Charpy has known Stern since 1992.  The first time I met him was shortly after transferring from the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station to the Information Technology (IT) Department of Subase Bangor working with the Network Division.  I was hired to work with the Public Works Department and their new CAD system running Solaris.  Even though he was against the purchase of AutoCad to run in the UNIX environment, we did get it up, running, and productive.

Stern also transferred from Public Works to the IT Department as a programmer a short time afterwards.  He and I have been quite close in many aspects of Subase IT's growth in Technology.  Focusing mainly on the Public Works Department.

In the Spring of 1998 Stern, Donavon, and John formed Phynity, Inc.  They asked me to join them in the fall.  The four of us have shaped the company into what it is today.

In 1999 Stern went to work for the Social Security Administration in Seattle.  He enjoyed it so much that he influenced me to join him in Seattle.  You might say that I would not be working in Seattle if it were not for him.

We have visited many establishments in Seattle during lunch and after work, including the Experience Music Project (EMP).

Stern has always been a Pro-Microsoft programmer.  He is heavily into Visual Basic and Microsoft's .NET technology.  He and I have often discussed Microsoft's ongoing Anti-trust lawsuit.  Being a Linux fan myself, many of those discussions have been very entertaining.