Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management

1.1. The Company

The meeting had not started out badly. "So what we have here," Stu had been telling me, "is a major opportunity to complement our existing product line, and you know how they love that kind of thing at head office in Denver. Not only will it create new customers, but if our experience is anything like what they've seen in Europe, it will lead to more sales of our existing products further down the line."

This was exciting news. Although I had spent the last 18 months in the Information Systems area, Hyler was a small organization and everyone knew the ground rules. Our company was just a stop-over for the up-and-coming movers and shakers at Mantec. Innovation leading to expanded sales was a sure ticket for promotion out of Hyler. But to put all of that in context, I should tell you a little bit about the organization.

Andrew Hyler started the company during the war to make life boats and life rafts for the U.S. Navy. He located his operation in Enderby, Oregon, just outside Portland. Like many war-time industrialists with a guaranteed demand and price, he was successful. When the war ended and new military contracts were not forthcoming, Andrew decided to go on making boats, but now they would be pleasure boats. Everyone called him crazy, especially since he lived way out in Oregon, where there were not a lot of people.

Old Andrew must have seen what was coming because he did very well for himself. After the war, just about all forms of recreation became popular ...