RDA in Review

Tom Cole, President & CEO

When I read a blog that highlights 30 years of history, I take a step back and reflect on the changes with a fond memory.

I could easily talk about all the changes:

• The cost of a PC, a gallon of gas, or college tuition

• Life before everyone and everything was connected to a network

• A time when you had to go to the library and get a book if you wanted to know the capital of Saskatchewan or who won the 1976 Super Bowl

Instead, I’d like to reflect on the things that have stayed the same at RDA over the last 30 years. Don Awalt established a company based on his personal values of treating customers and employees with respect, valuing a deep personal desire to get work done and a true love for developing software to solve complex problems. Over the years, it has evolved into RDA’s core values that are the backbone and conscious of the company.

The constant of the last 30 years has been the people. Sure, a few have gone and a few have come back, but the fiber of the people has stayed true - an absolute desire to learn the new and best ways to develop software, and to do good work for our clients.

The tools, architectures, patterns, and technologies have evolved from tightly connected point-to-point transactional systems to loosely coupled services available to support businesses, communities, and entire supply chains. The focus for RDA has been to be a leader in learning and applying the best technologies to help our clients differentiate, drive revenue, and be more efficient.

The IT world has radically changed over the past 30 years, altering the way people communicate, work, and learn. At RDA, little has changed - we are a community of the very best people, focused on doing well for our clients, continuously learning and growing to learn tomorrow’s technologies, and getting work done!

I look forward to seeing how RDA will continue to evolve over the next 30 years.