VIDEO: A tribute to Olga Grkavac

It is hard for me not to steal Mark Amtower’s line from the Olga Grkavac video posted below, but she really is like Madonna. She needs no last name. She is quite simply Olga.

She was honored Thursday night at the annual Fed100 gala produced by our sister publication, FCW, with the President’s Award.

The video included tributes from the likes of Mark Forman, Dave McClure and Jim Williams. Others such as Tom Hewitt and Linda Gooden also contributed quotes praising Olga’s career and contribution to the government IT sector.

She was unable to attend because of a recent medical issue, hence the video tribute.

The thing about Olga – yes, I’m breaking with journalistic tradition that calls for using last names on a second reference – is that unlike other single name celebrities, there is little to no ego driving her.

Olga simply cared about the market and the government. She had no hidden agenda. She was not a self-promoter.

She believed the work was the most important thing; not who got credit, not who’s name came first. In the times we spoke, I don’t think I ever heard say, ”I”; it was always, “we.”

I think that trait maybe above all others except for her intellect was why people trusted her. You knew you’d get honesty and fairness. Nothing you said to Olga would come back to haunt you.

I hope she continues to make a strong recovery and that we’ll be seeing her around the market very soon.

Until then, enjoy the very sincere and heartfelt tribute in this video.