Keith Nichols, Managing Director of Government, provides an overview of the news from SYNERGY 2018.
Let me start by saying how incredibly proud I am of my team and the amazing job they have done amid transition. Each person was extremely focused and determined to ensure an awesome SYNERGY Government conference.
The conference was nothing short of incredible as we saw a community of users come together, learn from one another, and learn from Thomson Reuters staff. Knowledge sharing is crucial to our business, including gaining client perspectives in the Innovation Labs. During the labs, we learned about our clients’ needs to make our products better and shape our roadmap. The ideas that emerged from the labs were outstanding, and we cannot wait to incorporate the ideas.
On the topic of new and innovative ideas, we also held the second Senior Leadership Track for elected officials and their deputies. The sessions yielded great conversations, presentations, panels, and thought leadership discussions. I could not be more impressed by the quality of these discussions. I am encouraged by the direction the government business is heading because of such great leadership.
I would be remiss if I did not take the time to acknowledge our community service project with Habitat for Humanity. As a government business, I feel we are very much in the altruistic vein of serving the constituents of our clients. To see the look in this family’s eyes when they saw their freshly painted house – the work of our GLT and fellow colleagues and customers, made it come home what social impact means. It was great to roll up our sleeves and give back.
Riverside County
We are finally nearing the finish line of implementing a new technology platform in Riverside. Having been several years in the making, Aumentum Technology Platform is the single largest project the government business has ever taken on. We have been hit with many curveballs, but with the team’s dedication and hard work, we will soon see the rewards.
In the opening remarks at the conference, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder for Riverside County, Peter Aldana, said, “This has been an extraordinarily difficult project. Without the real partnership that we have developed with Thomson Reuters, we could not be as close to completion as we are right now. This really has been a tremendous effort on both parts, and both organizations know that we’re in this thing together.”
Riverside is the future of the government business. The day we launch Aumentum will not only be special for Riverside, but for all of our customers. We plan to roll out Aumentum to the rest of California and then the country. Over the past few years, we have been extremely focused on Riverside, but truly we’re building the future of the business by having a stable, modern platform for the property information and tax revenue management market.
The Aumentum implementation is a culmination that is set to be the industry-leading enterprise platform for tax collectors, assessor officers, and recorders on an unprecedented scale. Riverside County is the 10th largest county in the country. Aumentum is going to truly be a cross-functional and cross-team technology platform that will retire legacy mainstream systems. It represents a new wave of modernity for this entire industry.
Welcome Back, Joe
As this is an exciting time for the government business, it is also an exciting time as I begin my new role as General Manager, Small-Mid Firms. I have really enjoyed my time in the government business—the people, relationships, and culture that we’ve built together. This atmosphere will be difficult to replace, but I am thrilled to witness the future of this business. We have all worked tirelessly in Riverside and San Diego, and for all of our customers through these years, and as the kids say, the struggle is real, but now I feel like we are turning the corner.
Thankfully, Joe Jackson is coming back home to finish what he started! He was a big factor in setting me up for success, and I know that he will lead the team well during this transition. I’ve spoken to Joe and he expressed his excitement to work with a team that he previously had the privilege to work beside. He would like to keep the momentum going by continuing to focus and see Riverside and the rest of the business on a growth trajectory.
While I am both excited to begin my new role and sad to leave the government business, I find comfort in knowing that my colleagues and our customers are in great hands. I plan to keep a keen eye on the government business, and I look forward in sharing in the successes. Thank you.
