Thoughts on Retirement

At the end of August 2024, I will retire after a 40-year career, 27 at iA and 13 years before that at IBM/Loral/Lockheed.  It is a time of retrospection and introspection.  As I processed the emotions associated with the significance of this event, I decided to write down some of my thoughts.  The exercise unintentionally turned into a retirement speech, though it is pretty unlikely I will say any of this out loud, let alone to an audience.  It was a worthwhile activity for me to sort out some things, so I will put it here and invite anyone to read it if they are interested.  I hope these thoughts resonate with some of my colleagues. Perhaps these thoughts may even, if you will indulge my pretentiousness for a moment, inspire others who may be interested in a glimpse of the roads we’ve traveled through the eyes of one of the travelers.  Feel free to comment if you care to.  Let me be clear that these are my personal thoughts and may not reflect iA’s position on any particular topic (...the Compliance Officer in me has not left the building quite yet 😉) 

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Farewell to my Colleagues

Most retirement speeches have a common theme of “...missing the people most”. For me, this rings true in many ways. I will undoubtedly miss the incredible individuals I’ve had the privilege to know and respect. I have spent countless hours with some of you, maybe more than you’ve spent with your children in some cases. We have worked hard together, and I am grateful for the depth of friendship forged through common dedication and commitment. I count you among my dearest friends. I will cherish these relationships and wish each of you happiness and success in whatever form and measure you find meaningful.

The Heart of iA

Logo circa 1997

If I’m being honest, what I’ll miss even more is the sense of purpose I’ve had at iA. This personal commitment to a common cause, to developing valuable products in an honorable industry, has been deeply fulfilling. For me, it has been much more than a job. Executing our mission to create products that empower pharmacy staff to deliver medications to more patients has not only improved efficiency but also prevented mistakes, and that has saved lives. In the early days, I remember reviewing the system logs with our resident pharmacist.  We would look at the errors our software prevented, and he would tell me which were trivial and which could have resulted in serious harm. This gave me a concrete understanding of the importance of what we developed.  Our early customers found as much value in the safety and accountability protocols our products enforced as in the additional efficiency they gained. My favorite comment to hear from a customer was, “...I can sleep at night knowing the system is double-checking everything.” Supporting this mission for 27 years has been an honor and a privilege.

Growing with iA

If you understand the culture at iA, then you already know that developing our products here is a little like raising children.  We care a lot, and we never stop caring, even when it is hard or inconvenient.  When I arrived, we only had a few products, which were small and simple compared to what we have today. I fully bought into becoming part of the team that would nurture these products. From guiding the software through its early, shaky steps to some sleepless nights working through the challenges that came with our first big systems, I’ve always cared deeply and done whatever I could to give our products life in the market and help to constantly improve them in important ways. It was hard work with long hours, and while in the midst of it, I didn’t realize how fortunate I was, but looking back, I see it clearly. 

Logo circa 2005

I was one of many caretakers and guardians who helped this company along its way, and I am somewhat envious of those who will continue the quest. I’m confident that our amazing team will continue to build upon the foundation and culture established in those early days.  Today, I feel like I did while dancing with my daughter at her wedding. I was thrilled as I considered her future with her new husband, but I also felt a little melancholy knowing my role in her future had changed.

The Road Ahead

Harry Boyer, our founder, often spoke of his vision for iA: creating jobs to do meaningful and rewarding work with significant impact. We were a small team back then, and today, I can see we’ve achieved so much. I’m proud of our growth and that iA has provided a rare opportunity for people to be part of a flourishing manufacturing business. The opportunity to participate in launching this business and the chance to make a difference in our communities is a gift.  It was my good fortune that it was offered to me, and I was able to take advantage of it.  I am grateful.  The opportunities for the future are now in your hands, a gift to you from Harry.  It is like a small sapling from an oak tree.  Tend to it and nurture this opportunity because as it grows, it will naturally produce more for others.  We intend to plant a forest.  

My career has taken me along some twisty and bumpy roads. Let’s keep it real, I know the road ahead does not get any easier.  There will be challenges and problems, setbacks and disasters.  Some of these will frighten you and keep you awake at night, like when our first system was pulled out of the store or when the manufacturing plant was under eight feet of water. But you can be assured that the sun will rise the next day, and you will work through the issues.  Inspiration will come, opportunities will open up, and things will get back on track.  It won’t be easy, but it will be exciting, and it will be worth it.

Helping to grow this business has been one of the most significant endeavors of my life. I hope it will be for you.  I encourage you to take the time to reflect on what our continued success will mean for our customers, our community, and our employees. Understand your connection to our work and its importance. Work together and respect each other for what we each can contribute.  Embrace the challenges, as frightening as they might be, and take bold action.  Harry often said, “A faint heart never won a fair lady.”

A Challenge for the Future

I love a good football analogy, so I’ll leave you with this: hold the ball high and tight and keep driving it down the field. Our opponents are formidable, but with dedication and teamwork, you’ll score. One score won’t win this game, though: it requires consistent effort and winning on every down. Build more and build it better, invent more and faster, be creative, focus on understanding and solving the real problems, and above all, keep the patients safe.  Be a team on the field and in the locker room.  That is how you’ll win. That is how this company will thrive.  

Harry’s vision was for iA to follow in the footsteps of IBM, Endicott-Johnson, Link, and others that had their start in the Binghamton area.  You have the foundation, the tools, and the team to achieve that and even more.

For me, it’s time to focus on other important relationships and tasks that have long been second priorities in a world of crisis management. I leave iA satisfied and proud of what we’ve accomplished. Vince Lombardi once said, “Any man’s finest hour is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle—victorious.” My finest hour is behind me, but I leave knowing I’ve been part of a good cause, something significant.

As I move on, I challenge each of you... I dare each of you to commit to taking iA to the next level, regardless of the bends and bumps in the road.  Do it knowing it will require courage, creativity, focus, and an unwavering belief in achieving success. Do it knowing that it matters. I’ll be watching, rooting, and praying for your success. I will miss contributing but will rejoice in your achievements from the sidelines.

Best of luck to all of you.

- Tim