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from computers to cats

The unusual decisions of founder and executive director, Tabby's Place, Jonathan Rosenberg

Can you tell us about your career history so far?

I graduated from the University of Maryland in 1977, Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Computer Science. I then attended Carnegie Mellon (CMU), graduating with a PhD in Computer Science in 1984. I was also a Hertz Fellow while attending CMU.

In 1984 I joined the Information Technology Center (ITC) at CMU. The ITC was a joint venture between IBM and CMU and developed the first campus-wide computing infrastructure at the university. In 1990 I left to become the manager of multimedia networking at Bellcore, which was the research and development arm of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) - Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, Southwestern Bell and US West.

I joined CNET as employee number 20 in early 1995 to be the first CIO/CTO. During my tenure, CNET grew from 20 employees to 600 and the technology department grew from one to 110.  My office was in New Jersey, where about one third of the technology department was located. I left CNET in 1999 to start Tabby’s Place.

How and why did you decide to move out of the CIO sphere?

I was born a dog lover. But shortly after I was married in 1984, a stray brown tabby cat showed up at our door. Against my advice, my wife let him in and fed him. This was Tabby. He quickly captured my heart and turned me into a cat lover.
In early 1999 we found out that Tabby had untreatable cancer and would only live for a few months. I felt as if life had hit me between the eyes with a sledgehammer. Tabby had become an integral part of our family. I felt strongly that I needed to do something meaningful with my life in memory of the 15 years of his life that Tabby had chosen to spend with us.

This occurred at the height of the Internet stock frenzy and I realised that I didn’t need income from a job. I imagined that I was lying on my deathbed and asked myself what I would be sorry for not doing when I had the chance. I thought of many things e.g. another start-up, lots of expensive cars. These were all good things to do, but none of them had heart. I realised that I needed to build a sanctuary for cats in hopeless situations.

How difficult was the transition?

Hmmm ... good question. As I look back, I don’t recall most of the transition being difficult.  Once I had made the decision, I jumped in with both feet. ‘Leap and the net will appear’, as the Zen saying goes.
The difficult part of the transition was leaving the clean, ordered world of software and hardware for the dirty, messy world of wetware! Hardware and software do exactly what you tell them, without question. When it comes to doing what they’re told, cats (the wetware) place just above rocks.

Did it occur to you that you might follow this path when Tabby was still alive and healthy?

Not at all. I loved working. I always figured I would work until the day they buried me. Frankly, I shocked myself when I decided to make this change. But I also knew it was right for me.

How was your decision received? Was it viewed as a drastic step by your colleagues, family and peers?

My wife backed my decision immediately; she retired from 30 years as a teacher to work here.  Few people actually said anything negative, although I could tell that many of them just didn’t get it. A few people made comments such as, “If I had your money, I would <insert idea of choice here>”.

What do you like most about your new profession?

I love being able to do many different things, all while helping cats. In a typical day, my activities might include strategic planning regarding development (fundraising); building and extending our web-based applications (I maintain our public website and Intranet and do all of the back-end programming. We make heavy use internally of DB-centric web applications); handling and medicating cats; drawing blood, running medical lab equipment; making medical decisions with our veterinarian; and petting cats! My day typically includes work ranging from physical to ethereal and I am learning new things every day.

How has being the executive director of Tabby’s Place impacted your life? Is it more rewarding as a job, for example?

I love doing this. It is constantly challenging, as it requires many different skills and frequent problem solving. It is very rewarding. It is a path with heart.

How does your CIO background help you on a day-to-day basis? Are any acquired CIO skills useful in your position as the executive director of Tabby’s Place?

Throughout my journey I have seen how many of the skills I gained as a programmer, technology manager and early start-up employee were essential in enabling me to found and then operate Tabby’s Place.  If nothing else, I am able to handle all of our IT needs, including server and network administration.

Are there any similarities between the two jobs?

To date, Tabby’s Place has been much like any start-up business. I have needed people management expertise, along with good business instincts regarding hiring, salaries and money management. While dealing with growth is a good problem, it is a process that must be managed carefully. In addition, Tabby’s Place is a new idea in animal welfare: a cage-free shelter that specialises in cats from hopeless situations and provides a high level of individual and medical care for its residents. I have used my gut, tuned from my years at CNET, to make quick, critical decisions as necessary.

Would you go back to being a CIO or do you consider that chapter in your life closed?

I still love technology, business and entrepreneurship. I wouldn’t be a CIO again, but I could see myself as a board member, consultant or investor at some point.