50,000 mile checkpoint

They say time flies when you’re having fun.  If my time at PAS is any indication, then I am having a blast!

This week is 6 months since I started.  50,000 miles done of my 100,000 mile commute. 

It’s a good time to take stock and check on progress both at PAS and on the home front.

On the PAS front, we’ve accomplished much in the last 6 months.

We turned what looked to be a conflict with Honeywell around the Integrity software into an OEM deal that benefits both parties in an innovative iPod sort of way.

We’ve reorganized PAS around four strategic lines of business, helping to make the transition from the Owner/CEO model and profitably sustain the high growth  achieved in 2005.

We revamped our website (finally!) and actually started some marketing to customers – which when added to the sales growth we achieved in 2005 without any marketing should put PAS on steroids for growth!

We’re in the midst of launching our first-ever User Conference – scheduled for next week – and promising to be a big success for both existing customers and others wanting to learn more about how our solutions can help them.

We’ve written a book and are having it published this month.  I won’t reveal its content just yet – that’s a surprise for our Conference – but let’s just say that it firmly places PAS on the map as the thought leader in one of our key business areas.

We’ve reorganized our sales leadership and added a VP of sales – Cory Engel – from one of our most aggressive competitors.   And we’ve added talent to all parts of the organization – with more to come (including Software Developers, an Alarm Management Line of Business Manager, a Marketing Manager, Sales Staff, and more) – all of which further strengthens our ability to deliver as we grow.

All in all, I am even more pumped about PAS than when I first started.  This place is good and only getting better!

I guess one other barometer of how things are going is that our Founder and CEO has recently been able to take a longer vacation than he has in years – trusting that the place is in good hands and that the company has the momentum to carry forward even without him. 

And, in a nutshell, that is probably the best report card I could get.

So all is well for the job, but what about my home life?   

Being gone Sunday-Friday is tough duty, but to be honest, there’s no way I’d get all the things done that I do if I was trying to have a family life all through the week…

It might be fine for me to say these things, but what about those at home?

Let’s start with the dog.  He still knows who I am and is excited to see me each Friday.  In fact, he seems even happier to see me come home now than when I cam home every day.  Not sure if there is some sort of doggie-message in that, but all is fine with him. 

So far, so good.

As for my high school daughter, I still seem to be on good terms with her.  I’m not always there to help her with homework, fix her stereo when it breaks, or check the car when it rattles, but she’s tolerant of the situation and appreciates my travel (versus her moving to Houston for her senior year).

Also, so far, so good.

Now for the most important person – my wife.  I have to say that I’m not the easiest person to live with (sound familiar?), and there may be some slight advantage in not always being there, but nonetheless being apart every week from Sunday-Friday has its cost.  Even so, she has been wonderfully supportive, even when I can’t finish all the “honey do” list on the ever-so-short weekend.  And in a strange sort of way the whole being-apart-all-week and then let’s-spend-the-weekend-together thing does have its high points, in a newlywed-ish sort of way.

So it is true that “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”.

In closing – good people at PAS and strong family relationships are making the 100,000 mile commute possible.

Life is good – I have been blessed on both at home and at work.

Thanks for putting up with my musings…

Comments

[Chuck Pharris]

I just wanted to compliment you for your blogging efforts. I have been in automation business for years, but am now in different industry. PAS is the only automation website I continue to review and its because of your blog. PAS certainly seems to be on an incredible track..I wouldn't have been able to know about this without a reason to visit and still couldn't have appreciated the essence of it through a typical corporate webpage. Congrats and keep up the good work (Blog and PAS)