Happy Retirement, Boss

Returning from a very busy SolidWorks World (those guys know how to hold a conference!) I departed a few hours early so I would have time to attend an even more important event, Keith Mountain’s retirement party. Keith was my former boss, mentor, and an all around great guy. So we all gathered in Boulder to wish him well and say “thank you”.

Keith hired me as Spatial’s VP of R&D, and trusted me to lead an incredibly brilliant team of engineers that today I am as impressed by as much as the first day I met them. Under Keith’s leadership, Spatial continued to grow, add many new customers, and helped its existing ones weather the economic storm.

If you ask me how Keith led the successful organization, I would summarize it in one word: trust. Keith is a person that you can trust, and extends his trust to others. It is a fundamental part of his being, one that has made Spatial such a great place to work. Keith trusted that employees would do the right thing when armed with clear missions and given the tools and time required to get it right.

Given that Keith is one of the most energetic 'retirees' I know, I doubt this event really demarks a traditional retirement at all. I am sure that he will somehow continue to contribute his experience and leadership to our industry for years to come. Keith, enjoy your retirement, and thank you.