Reflections on 10 years at Lotus

June 14 2004

Today is my 10th anniversary at Lotus/IBM.  I started in the Chicago sales office as an Associate Systems Engineer on June 13, 1994, thanks to a fortuitous lunch conversation with now-colleague Jon Raslawski at Lulu's, still one of my favorite restaurants.  
It would only make sense to be reflective on all that time.  I've written what is admittedly a rather lengthy rear-view -- even without taking some of the detours that appeared in the stream-of-consciousness.  You're welcome to read on to peruse some of the highlights.  But even if you don't -- one thought.  Whether friend or foe, colleague, customer or partner, I have many of you to thank for the success of these past ten years.  Your insight, guidance, tips, criticisms, and friendships have all been key contributors to what has been so much more than a job.  Products may come and go, but people, and the memories, last a lifetime.  So thanks.
Read on for the full trip down memory lane...

Ed Brill | Highland Park, IL USA Category:  Lotus  Add/View Comments [12]

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  1. 1  G.J. Wolfswinkel  | 6/14/2004 3:40:57 AM

    Congratulations on this anniversary, Ed. You are one of the most well known and appreciated Lotus people around, and that's a well deserved reputation. Good luck and all the best for the next 10!

    Gerco

  1. 2  Ben Poole http://www.benpoole.com | 6/14/2004 3:56:18 AM

    Ten years... that's good going. Especially in this day and age. Congratulations!

  1. 3  Ben Langhinrichs http://www.GeniiSoft.com | 6/14/2004 8:02:00 AM

    Wow! I am certainly glad that Lotus/IBM has had your talents for the past ten years. Keep up the good work!

  1. 4  Alex Hernandez http://www.dominocode.net | 6/14/2004 9:16:45 AM

    El tiempo pasa muy rápido. Pero es muy bueno detenerse en el camino y mirar para atrás y decir que lo que hemos hecho lo hemos hecho bien.

    Felicitaciones de nuevo.

    .::AleX::.

    Dominocode.Net

  1. 5  Jon Raslawski  | 6/14/2004 1:45:11 PM

    Ed, congratulations on hitting the 10-year mark. Also, thank you for the honorable mention. You showed a lot of promise and ambition, even way back then and continue to do so. Cheers !!!!

  1. 6  Wild Bill http://www.billbuchan.com | 6/14/2004 2:50:46 PM

    Wow.. 10 years in ONE job would just kill me. Or I'd kill the tree-huggers. In lieu of any sucking up - please explain how you get through the morass of internal IBM politics without going postal on a daily basis ?

    :-) [But I'd still like an answer]

    Oh - and keep up the good work. This isnt some snivelling ass-kiss, but an assurance that if you keep it up, you'll travel sufficiently for us to meet enought that I'll finally get to buy you sufficent beer one night to get to the Core of the Brill... Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

    --* Bill

  1. 7  Chris Toohey http://www.dominoguru.com | 6/14/2004 2:57:28 PM

  1. 8  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 6/14/2004 3:05:46 PM

    I think that the reason it's never really gotten to me is the flexibility -- I'm pretty much happy with the kind of work I do every day. And like I said, the people make a huge difference.

  1. 9  Richard Schwartz http://smokey.rhs.com/web/blog/rhs.nsf | 6/14/2004 6:03:36 PM

    Ed, I've seen a lot of good people come and go at Lotus IBM. I'm glad that you remain in there for the long haul.

    -rich

  1. 10  Bill Geimer  | 6/15/2004 11:43:42 AM

    cc:Mail and Notes 2.0 daze. I still value your help and service then, and in the intervening years.

    Congratulations. Say hello to Jon for me next time you see him.

    Bill

  1. 11  Ray Bilyk (aka The Lion King) http://bilykspride.servehttp.com | 6/15/2004 1:24:16 PM

    10 years? Wow! Very cool! Thanks for being there for us. IBM/Lotus and we are glad you're there!