Goodbye Mr. Gartner and Mr. Power
Our industry lost two visionary leaders recently: David Power III, founder of J.D. Power left us last week, and Gideon I. Gartner, founder of Gartner, Inc., passed in mid-December. Both men revolutionized their industries and created powerhouse firms that left indelible marks.
Having grown up in the research and advisory side of the information industry, I had a huge regard for Gartner when competing against it while at Dataquest. Inevitably, Dataquest would be acquired by Gartner, and Gideon would go on to launch other firms, including Giga Information, where he pioneered bringing together IT research with expert networks. I remember that after I left Dataquest to join an information firm in Minneapolis, the Giga team visited to learn more about the expert network we had built. It was clear that they were going to be at the forefront of new models, and it was a visionary like Gideon who continued to lead the way.
Over the years, his son Perry would come to work for Outsell, and he remains an affiliate. I lost touch with his father but never the firms he spawned nor the impact he had in the technology realm, wanting to impact the sway IBM held on its customers in the early days and creating Gartner in response. He was a colorful character and a committed entrepreneur. Most of all, he could see around corners — not only in the information he served but the companies he formed.
J.D. Power changed the automotive industry forever, bringing transparency to independently gathered data that finally made the auto industry stand up and listen. I remember hearing the stories of Mr. Power persevering when the auto industry thought they could outlast him and he’d go away. Then he broke through, and the firm’s data became the gold standard in its industry. Mr. Power and his team pioneered the field of customer satisfaction and brought it to life with their licensing franchise and the logo showing up in everyday living rooms when their “gold seal” showed consumers what the product was really all about: quality, reliability, and the J.D. Power award. The firm expanded to other industries, and J.D. Power, just like Gartner, became synonymous with clout and courage in our industry and the industries they served and covered.
I remember moons ago consulting for J.D. Power to create its first industry conference. I never had the opportunity to meet Dave Power, but I did get to work with his son. I learned most about him from his long-time President and CEO, Steve Goodall, who was a client and then became an investor in Outsell and who is my friend and fellow board member and Outsell owner. How fortunate we are to have his expertise. Dave was a special man who built a special business. Like Gideon, he had a vision, saw a need, and then persevered and built great and lasting businesses. Steve always spoke so highly of him, and I missed never having met him.
Our industry has been blessed with other strong leaders: Wiley, McGraw, Thomson, Bloomberg, and so many more who put their names on their brands and wore them proudly, building companies that last.
In the research arena, these two leaders, along with Pat McGovern before them, are the titans who I hope are celebrating in the heavens a job well done and legacies well left. These gentlemen all rose to the power of data and research and did it in reputable and impactful ways. They leave inspiration and so much more behind them.
It doesn’t get much better than that. RIP, Gideon, and Dave.