Another iNNOVATIONS Conference was held last week. (It already feels like a long time ago.) I enjoyed visiting Austin again and enjoyed the warm hospitality of everybody at ASI and folks in Austin in general.
I have been thinking about the opening session given by Bob Alves. Two major milestones were noted: 1) ASI turns 15 in 2006; and 2) John Howarth's passing, now two weeks ago.
I've been working as an iMIS consultant for the past 10 years and have seen many people come and go from our iMIS world. But I do think one thing has been fairly consistent over that time is the ever increasing professionalism of ASI and the maturity as a company.
The month of May marks a major milestone for Panopea Consulting too -- I've now been an authorized ASI consultant for six years. It was a big leap of faith for me when I began consulting on my own. I had not ever really intended to run my own business but having outlasted my second reseller, I decide to take the plunge. Not having many options, it wasn't that hard. I've not regretted it (well, not for long anyway), but I have gained a great deal of empathy and admiration for people who start their own companies and grow them into something much bigger.
So, Don, Edie and Bob have my admiration and my gratitude. My gratitude for providing me with a way to earn an income that I have truly enjoyed for 10 years. And my admiration because ASI has grown so much that's no longer dependent on those three founders, which also shows their wisdom in selecting others who've joined the company. A long line of people like John Howarth and many others have made ASI into a company that can and will survive the loss of any one individual. And I think that's a pretty impressive legacy for every individual who has contributed.
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