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WordPerfect Co-founder to Speak at Devotional Nov. 19
Alan Ashton, co-founder of WordPerfect, will give a devotional entitled “Temple Worship and Families,” on Friday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. in the Stoddard Center at Southern Virginia University.
By 1993, WordPerfect employed more than 5,000 people and had revenues of $700 million. In 1994, Novell, Inc., purchased WordPerfect. Ashton served on Novell’s board of directors until 1996.
Before his corporate career, Ashton was a professor at Brigham Young University in the computer science department. He taught for 14 years until he left to focus on WordPerfect, serving as president and CEO of the corporation.
In 1995, Ashton and his wife, Karen, founded Thanksgiving Point, a non-profit institute located in Lehi, Utah. Thanksgiving Point offers engaging learning experiences in a safe, family-friendly setting. It fosters learning, brings families closer together and provides beautiful gathering places for groups of all kinds, giving them opportunities to share their cultural heritage and common bonds.
Ashton graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He pursued a doctorate in the newly formed computer science department and received his degree in 1970.
Ashton and his wife have 11 children and 48 grandchildren. He currently serves as bishop of a BYU student ward for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also has served as a stake president and president of the Canada Toronto West Mission. In addition to his church service, he enjoys reading, playing tennis and being with his family.
Community members and Southern Virginia faculty, staff and students are invited to hear forum and devotional speakers each Friday morning at 11 a.m. in the Stoddard Center. Recordings of past forum and devotional speeches may be accessed online.