Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

Over the 44-plus years that Red Wing Software has been in business, we have been able to hire great people and are fortunate that many have been with us for a long time. Our average length of employment by our team members with Red Wing Software is slightly over 22 years. We make every attempt to hire the right people and fully intend for them to remain with us until they decide to retire. We have two such team members that have reached that decision.
Dan Brimberry has been with us for almost 31 years, serving in several roles. Dan has been part of our internal Accounting team, Quality Assurance team, and most recently, our Design Manager for all our financial management products. Dan is also a CPA and has helped us ensure our offerings comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP). Dan’s last day will be October 6th.
Julie Strain has been a part of the team for almost 28 years and has worn many hats. Starting in support, she became our primary instructor for classroom training and online webinars, has worked with the sales department to help make sure our products were a good fit for new customers, and most recently works as an Implementation Consultant assisting new users set up complex business structures to get the most out of our software. Julie’s last day will be September 29th.
Both longtime team members will be sorely missed, but rest assured we have the right people in place to fill the gaps these retirements create. We wish Dan and Julie the best in their retirements, and we’re certain they will have plenty to do to fill their newly acquired time.
Finally, after occupying the same building for around 27 years, this month, we will be relocating to a space more conducive to the way we do business today. The headquarters will remain in Red Wing, MN, at a more convenient location for those who spend the most time physically in the office. I am a big proponent of good change: although sometimes challenging, it’s always exciting.

Employee Spotlight - Angie Healy

Hi, my name is Angie Healy. Although I am the “new guy” here at Red Wing Software (for only two months), I have been part of Red Wing Software since the original Red Wing Business Systems started back in 1982. When I was in high school and college, I worked in shipping and production. I returned to Red Wing Software in the early 2000s and worked in Technical Support. In 2004, when my family moved out of the Red Wing area, I had to leave the company. Now that I can work remotely, I have the opportunity, once again, to work with this great team of people.
My husband (Tom) and I have three grown children, Allie (28), Patrick (26), and Spike (24), who are spread out around the country. I spend my winters in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and my summers in Eagle Harbor, Michigan. I love to cook and have even started growing my own fresh herbs to use in my cooking. I love to read and look forward to hanging out next to the shores of Lake Superior with a good book during the summer months. I also love going to (off) Broadway musicals when I can. My husband and I enjoy traveling around the country when we can get away.
My role at Red Wing Software is in the Technical Support department as a Customer Support team member. My favorite part of the job is when I can help a customer find a way in the system to do something more efficiently or effectively. My goal is to slip in one tool or tip with every phone call I have with a customer. I look forward to meeting you all!

Upcoming Conferences/Trade Shows

Red Wing Software will have an exhibiting presence at Fabtech in Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Place, September 11-14, 2023. Please stop and say hello and ask any questions you may have about CenterPoint!
Red Wing Software will have an exhibiting presence at the Louisiana Municipal Association 86th Annual Convention. CSA Software, a Red Wing Software partner, will be exhibiting at the event in Alexandria, Louisiana, at the Randolph Riverfront Center, August 3-5, 2023. Please stop and say hello and ask any questions you may have about CenterPoint and/or CSA!

Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

I recently attended the Farm Financial Standards Council annual meeting in Illinois. This organization’s mission is: Promoting Uniformity and Integrity in Financial Reporting and Analysis. One of the sessions was a panel of three bankers discussing what information bankers typically use to evaluate loan risk and what they would prefer. The panel was very diverse, with one panelist from a nationwide lending organization, one from a local bank, and one mortgage lender.
They all discussed the need for recent tax returns and a balance sheet. They mentioned they typically get balance sheet information for varying times of the year, and sometimes handwritten. While, in some cases, competition for the loan dictates they don’t push for more information, what they really would like to see are much better and consistent records.
In every case, they mentioned wanting professional-looking balance sheets prepared in the same period each year, accrual profit and loss statements so they can evaluate trends in the business over time, and projections for the business. It was interesting that another conference session talked about succession planning and the importance of good records when it’s time to transfer the business to someone else.
I understand I’m preaching to the choir since most people reading this already can produce these important documents with their software. But, at the risk of repeating myself from previous articles, “If you keep good records for yourself, you’ll have good records for anyone else that may need them.”