George Riviere is a legend in the world of accounting software for midsize companies. Back in 1982, he and three partners formed Start of the Art Inc., now part of Sage Software Inc. in Irvine, Orange County’s largest software maker and a unit of Britain’s Sage Group PLC. Riviere is credited as father of MAS 90, an accounting software staple for midsize businesses. Riviere and his partners used their own money and later venture capital to start State of the Art as a maker of accounting software for the Apple II computer. By 1984, the founders came out with a version of MAS 90 for IBM computers. State of the Art had its ups and downs through the years. But early on, the company won over accountants, who resold the software. Riviere retires this month as vice president of development at Sage Software, which now is on MAS 500, a software bundle that goes beyond accounting to handle inventory, payroll, customer contacts and other functions. Riviere recently talked with the Business Journal’s Brian Womack.
What is your background?
I was born in Japan (my dad is American and my mother Japanese) and came to the U.S. in 1963. I entered the software business while still a student at the University of California, Irvine.
I got a part-time job working for MAI/Basic Four (a computer company in Irvine that later would become MAI Systems Corp.). When I graduated, I and a friend started a small software company that grew to three locations and more than 60 employees in five years and was acquired by MAI/Basic Four in 1979.
Why did you move on?
While still working at MAI/Basic Four, I and my friends presented a business plan for them to get into the emerging microcomputer market (at the time, only Apple II and computers running the CP/M operating system were available). MAI felt that they could not make any money with microcomputers.
We scratched our heads and decided to leave the company and start one of our own, State of the Art Inc. Within 16 months, we started to sell our first accounting products for the Apple II.
What led you to your involvement with MAS 90?
Our initial products were designed to be single-user running on computers without hard drives. It’s hard to imagine today, but it actually worked. We then expanded to multi-user versions using hard drives as new technologies became available.
MAS 90 was born when we decided that we needed a completely new product designed to be multi-user and able to take advantage of the more powerful PCs of the time. We introduced the first version of MAS 90 in 1986 for DOS and UNIX.
What was your role with MAS 90?
I was the primary designer of the product and was responsible for managing the engineering team. I even coded some of it when I had to.
What were the biggest challenges in designing MAS 90?
We learned a lot about user interface by creating the first generation accounting products for the PCs. With the first version of MAS 90, we tried to provide a simple-to-use product that had features that were competitive with products much more expensive and difficult to use. We also created a multiplatform product that scaled from single user PCs to UNIX systems with hundreds of users.
How important has MAS 90 and its upgrades become?
MAS 90 is used by more than 50,000 businesses around the world. I’m not sure how many people have used it, but it must be in the hundreds of thousands.
A very large portion of the CPA community in the U.S. are familiar with the product and many recommended it to their clients. It is arguably the most successful accounting software in its class.
Why?
The success of MAS 90 has a lot to do with the experience that I and my team have had working within the limitations of the early PCs.
As PCs became more powerful, we were able to gradually expand the capabilities and features of the product. This allowed our customers to grow along with our product, meeting their needs over many years. It also created a product that was easy to use and inexpensive to acquire and maintain.
Were you surprised at its success?
I and my colleagues always were hopeful that we were creating a product that will be very successful. However, I have to say that the success of MAS 90 exceeded all of my expectations.
What has it been like working for a global software company like Sage?
Sage is very good at acquiring companies and helping them grow after acquisition. They created great synergies with our sister companies. For example, upgrading customers from Peachtree (our lower-end product) to MAS 90.
What’s been your biggest accomplishment at Sage?
Creating a great team of software development people. We have very creative and dedicated people who have stayed with the company for many years. We have started on a major revamping of MAS 90 technology to keep it competitive, especially in customization and integration areas.
Why are you leaving?
I have had the same job for almost 25 years now. Although I still enjoy it, I wanted to go in a different direction and work in a small business environment again.
What are your plans after you leave?
No definite plans yet. But I hope to either acquire or start a small company in the technology area.
How would you describe the state of Orange County technology now compared to how it was in the 1980s?
The opportunities in OC in the 1980s were wide open. A couple of kids fresh out of college with no money were able to start a successful business. Yet I find the opportunities today are just as great if not greater. There’s just a great fusion of talents, technologies and business opportunities here that only is available in a few other places in the world.
Do you think Orange County will ever lose its edge in technology?
No way. There are just too many advantages here.
What companies in OC do you find most interesting in terms of technology?
Broadcom is the king of the hill in OC. They are at the core of the technology convergence. I find the fusion of communication, applications and entertainment very exciting.
What companies do you think will be the most financially successful?
I wish I knew. But it will be the company that has a clear vision and the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments.
What advice would you give to younger entrepreneurs today?
I say go for it, be aggressive. There is no time like when you are young to take chances. You have less to lose when you are young and you have the energy and imagination to make things happen. I think the key to my success was being too na & #271;ve to know what couldn’t be done.
