Dick and Marlene are names many of our long time users are familiar with. Dick has been a developer of accounting and payroll software since the origin of FMS, one of the companies that later merged with Red Wing Software. Dick and his father operated a hog farm and the first FMS agriculture accounting product was developed in the late 1970s for use on their hog farm. Computers at that time had no hard drive and worked off of removable disks that you had to keep changing to use a different portion of the program. Interest began in computerized accounting on the farm, and by 1980 they had a small group of customers using their software. The part time endeavor was run out of their home, which is when Marlene began doing support of the software. Figuring out how to help the customer became an easier choice than gathering up their four little girls to go find Dick in some barn or field. (Cell phones would have been very helpful!) In 1981, Dick’s allergies to grain dust played a factor in him going full time with the software business. They soon outgrew doing business out of their home and opened the FMS office in New Lenox, IL, with additional employees; Ken Hilton was part of that beginning.
In 1990, FMS merged with another agricultural software company out of Indiana and became FMS/Harvest. In 2000, FMS/Harvest was purchased by Red Wing Software. Dick and Marlene have remained working in Illinois for Red Wing Software. Dick manages the development team, and Marlene does technical support of CenterPoint products and Perception.
Outside of work, they have four married daughters and each has three children... well almost. They also have 11 grandchildren ages 9 to 6 months, with number 12 on the way and love being a part of their lives. Family gatherings at Grandma and Grandpa’s house are favorite times, and the kids ask all year how soon before the next family summer vacation will be so they can be together. They all manage to live in one big house together for a few days! As the grandkids get older, their different sports and activities keep them on the go! Other interests in their lives are church activities, traveling, back yard work, and friends. Dick does woodworking and there are always endless projects including a complete kitchen remodel in their home that has kept them both busy. Dick and Marlene are never at a loss for things to do, but there is always time for the grandkids!
They have met and talked with so many customers over the years, they all feel like family too. “It is great to talk with so many wonderful people. I always chuckle when someone says, “Are you the same Marlene that has always been there?”
