Two and a half years ago I made a very smart decision and joined Pragmatic Works. PW is a wonderful company made up of talented, passionate people. The founder of the company, Brian Knight (@brianknight), helped me get to where I am today, even before I actually worked for him. He is one of the original founders of SQL Server Central where I published my first article almost 10 years ago. He gave me my first big break, recruiting me to contribute two chapters to the first SSIS book ever published.  I had never imagined that I would get to be a book author, and my life has not been the same since. Not only was Brian one of the founders of SSC, he was also one of the early board members of PASS.  Brian can take a big share of the credit for the vibrant community we enjoy today.  PW reflects the way Brian lives his life: work really hard, but have lots of fun, and always give back.

For over 5 years, I have had a dream. My dream is to work as an independent consultant part time, but to also spend time teaching and writing. This dream also includes lots of time for playing (I have four grandchildren!) and vacations. Once this plan was in place, I figured I could gradually work less and less over time and ease on into retirement. Six months ago, if you had asked me, I would have said that I was going to actually fulfill this dream within the next 5 years. I guess it was my “five year plan.”

A couple of months ago several things starting falling into place and it seemed like it was now the right time to realize this dream. Beginning Sept. 2nd, I will be working as an independent consultant associated with Linchpin People. The consultants at Linchpin have a lot in common with those at PW. They also work hard, have fun, and always give back. I will continue to remember my days at PW fondly. I worked with some fantastic people there.

So, if there is anything that you think I can do for you, such as speaking at your user group, teaching a class for your company, or anything SQL Server related, please fill out the contact form.  If I can’t help you, I’ll forward the request on to someone at Linchpin People or Pragmatic Works who can.