To Whom It May Concern,

For almost 30 years, I have been in the high-technology industry and have had the opportunity to work with many terrific individuals.  And I can say from the perspective of creativity, professionalism, and knowledge, Max is the standard against which all others are measured.  I first met Max 4 1/2 years ago after joining a software technology company, Xythos Software.  It became clear right away that Max was special.  He had a terrific attitude and even though he was extremely busy as Vice President of Product Management, he offered to help me in any way he could, including going on sales calls. 

In those first weeks, Max's guidance was invaluable, but it wasn't until our first joint sales call to one of the University of California campuses that I realized what a special talent I had with me.  After introductions, we asked the customer what business problems they were trying to solve with our product.  As I was talking to a customer, I noticed that Max was taking notes on his Treo. What I did not realize was Max was on the fly crafting a tailored demonstration.  It was flawless and the customer committed to moving forward with a purchase.

That was four years ago and I could describe many great experiences working with Max.  But there is one in particular that to this day leaves me awestruck.  Max became intrigued with a programming framework called Ruby on Rails.  In a sense it is a next generation Java like technology.  But it was so new that little has been written about its suitability for commercial applications.  So, like only Max can, he organized an "un-conference".  This event relied on attendees leading workshops and presentations rather than the traditional format of conferences where vendors (that typically know less than the people in the audience) drone through canned presentations.  Max stirred up interest on a couple of blogs and word-of-mouth spread news of the un-conference quickly.  Within two weeks the event was sold out with over 200 registrants. The un-conference was a fantastic success and Max had gotten his answer.

These two experiences, if deconstructed, highlight what makes Max so extraordinary.  Max is technically brilliant, professionally of the highest level of integrity, a gifted leader and personally someone I trust implicitly. 

Max's interests over the past year have shifted from high-tech to alternative energy, in particular, how peak oil is going to radically change our lives in the next decade.  Max is currently exploring several ideas that will facilitate the transition to a greener society, including the use of robotics to conserve water and the use of new battery technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of the average suburban household.  Which ideas Max will takes forward will be exciting to witness.

Max Dunn is going to make a difference in the world as I know it.

Sincerely,

Bill Keller

 

Created on November 5, 2008 11:47:36 by Max Dunn (69.226.214.117)