Read more from Invariant Corporation co-founder, Brett Gossage, on his most memorable moments and what he has learned over the years as a leader for the company.
Q: What is your role at Invariant and what programs/projects do you currently assist on?
A: Since retiring, I now have an ‘emeritus’ role at Invariant and help support specific projects. Primarily, I support the design, implementation, and testing of a wide variety of system and environment models. This includes software design (in UML), model implementation in C++ (on both CPU and GPU hardware), and software process management (e.g. Agile).
Q: What motivated you to create Invariant?
A: While I enjoyed my previous job positions, I had envisioned doing ‘excellent work at an excellent company,’ and that mantra still rings true to this day at Invariant. That has guided us into being the organization that we are today.
Q: Where were you working prior to Invariant?
A: I worked for Nichols Research as an engineer for 14 years. It was my first job out of college and a great place to work. David, Brent, and I all met while at that company. Being at Nichols Research taught us a lot about the structure and process of an organization, and that guided many of the elements we wanted in our own company.
Q: What aspect of your job and in working with customers, do you consider yourself an expert?
A: Over the years, I’ve been able to really hone in on modeling and simulation of complex systems C ++. Because of the niche industry that we are in and being able to have a dedicated focus on that skill, I’m now a better asset to our customers.
Q: Why do you think organizations should work with Invariant, and how do you think Invariant differentiates itself from competitors?
A: Everyone I know at Invariant is dedicated to the work. The company prioritizes delivering the best - from the top down.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment working at Invariant?
A: It was a moment very early on in creating Invariant that I remember the most. At one of the first fairly large company Christmas parties, I remembered looking around and realized that all these great people joined a new company despite the risks. I realized how thankful I was to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who saw the same vision as us.
Q: What have you learned over the years at Invariant (personal, professional, or both)?
A: While I learned a lot in the industry, I would say that I learned a great deal about economics. Being an engineer was one thing, but learning how to run a business was another and changed my views on governance for sure.