Sunday, April 11, 2010

Center Ice - 3rd Row Seats at the Caps Game

I took my youngest son Tim to today's Caps game.  It was a great game that went into overtime and then a shootout.  We had third row center ice tickets.  Afterwards, we went to Ben's Chili.  Below are some photos of a fantastic day.

 That is Tim and me during warmups at the Caps game on Sunday April 11th, 2010.


That is the GREAT 8 - Alex Ovechkin right in front of us.  I bought Tim an Alex Ovechkin jersey with Ovechkin's name in Russian on the back as a memento of the day.

  Tim outside Ben's Chili Bowl after a great late lunch.

Announcing Virtual Photons Electrons, LLC

Today, I am announcing the official creation of Virtual Photons Electrons, LLC.


After Oracle officially took over Sun Microsystems,  Oracle and I went in our separate directions.  This happened on Friday January 29th, 2010.  The plan was for me to take off until fall 2010.   That plan changed two weeks later after having lunch with Doug Woods, the President for the Association of Manufacturing Technology (AMT).  Just like Vito Corleone in the movie The Godfather, Doug made me an offer I could not refuse :-)  After a week Doug and I agreed that AMT would create The Office of Strategic Innovation where I would be the Director and report directly to him as a consultant.   A few weeks after that I started part time consulting for AMT and currently I am full time.

This was an easy decision as the most fun I have had in my career was working on MTConnect with Dr. Dave Patterson of UCB, along with the other UCB professors, Dr. Armando Fox, Will Sobel, Dr. Dave Dornfeld as well as with the CTO and VP of Technology for AMT - Paul Worndorf.  Doug Woods was the Chairman of the Board and John Byrd was the President of AMT when these two invested seven figures for the creation of MTConnect.  AMT has proven itself as a true thought leader among all associations.

Virtual Photons Electrons, LLC was created with my wife, Julie H. Edstrom as the President and CFO with me as the CEO/CTO.  I thought I have worked for her for 26.5+ years of marriage, so I might as well make it official :-)

Washington Nationals Opening Day

On Monday April 5th, 2010 I was with Doug Woods, Peter Eelman and Pat McGibbon of AMT attending the opening day for the Washington Nationals baseball season.  It was incredible weather and President Obama threw out the first pitch.


Above is President Obama wearing a Nats jacket, but a Chicago White Sox cap (note to the President, we get it, you are a White Sox fan, but putting it on during Nats Opening Day does not endear you to Nats fans) throwing out the first pitch.  I was glad that I was able to capture the ball in mid-flight (you see it below the nationals.com sign in left field).  The pitch was high and thrown to the Nats superstar Ryan Zimmerman.  At least he did not bounce it to home plate :-)


From right to left is me, Doug, Pat and Peter having a great time at the opener.  I forget who won :-)