Life After Retirement: Tony Dietrich’s Story
How a long-time operator planned his succession plan, protected his team, customers and started a new rhythm on the other side.
“My goal was to be obsolete by December. We hit it, and the business didn’t miss a beat.”
Q: How did your career at Campana begin?
Tony: I was hired out of college as a programmer, originally with CPA Data Systems. When that company wound down, some of the principals spun off Campana in 1988, and I was overseeing a major customer project. From there, I wore a lot of hats: implementation, training, and product design. By 2012, I became Director of Projects and later General Manager.
Q: What was it like when Perseus acquired Campana in 2014?
Tony: When we were acquired, Perseus was much smaller than what it is today. What stood out to me as we went through the process was:
- Better visibility: Unified metrics for each function made it easier to see what levers to pull.
- Added support: We were better able to organize ourselves and our resources. We got finance, HR, and legal specialists who took work off my plate so I could focus more on our customers.
- Access to a larger network: We gained exposure to other businesses and their learnings. We even integrated Constellation1’s e-signature tool, which gave us back-to-base opportunities with existing customers.
What I noticed the most is that we had the best of both worlds: we got to operate like a small business while tapping into the resources of a big one.
Q: How did you prepare for retirement?
Tony: I treated it like a project plan. I set a date, moved closer to my parents and spoke openly with my Portfolio Leader, Adam Zimmer. Perseus offered a six-month transition period, which gave me the appropriate time to train my successor.
By December, my successor was up to speed, and I was just advising. After decades with the product and customers, I wanted to ensure it wasn’t a cliff-edge departure.
Q: What have you been focusing on since stepping away?
Tony: Family first. Helping my parents, supporting my sons, and preparing to become a grandparent. Golf is my personal project; I’ve taken lessons and improved my game. My wife and I are also making the most of what we refer to as our “go-go years” with trips to Italy, Hawaii, Portugal, a river cruise through Germany and Switzerland. Hopefully, next we’ll be off to Australia and New Zealand.
I’m also starting to reconnect with community work. Before retirement, I was active in Waterloo’s Optimist Club and Junior B hockey. I’m looking for the right volunteer opportunities here up north. Retirement still needs a purpose.
Q: What advice would you give leaders navigating an acquisition?
Tony:
- Validate the support you receive. Finance, legal and marketing resources can take a big load off an operator’s plate, but it’s important to still understand how work is being allocated and executed.
- Learn and leverage the CSI-wide metrics. Treat them as tools, not as “red tape”.
- Take advantage of your new peer network. Ask for help before trying to reinvent the wheel on your own.
- Plan your own exit well ahead. If retirement is coming, announce it early. A thoughtful transition helps everyone.
Q: Looking back, what are you most proud of?
Tony: I’m proud that my transition was a smooth as it could have been for our people and customers. I had time to prepare a successor, make myself obsolete, and have confidence that everyone would be taken care of. That’s the quiet win.
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