“We did supply chain execution, logistics software, but most of our customers were manufacturing companies running the IBM i, for all kinds of different manufacturing packages,” he says.
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It was at Highjump that Heim got his first taste of the AS/400 and learned how to program in RPG. “We had great customer satisfaction, which is something I’m a deep believer in, and we did some innovative things with products.” “I touched every operating discipline of the company and was around for a really nice growth trajectory as we took it from $8 million to $80 million,” he says.
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Heim cut his teeth on enterprise software at Data Collection Systems (now Highjump Software), a developer of PC-based supply chain execution software headquartered in the Minneapolis area. “We want to push the envelope a little bit on the product side, and given my background versus Janet’s, hopefully we can do that and create products that better meet our customers’ needs in the future.” “We hope to be able to accelerate some things like making our products work better together,” he says. “She’s done a masterful job.”Īsked what his imprint on the company will be, Heim pointed to his background as a programmer and his experience developing products. “They’ve done a wonderful job acquiring companies and growing the organization and creating a great culture here that keeps people around,” he says. Heim lauded the work Dryer and her team did growing HelpSystems’ revenue five-fold without hurting its reputation. Janet Dryer is retiring as CEO of HelpSystems, but will remain chairman of the board. “This is a successful company already and we want to retain the core values of taking care of employees and taking care of customers and providing world class service.” “First and foremost, we don’t want to screw things up,” he says. In an interview with The Four Hundred, Heim declared his number one priority as maintaining Dryer’s legacy. With nearly 300 employees spread out across various offices, the company became arguably the biggest IBM i-focused software company not selling ERP applications, and became a force to be reckoned with in business intelligence and security, too. What followed was a flurry of acquisitions: PowerTech, Bytware, and a European partner in 2008 a product from Innovatum in 2011 CCSS, Safestone, and Intermapper in 2012 Dartware and the ShowCase products from IBM in 2013 and fellow Minneapolis firms RJS Software and Coglin Mill in 2014.Īll told, HelpSystems made 13 acquisitions under Dryer’s watch (not counting Halcyon) and revenues grew to more than $110 million. With funding from equity capital partners, the company pulled off a string of acquisitions, starting with the 2006 purchase of Advanced Systems Concepts. Under Dryer, the Midwestern company with the robotic mascot expanded its frame several times over, and in doing so became an industry leader. It wasn’t the biggest dog in what was then a significantly larger OS/400 playground, but the company and its products were well-respected and its customers were satisfied.
Back then, the company was based in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, had about 90 employees, and enjoyed sales of about $20 million. At that time, the company had a single line of products–the Robot family of systems management tools for what was then called the AS/400 and now is the Power Systems running IBM i. HelpSystems looks a lot different today than when Dryer took over the top job at Help/Systems (it had a slash in its name until recently) 16 years ago. The acquisition and the hiring of Heim–a one-time programmer with an eye for product development–kicked off a new era for HelpSystems following the retirement of former CEO Janet Dryer, who has been with the company for 30 years. New HelpSystems CEO Chris Heim didn’t waste any time making his first big move last week when the company announced the acquisition of Halcyon Software, its closest natural competitor in systems management.
Under New CEO, HelpSystems Snaps Up Rival Halcyon
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