I love the days between Christmas and New Years Eve.  It's the perfect time to think about everything that has happened during the year and a good time to start thinking about the up and coming year.

2009 was a very busy year for Atlantic Webfitters.  Not only did we travel more, nay much more than usual, but we established a relationship with the DotNetNuke community like never before.  For 4 years we utilized the DotNetNuke (DNN) framework, setting up clients quietly and proficiently, without making too much noise.  Many clients we deal with are under Non Disclosure Agreements so we have to keep relatively quiet no matter what break throughs we make in the DNN module industry.

In February, 2009 I had the opportunity to travel down to Orlando for a conference for one of my clients startups.  Knowing the book DotNetNuke 5.0 was out, I contacted one of the authors, Brian Scarbeau and set up a meeting to discuss our respective DotNetNuke User Support Groups.  It was a great start to the year pulling Scarbeau onboard to provide in class teaching and training.

In June, 2009 Mark and I traveled separately to Tampa to speak at the first annual conference dedicated solely to the DotNetNet software stack.  Mark and I spoke on the pros and cons of third party developers DataSprings Dynamic Registration Module and met a couple hundred people who all seem to love and support the DNN community and corporation.  It was a great opportunity to solidify our relationship with Chad Nash at DataSprings as well as bring to light all the things the DNN core registration module can do.

The first two quarters in 2009 brought even more fantastic business and partnership opportunities...

2009 marked the 4th year of business for Atlantic Webfitters and my 3rd year as CEO.  

Did you know Bernie Murphy was the first CEO of AWF?

When I founded the company in 2005, I joined the Chamber of Commerce to head hunt a CEO. (I wasn't sure folks would take me seriously, so wanted a CEO with graying hair).  Bernie caught my eye, looked like a mafioso 20 years my senior and agreed to take the position.

We spent a year setting up some pretty big programming contracts and during those intensive first months I learned a lot about how to interrupt, engage, educate and offer web portal solutions to all sorts of different enterprises.  

His resume is still on the AWF webportal:  http://www.atlanticwebfitters.ca/tabid/125/Default.aspx

Bernie suffered a fatal heart attack and died in Doha in 2007.  His influence and dreams never fully realized.  

As AWF continues to grow, I remember Bernie.


AWF 2009 Highlights (off the top of my head)...  

- Traveled to Orlando to meet Brian Scarbeau, official DotNetNuke trainer and co-author of many DNN manuals and books (sent the family to Disney).

- AWF was asked to speak at the first annual conference dedicated solely to the DotNetNuke web application framework (http://dayofdnn.com). CTO Mark Saunders and myself fly to Tampa and present http://datasprings.com registration module compared to DNN core registration.

- I was honored to be asked to speak at the graduation ceremonies for my high school  (unfortunately I was traveling in June).

- AWF started building DotNetNuke webportals in cooperation with Johns Hopkins University and the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

- Intel(R) contacts AWF clients and publishes case studies.

- AWF is voted one of the top IT Canadian firms "up and coming" by BranhamGroup; published in Wired and redistributed world wide.

- AWF CEO is invited to join the Intel(R) Canadian Advisory Committee.

- AWF CFO Tracy Jennings reports revenues continue to steadily climb and projections  for 2010 - 2020 remain strong.  Market research shows open source software will continue to take a share of the predominately proprietary software ERP-driven ecosystems.

- I spent 12 weeks travelling southeastern US, meeting current DotNetNuke clients and setting up new clients.


I love my family, I love my clients and thank God for every day I live on this planet.  

In 2010, as the still-reluctant CEO of Atlantic Webfitters, I hope to find myself better able to help churches, schools and businesses.  

Thank you for playing your part !!!