Cincom Systems
| File:Cincom logo.svg | |
| Company type | Privately held |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer software IT Services |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founders | Thomas M. Nies, Tom Richley, Claude Bogardus |
| Fate | Acquired by PartnerOne in 2024 |
| Headquarters | Cincinnati, Ohio , |
Key people | Thomas M. Nies, Sr., Founder/CEO |
| Products | CPQ Software Customer Communications Management Software (CCM) Contact Center Software Document Automation Data Management Application Development |
| Website | www |
Cincom Systems, Inc. is a privately owned global computer technology enterprise established in 1968 by Thomas M. Nies, Tom Richley, and Claude Bogardus. Its inaugural offering, Total, was the first commercially available database management system not tied to specific hardware or proprietary platforms. In June 2024, the company was acquired by PartnerOne, a Canadian enterprise software organization. At that time, Cincom employed approximately 400 professionals across the United States and international locations.
History
Cincom was founded in 1968 during an era when the technology sector prioritized hardware over software solutions. The founders—Thomas M. Nies (handling sales and marketing), Tom Richley (leading product development), and Claude Bogardus (overseeing research and development)—leveraged emerging opportunities within the software market. The company’s name combines "Cincinnati" and "computer," highlighting its headquarters’ city.
Originally focused on creating bespoke software for individual clients, Cincom identified common data management issues and developed Total, a foundational database management system designed for widespread customer use. This product resolved inconsistencies in data reporting by separating application logic from database operations, thereby improving interoperability across different IBM platforms.
Beginning in 1971, Cincom broadened its reach internationally with offices established in Canada, Europe, Asia, and South America. By 1980, Total had generated $250 million in sales revenue. In 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan publicly commended Cincom and its founder Tom Nies as embodiments of American entrepreneurial success. The Smithsonian Institution later recognized the company alongside Microsoft as pioneers in the software industry.
By 2007, Cincom had maintained annual revenues exceeding $100 million for 21 straight years—a record unmatched by any private software publisher worldwide except Microsoft.
Thomas M. Nies held the roles of president and chairman until February 2017, when Greg Mills took over as president. By 2021, Nies was acknowledged as the longest-tenured CEO within the computer industry.
The acquisition by PartnerOne in 2024 represented a significant shift in Cincom’s leadership and organizational framework, coinciding with founder Tom Nies retiring after more than fifty years at the helm.
1968 to 1969
In its early phase, the company created customized programs for local clientele which evolved into Total, a product that enhanced IBM’s DBOMP system. Cincom became the first American software company to offer a database management system (DBMS) independent from computer hardware manufacturers, pioneering a model distinct from IBM's hardware-tied solutions.
1970s and 1980s
Throughout the 1970s, Cincom broadened its range of offerings with several key products, including:
- ENVIRON/1 (1971), a system designed for teleprocessing network control.
- SOCRATES (1972), a tool developed for data retrieval within TOTAL.
- T-ASK (1975), an interactive query language tailored for Harris computer systems.
- MANTIS (1978), an application generator that remained operational as of 2017.
- Manufacturing Resource Planning System (1979), which served as a forerunner to the modern CONTROL ERP platform.
The 1980s saw the introduction of additional innovations such as:
- EPOCH-FMS (1980), a financial management system guided by directory structures.
- Series 80 Data Control System (1980), an online data dictionary solution.
- TOTAL Information System (1982), a directory-based database management system.
- ULTRA (1983), a relational DBMS engineered for DEC's VAX machines and OpenVMS operating system, rapidly gaining substantial market traction among VAX users.
- PC CONTACT (1984), enabling communication between IBM mainframes and IBM PCs.
- MANAGE User Series (1984), which merged personal computing with decision-support functionality on mainframes.
- SUPRA for SQL (1989), an interactive hierarchical database management system.
- CASE Environment (1989), supporting software development across different platforms.
- Comprehensive Planning & Control System (CPCS) (1989), a centralized tool for managing resources and projects.
These offerings illustrate Cincom’s strategic emphasis on diversifying its database and enterprise software solutions to meet various industry demands and reinforce its competitive stance.
1990s
Significant product introductions during the 1990s encompassed:
- AD/Advantage (1991), an application development environment automating lifecycle processes, integrated within the MANTIS family.
- XpertRule (1993), a system for knowledge specification and generation.
- TOTAL FrameWork (1995), object-oriented frameworks and integrated development environments supporting Smalltalk, Java, C++, and Visual Basic business applications.
- Cincom Acquire (1995), a comprehensive selling platform designed for complex products and services.
- AuroraDS (1995), an enterprise solution automating document creation and management in client/server architectures.
- SPECTRA (1997), software focused on customer administration and optimizing resource utilization in telecommunications, utilities, and service sectors.
- gOOi (1997), technology transforming server-hosted applications into graphical desktop clients.
- Cincom Encompass (1998), integrated modules aimed at next-generation call center operations.
- Cincom Smalltalk (1999), featuring VisualWorks and ObjectStudio Enterprise development environments.
- Cincom iC Solutions (1999), combining sales and marketing automation with knowledge-based product configuration capabilities.
2000 to the present
Recent innovations from Cincom include:
- Cincom Knowledge Builder (2001), a business rules management platform enhancing sales and service workflows through real-time guidance.
- Cincom TIGER (2002), a solution aggregating organizational data sources.
- ENVIRON (2003), technology designed to enhance manufacturing integration, streamline processes, and reduce waste.
- Cincom Synchrony (2004), customer experience management software tailored for multi-channel contact centers.
- Cincom Eloquence (2006), an adaptable document composition tool supporting both structured and free-form content creation.
- Cincom CPQ, configure-price-quote software that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, and other CRM platforms to optimize multi-channel sales and product configuration.
These advancements highlight Cincom’s ongoing commitment to expanding its portfolio with solutions that improve customer engagement, operational productivity, and sales automation across various industries.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Technology firms in the United States
- Companies headquartered in Cincinnati
- American enterprises founded in 1968
- Computer firms established in 1968
- Software enterprises founded in 1968
- 1968 establishments in Ohio
- Proprietary software products
- Software companies based in the United States
- Privately owned companies located in Ohio
- Smalltalk programming language lineage
- 5
- American companies established in 1968
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment