Podcast appearances and mentions of bob hardy

JoeAnne Hardy, president of WBM Technologies In this episode of In The Channel, I'm joined by JoeAnne Hardy, president of WBM Technologies. WBM is a fixture on the Canadian channel landscape, but its story is one of constant, deliberate reinvention. Founded in 1950 as Western Business Machines in Saskatoon, the company has evolved from a local typewriter and copier shop into a sophisticated managed services provider with a team of 527 professionals across Western Canada and the US. JoeAnne shares her personal journey from starting as a sales assistant to leading a management buyout and eventually taking the helm as President. We dig into the “curse” of the entrepreneur—that moment when a thriving business begins to take a toll on personal well-being—and the specific leadership shift WBM made to ensure that as the company grew, life got better for its people. We also tackle the big questions facing MSP owners today. JoeAnne walks through WBM's strategic decision to partner with Westcap Mgt. Ltd. for growth capital, offering a masterclass in how to evaluate private equity without losing your company's soul. We also discuss the current supply chain volatility, the “RAMmageddon” memory crisis, and how WBM uses its patent-pending Enterprise Experience Platform to turn abstract managed services into measurable end-user outcomes. From the importance of values-based hiring in a competitive talent market to the impact of major regional developments like the Bell AI data center in Regina, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for any channel leader looking to scale with purpose. Read Full Transcript Robert Dutt: Hello and welcome to In the Channel from ChannelBuzz.ca, bringing news and information to the Canadian IT channel community for the last 16 years. I’m Robert Dutt, editor of ChannelBuzz.ca, and your host for the show. My guest today is JoeAnne Hardy, president of WBM Technologies. WBM is one of those companies that if you’re in the Canadian channel, you’ve probably seen on the lists—the CRN Elite 150, nine years running, FastRiser on the SP500—but the story behind those rankings is more interesting than the rankings themselves. WBM started in 1950 as Western Business Machines, a storefront in Saskatoon selling typewriters. 75 years later, it’s a managed services provider with more than 500 IT professionals across five cities in Western Canada and a growing US operation. JoeAnne has been there for more than 20 years. She started as a sales assistant, worked in virtually every department, led a management buyout, and today runs the whole show. We talk about what it actually feels like to reinvent a company across multiple technology eras; the moment she realized her own success was making her life worse and what she did about it; building and keeping a team from a prairie base; the decision to take growth capital from Westcap; and what’s ahead in a market where supply chains are under serious pressure and AI is reshaping what managed services even means. Let’s get right into it. My chat with JoeAnne Hardy. JoeAnne, thanks for taking the time. I appreciate it. JoeAnne Hardy: Good to be here. Thanks for having me. Robert Dutt: WBM opened its doors on May 1st, 1950 in Saskatoon as Western Business Machines, obviously pre-computer by any definition we know. Now you’re a CRN Elite 150 MSP for nine consecutive years. What does it actually feel like from the inside to lead a company through that many transitions, and how do you decide when it’s time to let go of something that’s still working? JoeAnne Hardy: Well, what a big question to start with! Full disclosure, I have not been here since 1950. My journey at WBM started in 1996, but it is really a privilege to be part of an organization that does have this tremendous history in Western Canada. I think our history is really a testament to evolution around the right things. For us, that evolution has been evolving around our customers and our customer needs. We’ve got a picture that hangs in our Saskatoon Operations Centre from the 50s. The shingle says Western Business Machines and in the window there are posters for typewriters and adders. If we had clung to being experts in typewriters, we wouldn’t be here today. What we know with certainty is that we existed before the internet, and our business is not centered around technology evolutions—it’s centered around our client community. That makes sure we’re relevant, whether what we do today exists in 18 months or not. Robert Dutt: You mentioned the anxiety that can come with some of these pivots. Was there ever a pivot point that was scarier or one where you’re looking around the table like, “I don’t know what the outcome is going to be here”? JoeAnne Hardy: There is one thing that comes to mind. In 2008, myself, Brett Bailey, and Bob Hardy did a management buyout. We closed our deal right before the financial collapse. We reached a point where we had our partnership meetings on Tuesday mornings, and the business was doing great. But I came to one of those meetings and I wasn’t feeling so great. I felt like something was really upside down—that the better the business did, the worse my life was getting. It’s the “curse of the entrepreneur.” I didn’t know if I had another hour in the day to give. I said that out loud, and both Bob and Brett felt the same way. We decided in that moment that we wanted to create an environment where the better the business did, the better our lives got. The secret was building a leadership team around us. Since that point, we’ve completed nine acquisitions, expanded across Western Canada, opened a US entity, and taken on a private equity partner. And we’ve had fun the entire time. Robert Dutt: How has that been reflected throughout the ranks of the organization since you made that change? JoeAnne Hardy: We see it in all different ways. A number of years ago, we set a goal to contribute a million dollars back to the communities we live and work in over a five-year period. We hit that goal in 2025—which was our 75th anniversary—just three years in. These initiatives aren’t decided in a boardroom; they come from the connections our team members have in the community. Robert Dutt: You worked your way up from being a sales assistant. How does having been throughout the business in different roles shape how you lead it now? JoeAnne Hardy: I grew up on a cattle ranch in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. I learned the value of hard work and understanding how things work. Because that was my upbringing, it felt natural at WBM to be curious. Probably the biggest way it impacts my leadership is that when we have a problem, you have to go right to the people doing the work. They’re in front of the customers. Decisions shouldn’t just be made by “smart people in a boardroom.” You have to maintain that curiosity about what the frontline roadblocks are. Robert Dutt: You have offices in Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, and Winnipeg, with headquarters still in Saskatoon. Is being outside the big city tech hubs a disadvantage, or is it part of the value proposition? JoeAnne Hardy: I think it’s part of the value proposition. When we sit down in a governance meeting and we’re telling stories about a local restaurant in their community, it’s a differentiator. One of our customers, Federated Co-op, has retail locations far and wide. When the team supporting them through our enterprise service desk showed up for their first meeting, they introduced themselves by their local Co-op member numbers. Robert Dutt: When you’re hiring, how do you think about values or gut-based “feel” versus technical credentials? JoeAnne Hardy: It has to be a fit on both sides. Hiring isn’t an individual sport; it’s a team sport. It’s important for many members of our team to be involved so they can give an honest assessment of how an individual would thrive here. We want to live up to being a great place to build a career. Robert Dutt: Let’s talk about right now. Your monthly procurement update has become must-read for me. You’re telling customers to “buy the RAM” for the life of the system right now. What are you seeing day-to-day on that front? JoeAnne Hardy: Our customers look to us for expertise in supply chain management. Our role is helping them manage their lifecycle, and that insight comes from deep relationships with manufacturers and distributors. Our ability to help our customers be insulated from the impact of these things is a big differentiator. We have warehouses across Western Canada, so we can help customers think proactively. Our job is to make our customers heroes in their own organizations so they can take that information to their leadership teams. Robert Dutt: In 2022, Westcap made a growth investment in WBM. Walk me through how you thought of that as a leadership team. JoeAnne Hardy: We cast a wide net to see what opportunities were available. We had clear goals: Bob’s retirement, fueling acquisitions, and staying in control of the organization. Before we started the process, we were rooted in what our goals were. That gives you a framework to evaluate everything from strategic takeovers to private equity. We chose Westcap because their value proposition was that they invest in management teams they believe in. They proved it through the process. My advice to other MSPs is to be rooted in what you’re trying to accomplish before you turn the page to looking at options. Robert Dutt: Bell just announced a $1.7 billion AI data center outside Regina. Does that change the opportunity for WBM, and what does AI look like as a service line for you? JoeAnne Hardy: AI has been part of our world for many years, so a news release about a data center isn’t the “turning point.” What’s different now is the rate of acceleration. We’re excited because this is now a conversation in every boardroom. Every CIO has AI initiatives underway, and we’re helping them enable technology they likely already own but need to understand how to leverage. Robert Dutt: You have a patent-pending Enterprise Experience Platform. How do you think about that kind of proprietary IP? JoeAnne Hardy: It takes all the individual service items we offer and looks at them through the customer lens—the end-user experience. If you have disconnected services, the end user feels it. Why doesn’t the service desk know I’m a new employee? Why is there no plan for my old device? The platform allows us to create a governance model built around making that experience seamless. The “end-user” isn’t just the person at the computer—it’s the IT department, the finance department, and the HR department. Robert Dutt: Last question. If you could go back to the JoeAnne who was just starting as a sales assistant and tell her one thing about what this journey was going to look like, what would it be? JoeAnne Hardy: I would say that everything that doesn’t work out is just as valuable as the things that do. As a young woman starting out, I had a fear of making a mistake. But I reached a point where I realized the “butterflies” in my stomach were just the feeling I got before something awesome happened. Those mistakes are the growth moments. They’re way more valuable than the days everything goes exactly as planned. Robert Dutt: “We win or we learn,” right? JoeAnne Hardy: Yes, exactly. Robert Dutt: JoeAnne, thank you so much for your time. JoeAnne Hardy: Thanks, it was great to visit with you. Robert Dutt: There you have it, JoeAnne Hardy from WBM Technologies. I’d like to thank JoeAnne for her time—and for her candour. It’s not often you hear a company president talk openly about the moment they realized the business was winning but they were losing, and then walk you through exactly how they fixed it. A few things I’m taking away from this one. First, the idea that growth should make your life better, not just your revenue bigger. Second, her framework for evaluating outside capital—know your non-negotiables before you start the conversation. And third, the way WBM thinks about the end-user experience as a platform. If you’re enjoying the podcast, find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow or subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Until next time, I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, and I’ll see you in the channel.

Eden resident Bob Hardy digging out from the lake effect snow that fell on Thursday full 126 Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:30:39 +0000 WsQgwAEXijEzGtZg4r7vMHGBnY0PaOBc buffalo,news,weather,wben,erie county,eden,lake effect snow WBEN Extras buffalo,news,weather,wben,erie county,eden,lake effect snow Eden resident Bob Hardy digging out from the lake effect snow that fell on Thursday Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://p

A reflection on the spacious life of Mavis and Bob Hardy, missionaries in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Alabama.

Lee, Leah, and their friend and fellow podcaster Gary Hill travel through the cosmos this episode as they check out Luigi Cozzi's "Starcrash" (1978), a fun Italian "Star Wars" rip-off starring Caroline Munro, Marjoe Gortner, Joe Spinell, David Hasselhoff, and Christopher Plummer (!). Sexy costumes, big hair, clunky stop-motion, the lava lamp of death, a hillbilly robot cop, and handy magical powers out of nowhere are just some of things touched upon, as well as listener comments, and what the hosts have watched as of late. "Starcrash" IMDB Check out Gary's other podcasts here.  Check out and support Leah's dad, Bob Hardy, The Walker Runner: https://www.facebook.com/bobhardythewalkerrunner https://www.bobhardythewalkerrunner.com/ Featured Music: "Launch Adrift" and "STARCHASH Main Title" by John Barry.

In the concluding part of Words So Leisured – The Story of Franz Ferdinand: the band's future is once again in jeopardy as Alex Kapranos and Bob Hardy meet in Shetland to try and resolve their differences. It's a fresh era for the group – one of experimentation and collaboration, including the formation of an all-new hybrid outfit with Sparks, FFS. But it's also about change, and fresh energy: two founding members exit, and three enter to usher in a brand new chapter for the band who never stop reinventing. ********** This is the story of a group of pals from Glasgow who formed a band and changed the face of British music forever. Narrated by comedian and Franz Ferdinand mega-fan Rose Matafeo, Words So Leisured hears the band revisit their extraordinary journey along with contributions from their friends, collaborators and those they've inspired. This four-part mini-series – formed of all new, exclusive interviews – charts their career from playing in friends' bedrooms to The Grammys: takes in the pinch-yourself highs and sometimes dramatic lows of being in a band. The series goes behind the scenes of some of the biggest moments – meeting Bowie, winning BRITs, playing to millions – and candidly recalls the times it all almost fell apart. It also delves deeper than ever before into the stories behind the band's most iconic songs. Words So Leisured is made by New Allotment productions for Domino Recordings. For more information visit Franzferdinand.com.

Bob Hardy, bassista e membro dei Franz Ferdinand, intervistato da Paulonia Zumo e Valerio Cesari per Radio Rock sui piani futuri del gruppo scozzese e l’uscita, recente, della raccolta “Hits To The Head”. Editing e montaggio audio: David Guido Guerriero.

Steve Sutton with the Atlantic Salmon Federation raises concerns about aquaculture expansion in the Bays West area; Bob Hardy on reasons and ways to pursue the harp seal hunt; DFO's Frédéric Cyr on a warming ocean.

The FFAW says cuts to the shrimp fishery on the west coast are too deep; herring fisherman Sam Andersen is waiting impatiently for the fishery to begin; consultant Bob Hardy makes a presentation to Rotary on the impact of seals on the fishery.

Elke vrijdagmiddag duiken Tim Op het Broek en Jasper Leijdens de kroeg in om te praten over het laatste muzieknieuws. Gerst, Gasten en Gitaren!De pubcast heet Gerst, Gasten & Gitaren, maar voor het eerst zijn er ook echt gasten! Alex Kapranos en Bob Hardy van Franz Ferdinand schuiven aan om te praten over de shows en hun liefde voor bieren. 

Bob Hardy was revered as the Walter Cronkite of St. Louis.  His 33 year career with St. Louis ended abruptly in April of 1993, but his work and impact to the community lives on today.  We hope you enjoy this retrospective of his life.  We'll share memories from the KMOX Archives and hear accounts from Bill Wilkerson, Bob Costas, Bob Hamilton, Charlie Brennan, Clint Hasse, Chris Mihill, Kate Bacon, Michael Harrison, Pat White, Sandy Hardy Chin, Tom Langmyer, Wendy Wiese and more.  

Franz Ferdinand begin their greatest hits tour at the Rockhal in Luxembourg on the 14th of April! Tom at down with band-member Bob Hardy over zoom for a chat about how they put their greatest hits album 'Hits to The Head' together, being excited to tour again after the pandemic, a look back at their beginnings, and what's coming next for the band. 'Hits To The Head' brings together tracks from across Franz Ferdinand's six studio albums. Whilst putting the tracklist for the album, The band opted for songs that they would include in a headline festival set to create "an album of bangers, all the big ones put together." Despite taking this opportunity to look back and celebrate everything that they've done so far, Hardy confirms that the band are still very much moving in a forward direction and working on new material. As is evidenced by the inclusion of the two new tracks. 'Billy Goodbye' and 'Curious' on 'Hits To The Head'. Formed in 2004 in Glasgow, Franz Ferdinand came together at the Glasgow School of Art. From the inception of the band they decidedly pushed back against what they saw as a male dominated music scene in the city at the time by setting rules for themselves such as no guitar solos, engaging with their crowd and trying to replicate the energy of a nightclub in their sets, ideals which they carry with them to this day. As with everyone involved in the music industry, the pandemic put a sudden halt to Franz Ferdinand's live performances after having regularly toured since the release of their first album in 2004. Going in to this tour the band are more excited than ever to get back on the road and reconnect with their fans. With it being, a greatest hits tour too, the energy levels are sure to be high. Catch Franz Ferdinand performing at the Rockhal on the 14th of April. More info and tickets from www.rockhal.lu

Franz Ferdinand is a Scottish indie rock band that took the UK music scene by storm with hits like 'Take Me Out' and 'Do You Want To', ever since their award winning self-titled album, released in 2004. The band solidiefied their meteoric rise with their follow-up album 'You Could Have It So Much better', which reched a top-10 spot in multiple countries around Europe. After three more albums, Franz Ferdinand has now released the compilation album 'Hits To The Head' covering the biggest songs of their 20+ year career. We spoke with frontman Alex Kapranos and bassist Bob Hardy about the beginnings of the band, surreal amounts of success, nerves at Glastonbury, a pure approach to songwriting, The Beatles, some line-up changes, what's next for the band, and a lot more!Interview: Robin HignellSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/FaceCulture)

Elke avond hoor je tijdens KINK IN TOUCH met Jasper Leijdens de beste nieuwe muziek, livesessies en interview met artiesten. In deze podcast hoor je het interview met Alex Kapranos en Bob Hardy van Franz Ferdinand over de nieuwe single Billy Goodbye, het komende greatest hits album en een show waarbij alle stoelen gesloopt zijn door de fans.

On December 24th, 1925, KMOX Radio was born.  95 years later, the Voice of St. Louis is celebrating another birthday.  In this special, we look back at our 50th anniversary from 1975.  You'll hear KMOX memories and stories from Jack Carney, Jack Buck, Miss Blue, Dan Kelly, Rex Davis, Jim White, Bob Hardy, Walter Cronkite, Stan Musial, Robert Hyland and many more.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Bumper, Jim White, dominated St. Louis airwaves every night for 20 years.  We look back at the life and legacy of the legendary KMOX Radio personality.  You'll hear from Jim White, Charlie Brennan, Bob Costas, Bob Hamilton, Jack Carney, Tom Langmyer, Jack Buck, Frank Absher, Clint Hasse, Bob Hardy, Elaine Stern, Pat White and many more.   Hosted by Ryan Wrecker.

Former KMOX Radio General Manager Mr. Robert Hyland had a vision to take the radio station in a different direction, but he also took the industry in a new direction with it.  He launched At Your Service in 1960, thousands of other stations would follow suit and copy the KMOX playbook.  Hear from current and former KMOX personalities as we talk about the life and legacy of Robert Hyland.  Some of the voices you'll hear from include Jim White, Charlie Brennan, Bob Costas, Bob Hamilton, Jack Carney, Tom Langmyer, Jack Buck, Frank Absher, Clint Hasse, Bob Hardy, Anne Keefe, Dan Dierdorf, Mark Reardon and many more.  Hosted by Ryan Wrecker. 

The latest Kyle Meredith With… includes Franz Ferdinand bassist Bob Hardy as well as a bonus interview with frontman Alex Kapranos that took place last year. Hardy goes into how their album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand influenced their new release, Always Ascending, which was elevated by how the group “got to grips with more of the technology.” He also discusses the role a bassist has on a dance record and what made the band break away from their post-punk beginnings. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We sit down to talk about Sean's weekend walking around in the unbearable heat and my trip to New Haven. Special guest Bob Hardy from Franz Ferdinand talks about his trip to New Haven, his love for Pepe's Pizza, and music tour.

The Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Alison Herman discuss Jimmy Fallon and his current place among late-night hosts (4:30). They also discuss HBO’s new show, ‘Here and Now’ (16:00). Later, Andy Greenwald sits down with Alex Kapranos and Bob Hardy of Franz Ferdinand (23:00).

Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos and Bob Hardy join host Brian Hiatt to go deep on their new album, Always Ascending. They also look back at their classic debut LP, review the new Justin Timberlake song and much more

With seconds of notice before going on air of a cancellation from the guest QT and Sign Guy carry on with such topics as the previous night's SCW event, Bob Hardy's heart, and Kellen Raeth.

QT and Sign Guy discuss some of the latest goings ons from around the world. Everything from Bob Hardy's medical condition to Beast Barnett's wallet photo contest to German war ships. They also get into a match they both enjoyed very much in detail.

Employee engagement surveys come in all shapes and sizes, and they are definitely not all created equal. Creating an effective survey that produces meaningful, actionable data is a true science. According to Bob Hardy from Opinions Incorporated, it begins with a rigorous process to ensure that you are crystal clear about what you want to GET from it – … Read more about this episode...

With John Wilson. Film director and former Python Terry Gilliam discusses the re-mastering of his classic film Time Bandits, for a new DVD release, as his new film The Zero Theorem heads for the Venice Film Festival. Jennifer Aniston stars as a stripper turned pretend suburban wife and mother in the film We're The Millers. She becomes involved in the plans of a small-time drug dealer, played by Jason Sudekis, who enlists a fake family to help him smuggle marijuana across the Mexican border. Mark Eccleston reviews. The Scottish band Franz Ferdinand, who won the Mercury Music Prize in 2004, are back with a new album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, their first release for four years. Alex Kapranos and Bob Hardy discuss creating a live sound on a studio album and how a line on a vintage postcard discovered in a London market led to the opening lyric of the title track. As an exhibition of pastel portraits by Bob Dylan opens at the National Portrait Gallery in London, music journalist Kate Mossman discusses Dylan's art and the portraits in his lyrics. Producer Ellie Bury.