Celebrating 45 Years of Partnership, Progress, and Personal Legacy
The following is a guest post written by one of our most seasoned client contacts, Vanessa Baker, who recently retired from Wolters Kluwer Health. Having implemented Advantage in 1989, Wolters Kluwer is our longest-standing client. Congratulations, Vanessa, and thank you for your partnership! You will be missed.
As AdvantageCS marks its 45th anniversary, I find myself reflecting on a parallel journey—my own 45-year career as a business analyst with Wolters Kluwer Health. It’s been more than a professional path; it’s been a lifetime of collaboration, innovation, and shared success.
I still remember the early days when we first implemented the Advantage system (then T & B Computing) in 1989 for J.B. Lippincott. From that moment on, I had the privilege of working closely with the Advantage team, attending countless workshops, engaging in spirited development discussions, and learning from brilliant minds like Bob Gray, Stan Pyett, Karl Davis, Scott Ghormley, Jim Austin, Bill Pinard, Mike McCarren, and so many others. I knew them all! Those sessions weren’t just technical deep dives—they were the birthplace of ideas that helped shape the robust, flexible, and forward-thinking Advantage system we rely on today.
Over the decades, I’ve watched Advantage evolve alongside us, integrating seamlessly with our growing business units and adapting to the ever-changing needs of publishing and technology. Today, it processes over two million transactions annually and remains a cornerstone of our operations. Frankly, any publisher in their right mind would want to “take Advantage”—pun absolutely intended!
As I prepare to retire, I do so with immense pride in what we’ve built together. The memories, the milestones, and the friendships forged along the way are what I’ll carry with me. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this incredible ride. Here’s to the next chapter—for Advantage, for Wolters Kluwer, and for all of you continuing the legacy.