Ten years may seem like a long time to some and just a passing moment to others. It seems to me that the content of those years defines the perceived duration. I have three daughters with ages five, three and four months and it just seems like yesterday that my eldest was born. The stress of raising them and adjustments that Lisa and I have made to accommodate children has, of course, lasted the same five years -- but feels like ten. OmniTI is my "other child." And the stresses and accommodations that I and everyone close to me have shouldered for OmniTI have been both heavy and relentless.

I love OmniTI like a child, I made it, it is what it is today because I (and the other owners and its growing staff) raised it to be wonderful; we made it in our image as much as we could. Like children, OmniTI frustrates me, we have setbacks, it does things I am not proud of on occasion, and sometimes I have to wake up at 3am and care for it when it struggles. Also, like my other children, it inspires me and makes me want to do better and be better.

On September 4th 1997, Sherry (my mother) and I incorporated OmniTI, Inc. and started doing business. So, naturally, on September 4th this year, clan OmniTI went to a local bar and celebrated being in business for ten years. I didn't prepare a speech, I didn't give a pep-talk; instead, I decided that day was for me. I sat back and looked on with tremendous pride at OmniTI. What is OmniTI? OmniTI is its people and their sacrifices.

In 1999, we decided to conquer the world of Internet messaging and developed the Ecelerity MTA which is now the flagship product of Message Systems. Conquering the world we are! On the other side, our consulting practice is sought out by some of the largest, highest profile web sites on the planet for expert security, performance and scalability advice. In 2002 we moved out of our respective basements into real offices. In 2006 we brought on Chris Shiflett to lead our web application security practice. In 2006, we launched OmniTI Labs, which will provide us the opportunity to give back without red tape.

We started with two people and now have almost fifty and I honestly believe that OmniTI's success is due to "we." We have a team attitude. A commitment to excellence, passion for technology, and customer focus mean very little coming from one person. However, when everyone in an organization has these character traits you have what we have at OmniTI. It means it is a child I can be proud of; it makes me smile, laugh, cry, occasionally sick with worry but most often I beam with pride.

I would like to thank all of our staff, our Board, my brother and his family, my mother and father, my wife and my children for their tremendous sacrifice that resulted in OmniTI. We are OmniTI.