LawsonGuru Blog

By now, you’ve probably heard the news that Dean Hager is leaving Lawson (see Key Executives Leave Lawson Software After Infor Acquisition).

I don’t know Larry Dunivan or Nancy Anderson, but as for Dean, I will certainly miss him. For several years, Dean has been the public face of Lawson, and garnered the trust of the Lawson client base. He was one of the few in the business who had a keen grasp of the big picture and could break it down clearly for us mere mortals.

Sure, I wish Dean wasn’t leaving, but who could begrudge him? He’s a devoted family man, and I know he wants to spend more time with his daughters—they’ll only be young for a little while longer.

What does this mean for Lawson/Infor? I honestly don’t think it changes anything. Post-merger departures are nothing new, as key executives take the opportunity to cash out and move on to new ventures. While Dean, in particular, has been keenly involved in the transition of Lawson into Infor’s product mix, one true measure of leadership is seeing how the organization evolves after the leaders departure. So, I expect that Infor will continue to invest in the Lawson products. Lawson customers will continue to benefit from the broader mix of products available under the combined Lawson/Infor.

As for Dean, it will be interesting to see what he does next. I can’t imagine him sitting idle for too long. Frankly, I doubt he will reappear in the enterprise software arena. Knowing his passion and integrity, I expect he’ll be tackling a non-profit/cause for good.

If you’ve been following me for any time now, you know that I’ve had a sometimes tenuous relationship with Lawson. Yet, I could always trust Dean and reach out to him for help. And for that, I am grateful. Thank you Dean.