We celebrate our 10th Anniversary!
Written by: Kurt Frohlich
Ten years is a long time, but went by in just a blink. Every November finds me reminiscing because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday that’s coming quickly, and the fact that this is the month in which Apex was founded.
I’m sitting at our dining room table and scanning my surroundings, taking stock of where we’ve been and what’s taken place over the last ten years.
From a technology standpoint:
- The TV is bigger and flat;
- A DVR records our favorite shows for viewing when we want to and replaces the VHS player that used to be there;
- An iPod charges in the spot where a cassette player/CD/radio “boom box” used to be;
- I’m typing this on a laptop that I carry with me everywhere and replaces the old PC tower from 10 years ago;
- My cell phone has almost as much computing power as my laptop, and has become both a blessing and a curse in our 24X7 connected world;
- Photos that decorate our walls were uploaded for digital printing where they used to be printed from film
But perhaps the most striking changes are personal, given how our family has changed in ten years. In 2001, I was in my mid-thirties and had more dark hair than gray, and now the opposite is true. Our oldest daughter, Amanda, was just eight years old then and now she’s a freshman at Oregon State, blazing her own trail as a young adult. Our youngest, Amber, is now fourteen; old photos from ten years ago showing blond ringlets and a gap-toothed smile. Today, she’s a high school freshman, a stand-out volleyball player, and almost as tall as I am (she shot past her mom a year ago). My wife, Dawn, has matured gracefully and looks 10 years younger than she really is. She’s our rock and the reason our girls have turned out as well as they have. She also keeps me on an even keel.
Professionally, Apex enjoys continued success through the hard work and dedication of its employees and leadership team. Since 2001, Apex has employed 97 people who all left their marks and propelled us to where we are today. We’re also fortunate for long-standing client relationships that are the “bread and butter” of our existence – and we’ve done great things together over the last ten years.
Some other notable milestones for Apex include incremental improvements to our brand and marketing focus. We’re now on our third website, and check out how our logo has changed over the years:
Ten years; a milestone and a blink. Many thanks again to our employees, our clients, and most importantly, to my family for the support required to make and keep a company successful for a decade. I can only imagine how fast the next ten years will go by, and look forward to accomplishing even greater things during that time.
All the best, and a ten year anniversary toast to you!
Kurt Frohlich – President
