The People Behind Automation Centre

Our Mission

Our goal is to be the best provider of enterprise project management software that creates, maintains, tracks and reports enterprise data via the leading E-mail platforms, Lotus Notes Domino and Microsoft Exchange/Outlook. We will achieve this by hiring the best employees, working under the direction of the best leaders, and seeking the best customers. Our team includes -

Jeff Papows, Advisor. Mr. Papows plays an advisory role within Automation Centre, acting as a guide and assisting with strategic decisions. In addition to advising Automation Centre, Mr. Papows is CEO of Maptuit and Vice Chairman of the Board of ZixIt Corporation.

Prior to joining Maptuit, Mr. Papows was President and Chief Executive Officer of Lotus Development Corporation, an IBM Company. During his seven plus years with Lotus and IBM, he piloted the development of Lotus Notes to its current status as the world's leading collaborative platform. He is widely viewed as the key force behind the successful integration of Lotus into IBM.

Mr. Papows authored Enterprise.Com: Market Leadership in the Information Age (Perseus Books, 1998). Enterprise.com sold in excess of eighty thousand copies world wide, was reprinted in the United States and ultimately published in several additional language editions across Europe and Asia.

Steven H. Birchfield, President. Mr. Birchfield founded Automation Centre in 1994. His vision, leadership skills, and drive have created a culture that provides the type of support and encouragement that inspires the creation of ideas and the investment in products that change the world of corporate software. Under his guidance Automation Centre continues to be the leading developer of project management collaboration software for Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook.

Christine E. Ewing, Chief Operating Officer and CFO. Ms. Ewing has implemented and managed the core strategies and processes for our software licensing, contract management, sales forecasting, and human resource needs. She also oversees budgeting, cash management, and all banking relationships. Her work has kept Automation Centre in the forefront of project management collaboration software development. She brings to the table five years of banking experience with a large financial institution in Chicago and two years as a corporate attorney for Cooley Godward, a prominent law firm in Silicon Valley specializing in venture debt and equity investments.

Seeking the Right Customers

Hiring and retaining the best people is only part of the reason for our success. We also seek out the best customers. By providing a high-quality product we attract high-quality clients, and from working with them we learn the requirements and functionality successful businesses need. In turn we implement these features, making our project management collaboration software even stronger. We feel this cycle of quality: best people -> best customers -> best product is integral to our success.