective service leadership blends accountability, clarity, and empathy—not theory alone.
Char once shared feedback on my leadership that continues to resonate:
“Dawn has demonstrated exemplary leadership in the Support Services industry through her incredible efforts managing the HDI Denver Local Chapter.
She is a seasoned management practitioner that understands service management concepts extremely well.”
~Char LaBounty is a global HDI Lifetime Achievement Honoree.
HDI 2010 Lifetime Achievement Leader, Char LaBounty.
I had the pleasure of learning, HDI and Service Management from HDI 2010 Lifetime Achievement Leader, Char LaBounty.
Recognized as the HDI 2010 Lifetime Achievement Leader, Char’s impact extends far beyond awards. She is a practitioner first—someone who translates service management theory into sustainable, real-world execution. Her work has helped organizations mature their service capabilities while aligning IT delivery with measurable business outcomes.
ITIL and IT Service Management Guidance
Throughout her career, Char has led and advised some of the world’s most impressive organizations on Service Level Management implementation, gap analysis, and performance-driven training programs. My favorite were here stories of maturing implementation at the happiest place on earth!
In addition, she has supported enterprises through support organization redesign, technology and outsourcing assessments, organizational development, and operational re-engineering. Her approach consistently balances people, process, and technology—ensuring change is not only implemented, but adopted.
Help Desk Institute Focus Book Series (help desk and technical service and support resources)
One of Char’s most enduring contributions is her authorship of the HDI Focus book How to Establish and Maintain Service Level Agreements. This work remains a foundational resource for professionals seeking practical, repeatable guidance on building effective SLAs that foster accountability, trust, and continuous improvement.
It was my early association with HDI that Elevated my Support World Experience. Her bold approach to positive Service Management endeared most of us.
Stop Being a Victim! by Char LaBounty was another inspiration. Encouraging leaders to take control of the support experience and establish Service Management that delivers service excellence. Are you the last to know about new products your company is distributing? This book describes steps you can take to demonstrate to your organization why it’s important for your support center to be involved in product and service introductions.
