Where am I working now?

14 02 2008

Did you know that 95% of email sent out in 2007 was SPAM?


For some reason, a number of folks think that I left HP for Google which is not the case. Google would be a great place to work but I needed something smaller. Something that would allow me to get the experience and connections needed for me to start my own business down the line. Plus, find a leadership team that can take my experience to the next level.

I’ve taken the Director of Engineering position at Abaca Technology Corp. based out of San Jose. Abaca was founded by Steve Kirsch, one really famous and successful guy in the valley. You can read more about him on his website or his Wikipedia page. His accomplishments speak for themselves.

Abaca Technology Corporation is an innovator in email protection and messaging security. Abaca’s patent-pending technology, ReceiverNet™, offers an advanced approach in the fight against spam — providing unprecedented levels of accuracy and guaranteeing 99 percent spam filtration. Abaca has created a portfolio of innovative products and services based upon this core technology, thereby assuring users unparalleled messaging protection from spam, as well as viruses and phishing attacks.

The question becomes, why did I join an anti-spam company? Well, this was my reasoning …

  • It’s time to get back to a real startup environment
  • An opportunity to work with Steve Kirsch
  • An opportunity to build another engineering team from scratch
  • An opportunity to be part of a company being built from the bottom up
  • An opportunity to bring real value to a space that doesn’t quite solve the problem.

The way I see it, the leadership team kicks butt, the product is truly “innovative” and I’m build one kick ass execution engine. Only time will tell, but I’m pretty bullish.

More details to come …

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HP stock tanks after I leave …

14 02 2008

I can’t help but continue to track the HP stock even though I sold off all my vested options at its peak at the end of 2007. Note, my last day at HP was January 2nd and notice the instantaneous market reaction! Since then, the stock has tried but has not been able to recover.

The downside, I missed out on the ~1.4% yearly pay raise that many HP Software folks received or so I was told when I was inundated with IM’s about it . Please note that the average inflation for 2007 was 2.85%.

The irony is that my old boss called me a few weeks ago about poaching engineers (which by the way I do not do). Are you sure its me? My attitude has always been as an engineering manager is if you build a great place to work, people don’t want to leave.

But, its probably easier to find someone to blame. Touche!

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NY Giants Win Superbowl!

4 02 2008

Can you believe it? As a long time New York Giants fan, I cannot believe it myself. 0-2 start, Shocky breaks his leg, Coughlin couldn’t connect with his players, Eli couldn’t stop turning the ball over and the list of mid-season issues goes on and on. A regular list of issues if you’re a frustrated Giants fan, however all of those issues fades into the background as the Giants win the Superbowl!

Congratulations to the New York Giants and condolences to the Boston New England Patriots.

When is the first Yankees/Red Sox game?

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