Twenty-five years ago on June 22, 1997, I published the first issue of The Data Administration Newsletter. Websites were new creatures back then, and the newsletter started as a series of pages on my internet provider’s servers.
It only took a few months to recognize that there was an audience for an “online” publication focused on data administration. I acquired the TDAN.com domain and the rest is history still in the making.
When the publication started, it was published quarterly. After several years, the publication went monthly. And finally, I made the decision to publish twice a month. Twenty-five years covers a lot of content. Twenty-five years has allowed me to include a lot of authors. The people that have provided content to TDAN.com deserve a lot of the credit. It has been, and continues to be, a privilege to be their messenger. Thank you, everybody, who has shared their content with my readers!
I want to give you an idea of how long twenty-five years is. The publication was introduced 6 months after my younger daughter was born (and she is ancient at 25). When the newsletter was five years old, I broke away from a national consulting company to introduce KIK Consulting & Educational Services to the world. A dozen years later, my book Non-Invasive Data Governance: The Path of Least Resistance and Greatest Success (Technics) was published. And eight years have passed since then! To me the twenty-five years have been my professional life. Twenty years of KIK Consulting is not being celebrated (yet!). I’m going to wait until that turns twenty-five as well. 😉
Before I share the reflections of friends of the publication, I want to thank several people. Tony Shaw, pre-Dataversity, gave me novel advice when the newsletter was just an idea that I shared at a DAMA Symposium / Metadata Conference in Dallas back in early 1997. [Note: 250 people were signed up for the publication by the end of that event.]
The Beye Network with Ron Powell, Sean Rogers and Jean Schauer assisted TDAN.com through some early-to-middle years, and Tony Shaw, Shannon Kempe and Dataversity came to the rescue when TDAN.com was looking for a more stable home several years ago. To all of you, your support and friendship over the years is, and has been, greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Craig Mullins (these days a database guru, but back then a rambunctious university and internship friend of mine), suggested the publication’s name – since The Database Newsletter was already being used. Thanks Craig, and all of the other people that have guided me with great advice along the way. There are too many to name, but I truly thank all of you!
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I requested that a few people provide comments re the anniversary. Here are a few thoughts they shared:
TDAN.com is 25! Now that is something we all should celebrate: a quarter century of providing an outstanding publication. Kudos to Bob Seiner who has consistently turned-out noteworthy articles and enticed practitioners and thought leaders to share their wisdom. TDAN.com has been a force for ensuring our data community is smarter, better informed, and more capable. Happy birthday and we look forward to many more years to come!
– Danette McGilvray, Granite Falls Consulting
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Congratulations 25 years – what a long time. Unbelievable when I think about how many articles you have published and how much effort you have put into the topic data to keep TDAN.com Newsletter interesting for everyone. I am fascinated by this consistency and your commitment. I look forward to the next 25 years and much more content from you.
– Astrid Gelbke, Innoscale AG
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TDAN.com started years ago with a small, but dedicated user base. Bob’s planning, evolutionary expansion path, and the explosion of interest in data have combined to make TDAN.com the powerhouse portal that should be the first stop for any data professional. It boasts carefully selected, rich content from the best in the business, which significantly expands and deepens data management knowledge. I’ve provided a quarterly column for many years and TDAN.com has been a terrific hosting platform. All hail to TDAN.com, and many more happy and educational years!
– Melanie Mecca, DataWise
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I’ve been an avid reader of TDAN.com for the last 25 years (wow, I am getting old…). I have always enjoyed learning about topics on TDAN.com before they become mainstream. For example, I read about Dan Linstedt’s series of articles on the data vault right back in the beginning. I always recommend TDAN.com to attendees of my data modeling classes, and I’m very proud to be a quarterly columnist as well. Happy Anniversary TDAN.com, and here’s to the next 25 years!
– Steve Hoberman, Steve Hoberman & Associates, Technics Publications, Data Modeling Zone
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TDAN.com has endured through the years on the merits of its quality. Bob Seiner has worked hard to find a diverse array of regular and special columnists, seemingly covering every conceivable topic at one time or another. The publication stays fresh by finding new perspectives regularly. I was honored to be a regular columnist at one point, and I hope to have that opportunity again in the future. TDAN.com has been a reliable and valuable service to an ever-changing data community. Congratulations on 25 years of data leadership!
– Anthony J. Algmin, Data Leadership Lessons Podcast
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I am so thankful to Bob Seiner for creating and managing the unique, informative, and popular TDAN.com publication. TDAN.com’s diverse coverage of our data industry has provided a rich and provocative view into so many aspects of data management from AI to Zen. It is an honor for me to continue to contribute articles to this valuable publication along with the many extraordinarily talented industry experts and thought leaders that have graciously offered content. Hearty 25th year anniversary congratulations for an amazing accomplishment of providing such a worthwhile service to our community.
– Len Silverston, Universal Mindful
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It’s hard to believe that Bob Seiner has been publishing TDAN.com for a quarter of a century. But I know I’m thrilled that he has. TDAN.com has become the go-to source for data management and data governance news, issues, and best practices for data professionals everywhere. I know I rely on TDAN.com all the time as a rich source for details on all things data. Whether I’m looking for data modeling tips and techniques, DBA practices and procedures, strategic guidance on data management and governance, or indeed, anything related to data, TDAN.com provides useful guidance. Here’s to the next 25 years!
– Craig S. Mullins, Mullins Consulting
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It has been a pleasure to watch the engagement grow with TDAN.com as Bob continues to fill the publication with valuable, educational content month-over-month. Celebrating its 25 years, it has become a resource center of education for the Data Management community.
– Shannon Kempe, DATAVERSITY
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Data Management professionals need to be educated on best practices but also need to be continuously inspired to come up with the approach that best fits their organization and to evolve it in the time as this is a long-term journey. TDAN.com has been a great source of inspiration and an excellent companion for Data Management professionals. My most profound admiration for you, Robert, not only for creating TDAN.com but for maintaining it and keeping it alive for 25 years, making it a supportive resource for the Data Management community. Cheers for many more years to come!
– Marilu Lopez , DAMA International Presidents’ Council Chair
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Bob Seiner’s persistence and patience at the helm of TDAN.com for the last quarter century has been an example to us all, seeking out and curating new ideas and perspectives and giving a voice to new (and veteran) professionals in the sector. I first discovered TDAN.com in a google search in 2001 and I signed up to see what it was all about. 25 years on I’m a featured columnist taking a side-eyed view at all things data. As a contributor, Bob has been a wonderful editor to write for. He nags about deadlines but he doesn’t try to steer a corporate line for us to follow . That openness and inclusivity of approach is essential to developing a safe space for debate and discussion about data. Happy birthday TDAN.com, and well done Bob!!
– Daragh Obrien, Castlebridge
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Twenty-five years ago TDAN.com started putting data front and center while most people were thinking of data as just an IT commodity, that is if they even thought about data at all. I am proud to join in the celebration of TDAN.com’s Twenty-Fifth Anniversary, and Bob Seiner’s vision for putting data in the spotlight. Thank you and TDAN.com’s many contributors for leading with data. I wish you and TDAN.com another twenty-five years of outstanding, informative, and thought-provoking articles!
– Dr. John R. Talburt, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
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TDAN.com is an essential piece of the data puzzle. When I was first getting familiar with the world of data, it served as a trusted resource for me to understand new terms and concepts. Now, years later, I’m proud to be a contributor to the publication – and even happier to continue to learn from peers and experts sharing their knowledge, opinions, and experience!
– Tim Lysecki, ThinkData Works
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Congratulations and Happy Birthday to TDAN.com! 25 years ago we were all struggling to develop and share the sort of information that would help our community thrive and grow, as well as standardize on some solid practices. Bob Seiner started and ran (and still runs) this resource as a labor of love, and I, for one, am really grateful that he does. Over these many years I have learned much from TDAN.com, and made many professional contacts. As our chosen profession has grown and matured, the information available on TDAN.com has grown along with it, and it continues to be a trusted resource to this day. Happy Birthday, TDAN.com!
– David Plotkin, MUFG Union Bank
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Congratulations on 25 years! TDAN.com has been a crucial resource in the industry. Agree or disagree we have had a “go-to” source to find out what is being discussed, considered, and addressed. Well done.
– John Ladley, Sonrai Solutions
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TDAN.com has been a huge inspiration that has shaped my career and continues to provide thought leadership in Data Management to this day. May TDAN.com be around for another 25 years inspiring young professionals and providing guidance to folks regardless of the type of business they work in.
– Mark Horseman, Alberta Motorists Association
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I was honored to be a small part of Bob’s work with TDAN.com. I was always impressed by his willingness to share his knowledge as well as the knowledge of so many professionals to inform and enlighten readers. Countless readers are superior data professionals because of Bob and TDAN.com.
– Jean Schauer, Formerly of the Beye Network, Now retired!
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Please send me an email to rseiner@tdan.com if you have something you would like to add! Thank You!
