Dear Member of the Keep the Joint Running Community

I’m delighted to introduce my good friend, colleague, and the new proprietor of Keep the Joint Running, Greg Mader.

Greg Mader is the President and Founder of Open Source Integrators (OSI), an ERP systems implementer and integrator.

Well, not exactly. Under Greg’s guidance, OSI’s teams don’t think of their job as implementing ERP Suites or any other type of software. They figure they’re helping clients achieve intentional business change.

Greg insists KJR has had something to do with this. I’m happy to take credit where I can find it.

In my 28 years of publishing KJR, the best compliments it’s received were that its advice has been pragmatic, real-world, and concrete.

Which is a big reason I’m delighted to introduce you to Greg – he’s an excellent person to continue this tradition. At OSI his clients range from Fortune 50, publicly traded companies, to small, multigenerational family businesses. And he lives where real stuff happens, in his multiple roles – as leader of a successful organization, consulting “guidance counselor” for his clients’ executive suite teams, and, prior to that, having done the day-to-day work of making technology-enabled change happen in other real-world organizations.

His career spans more than 25 years and his credentials give me a bad case of Imposter Syndrome, seeing as how they include experience in business, operations, manufacturing, and leadership, along with two master’s degrees.

Not to mention 21 years in the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, and Active Duty, where he retired at the rank of Major, serving in several deployments.

Most important, he grew up on the least successful farming operation in North Dakota, was involved in FFA and won a dairy cow weight guessing competition, and at one point was a certified septic system installer in South Dakota.

I’m not sure how Greg’s septic system installation credentials will help shape his approach to KJR, but I’m sure he’s up to the challenge.

Today, Greg lives happily in Arizona, on a small hobby farm with his wife and daughters. During the winter months he lords Arizona’s balmy climate to me as I shiver in my Minnesota misery. During the summer months we reverse our climatological one-ups-personship.

Please welcome Greg to the community, or, more accurately, to his new role in the community. As you can see he brings a lot to the party. I think you’ll like KJR’s future with him at the helm.

– Bob