I never cease to be amazed at the number of people I meet who have been affected by JD Edwards and the two Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) products associated with that name (EnterpriseOne (aka OneWorld), and WorldSoftware). How many of you have gone to a hardware store in the United States, Canada, or Europe and watched your desired color of paint being mixed and shaken by that machine? There is a good chance the machine was made by one of the various companies running EnterpriseOne. A couple of years ago Puerto Rico was devastated by two hurricanes, the local government contracted with an energy producer which uses EnterpriseOne to establish temporary, modular power aiding in recovery efforts. A variety of oil and gas companies provide power, heat, and comfort to so many homes and automobiles. Automotive accessories companies with all of their products being sent to all of the major brands of automakers also run on EnterpriseOne. This list goes on and on.
In March 1998 I began my career at J.D. Edwards. At the time, I was told the specific spelling of the company name was considered important. There was to be a period after the J and the D, to clarify that these two letters represented two of the principal founders of this organization. There are key friendships for me which originated at J.D. Edwards and still influence my life today. So much of the significance in my life can be tied to this amazing company which was founded in 1977. I have been able to support my family for the past 23 years because of J.D. Edwards. I have learned leadership and relationship skills, technology and business acumen, and the value of, “Work Hard and Have Fun Along the Way”. This motto was coined by Ed McVaney, and embodied the attitude for those with whom I worked on the Denver Tech Center campus. Out of the initial 5 weeks I worked there, 4 of those Fridays were “Beer Cart Fridays”. What this meant is that the managers would stroll through the department around 4:00 PM with a cart full of beer and soda on ice. The employees could grab their beverage of choice as they finished their workday. There would also be beer, soda, and snacks in all of the breakrooms. The executive team wanted the rest of the company to feel valued, build friendships, and be rewarded for work well done.
Ed McVaney was very clear to convey that St. Patrick’s Day marks the birthday of J.D. Edwards. Here we are 44 years later and this company is still influencing tens of (or perhaps hundreds of) millions of people worldwide. The world lost a devout and committed leader on June 4th, 2020. Even to the end, Ed McVaney kept a positive outlook and view of his family, life, and commitment to those for whom he cared. I do not think I have met anyone who was so influential, yet so quiet about it. He did not bring attention to himself, but rather would shine the light and praise onto others.
As we enjoy Irish-inspired celebrations on this year’s St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to honor and reflect on a man who had a heart and desire to serve others and influence them onto greatness. I hope that I can at least be a dim reflection of his example. My desire is that my children will look to me as a better father, those in my care see me as a better leader, and those whom I serve to see me as a more trusted resource thanks to Ed McVaney’s influence.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Happy Birthday, J.D. Edwards!