Abstract: One of the more unusual and most successful developments in ADAPSO was the creation of a number of executive roundtables. These covered software and services companies and even industry consultants. These were each small groups of executives (initially CEOs) who were in a similar business area who would meet typically twice a year to discuss and share business problems and provide an informal peer “Board of Directors.” Most of these groups had 10 to 12 members and evolved a variety of mechanisms for accepting new members and occasionally asking members to leave. The concept was to have a two day meeting and to have a mixture of working meetings and pleasurable activities (golf and meals were often high on the list). Generally spouses were invited to attend the non-business activities and over time the meetings were held in attractive resort locations. Some of these roundtables are still continuing after 20 years. The subjects covered ranged over a wide range of business problems, but avoided legally sensitive areas like pricing. Business practices such as cost control, metrics, recruiting, maintenance and marketing approaches were primary subjects. Later on, personal matters and personal investments were topics of some to the roundtables. There was a discussion of the social reasons why the roundtable form was so successful with these ADAPSO members. One key aspect was that whatever was said in a meeting stayed in the meeting and was not to be mentioned to anyone outside the group. For many people the roundtables were a major reason that they stayed involved in ADAPSO over a long period of time.

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