At Performance we recognize that our company’s success is a testament to our talented team of employees and their hard work each and every day. Therefore, celebrating a remarkable employee milestone is always a special occasion, and today, we are thrilled to honor one of our very own, Jamie Breese, who has reached an extraordinary landmark: 25 years with our company. Let’s take a moment to reflect on his incredible journey.
What initially attracted you to join Performance, and how has your perception of it evolved over the past 25 years?
In 1999 I was at the end of my 2-year contract at another aerospace company and had a decision to make: join the company full-time or find something else. I wasn’t thrilled with the first option. Luckily, I ran into a colleague who had told me about a company she helped found called Performance Software and she described what made them different from typical contract shops. I took a leap of faith and agreed to an interview. When I was offered a job, I accepted. What really intrigued me was the prospect of working on products rather than just working on another company’s product. Soon after I got involved in the development of one of Performance’s initial products, Bphone, a telephone product. I’m happy to say that I help contribute to product development to this day.
What roles have you held at Performance?
For the majority of my time at Performance, my role has always been technical with a few times helping assist in sales. Currently, I am serving as the Chief Technology Officer for the company and have been in this role since 2005.
Reflecting on your journey with us, what are some key milestones or memorable moments that stand out to you?
While working at Performance for 25 years, it has been a joy to watch the company grow. When I started, Performance was in a small office several blocks away from its current location. However, to keep up with our rapid growth in the number of employees, we endured several office moves throughout the area before landing at our current Phoenix location to support our 250 plus Phoenix-based employees.
Can you share some lessons or insights you’ve gained from your experiences here over the past 25 years?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned throughout my career is to never assume that you’re correct and other people are wrong. Everyone sees things from their own perspective and many times it’s worthwhile to listen and understand how they would solve a problem. Their solution can often give insight into your solution and the things you might be overlooking. Also, when debugging a problem, try to find and understand the root cause of the problem. If you understand the root cause, then you’re much more likely to fix the problem correctly and permanently.
What aspects of your role do you find most fulfilling?
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my role here at Performance is that I get to be involved in solving difficult problems, ones that others haven’t been able to solve and have given up on. A specific problem I recall solving was an aircraft display issue that our customer could not get to the bottom of. It was one of the worst kinds of problems to debug – intermittent issues that aren’t easily reproducible. I spent weeks investigating the problem until I found the culprit and the solution, which I had to convince the customer to implement. They agreed and implemented the recommended solution permanently.
What advice would you offer to new employees based on your extensive experience and knowledge of our company?
When I graduated from college and got my first job, I hated it almost immediately. Within six months, I was searching for something better, and it took over two years to finally land a job at another aerospace company, which I ended up disliking after five years. So, my advice to anyone is to always do work that you enjoy. For me, that means always having new challenges in different areas of software development. I wouldn’t be happy if I had to do the same type of work year after year. I think the reason I’ve stayed at Performance Software is because it allows me to work on different things, continue to learn new skills, and stay on top of the ever-changing software industry. If you find yourself dreading waking up in the morning to work, ask yourself what you’d rather be doing and try to make that happen. Realize that you sometimes must work on projects you might not enjoy, but you should have the opportunity to do something you enjoy on the next project. However, you must speak up if you want that to happen.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations or goals for the future, both personally and professionally?
At this point in my life, I don’t really have any professional goals other than to prepare for retirement in the near future. Once retired, I plan on spending more time with my children and grandchildren.
Finally, what does reaching this 25-year milestone mean to you, and how do you plan to celebrate this achievement?
To be honest, I never expected I would work at the same company for 25 years. But Performance Software turned out to be a perfect fit for me and I’m still here 25 years later. It’s been a fun ride to watch the company grow from having 7 people when I started to having over 400 and continuing to grow.
Jamie Breese’s dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment has been instrumental in shaping our success. Here’s to honoring a true cornerstone of our team and looking forward to many more years of shared success and camaraderie.
Interested in exploring a career at Performance? Learn more here.
