Prior to co-founding GaleForce Solutions Inc., South African-born Crickmore-Thompson enjoyed more than 15 years working on major business strategy and organizational change programs, with a particular focus on the financial services sector.

He was a management consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) before moving from Cape Town to Vancouver seven years ago, to join Ernst and Young as a management consultant. He then moved to Pivotal Corp. to help it build its financial services vertical marketplace before co-founding GaleForce in January 2003.

"When I originally came over we had planned to stay in Canada only around two years, and shortly after I arrived in Vancouver I was shipped to Edmonton and my wife found out she was pregnant, so that was quite a profound change," he said.

"All my family is still in South Africa. I miss them and the warm weather in December and January, but I am very happy in Vancouver."

GaleForce created a product that helps financial services companies manage their customer relationships. He said the product helps organizations increase customer retention and profitability while reducing internal operational costs.

Crickmore-Thompson believes the business outlook for 2005 is good. "I think we will continue to see growth; that is definitely our plan. We are hoping to almost double in size again and this whole year has been laying a foundation for our sales effort."

GaleForce recently received $2.8 million in venture capital funding from Ventures West and Yaletown Venture Partners. In 18 months, the company grew from three to 28 staff.

Along with Crickmore-Thompson, the business was the brainchild of Richard Katrusiak, vice-president of business development, and Kirk Herrington, the executive vice-president for strategy and technology.

"I think we have got the best team I have ever worked with," said Katrusiak. He was formerly vice-president of sales at Imagis Technologies Inc. "There I learned persistence - you have to believe, believe, believe. If you keep doing the right thing day after day the results will come."

Both Katrusiak and Crickmore-Thompson enjoy skiing and snowboarding on the North Shore mountains and at Whistler. Katrusiak said he learned at least one valuable lesson from the slopes: "You need to get back up quickly," he said. "I have never been afraid to take a risk. It is a little bit different now. I have to weigh the risk a little bit more heavily now I have a family."

Katrusiak is married, lives in Vancouver's Dunbar neighbourhood and, at the time of writing, has one boy. His wife was expecting their second child any day now. Crickmore-Thompson is married with two boys and lives in Canyon Heights, North Vancouver.

Richard Katrusiak