Don Murray & Dale Lutz- �Bumblebees Can Fly: Lessons from 20 Years as Entrepreneurial Partners�

Don Murray & Dale Lutz, Co-Founders, Safe Software, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Topic: “Bumblebees Can Fly: Lessons from 20 Years as Entrepreneurial Partners"

Description: Is it aerodynamically possible for a bumblebee to be able to fly? Can two Co-CEO's start a business and 20 years later still enjoy a strong relationship? One may be skeptical, but the answer to both is "Yes!". Safe Software's Co-CEO's Don Murray and Dale Lutz will share lessons learned from building a successful software company from the ground up. Starting from a garage in 1993, they've come a long way and now lead an organization with over 100 employees and growing every year, dozens of partners, and thousands of customers in more than 116 countries. Every success has its difficulties and challenges along the way, and so Don and Dale will share the key ingredients to their strong partnership. They will also discuss the benefits they've enjoyed by operating Safe Software as a partnership - benefits both on the business and personal sides of things.

Don Murray- Don Murray is a Co-CEO with Safe Software, a software company based in Surrey, BC. Together with business partner Dale Lutz, Don created Safe Software's core product - FME - which is now the globally recognized standard in spatial data transformation. FME is used by tens of thousands of organizations around the world across various industries in more than 116 countries.

Don is a Masters recipient in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University. Starting his career in software development, Don went on to teach at the British Columbia Institute of Technology before co-founding Safe Software in 1993 with Dale Lutz. For more than 20 years, Don has been directing product strategy at Safe Software and building relationships with other leading software vendors. He works closely with his employees and draws upon his teaching background to provide effective guidance.

Like business partner Dale, Don is committed to using principled business practices and operating a business built on respect and integrity. Don believes that "business" and "fun" can and should mix, and so is always looking for ways to provide a rewarding workplace environment where each and every employee feels valued and enjoys their work. As a result, employees enjoy a positive work / life balance with benefits like an on-site gym, free drinks, flexible working arrangements, lunch-time sporting events, and more.

Dale Lutz- Dale Lutz is a Co-CEO with Safe Software, a software company based in Surrey, BC. Together with business partner Don Murray, Dale created Safe Software's core product - FME - which is now the globally recognized standard in spatial data transformation. FME is used by tens of thousands of organizations around the world across various industries in more than 116 countries.

Dale grew up on a small farm in Alberta and went on to become a Computer Science Honours graduate and a Masters recipient with a specialty in Usability for Software Technology from the University of Alberta. Shortly after starting his career as a software engineer, Dale went on to co-found Safe Software in 1993 with Don Murray. Dale draws upon his experience to guide Safe Software's product development and ensure a powerful yet easy-to-use product. Internationally recognized as a leader on data complexities, Dale is a frequent speaker at conferences and events around the world.

A man of strong faith, Dale is committed to using principled business practices and operating a business built on respect and integrity. These principles also lead Dale to provide a great place to work, where employees feel valued and enjoy a positive work / life balance with benefits like an on-site gym, free drinks, flexible working arrangements, lunch-time sporting events, and more.

Safe Software Inc. is the maker of FME® and the global leader in spatial data transformation technology that helps GIS professionals and organizations master their data interoperability challenges. FME is used by thousands of customers in more than 116 countries in a variety of industries. Ranging from small businesses to top international organizations, SAFE customers use FME to unleash the power of their spatial data so people can use it where, when, and how they want to. Most leading GIS and database vendors also rely on FME to improve their own products, meeting their customers' needs for true data interoperability. FME can be used with almost every leading application, including Autodesk, Esri, Google, IBM, Informatica, Intergraph, MapInfo, Microsoft, Oracle, and Smallworld, to conveniently access the spatial data you need within a familiar environment. Safe Software has a strong history of distributing its spatial ETL solutions and expertise worldwide through a global network of fully trained and knowledgeable channel partners. Today, our partner network has more than 100 value-added resellers across six continents. Our partners are equally passionate and knowledgeable about the depth and breadth of FME's capabilities and are available to assist you with any spatial ETL challenge.