Dear Customers, Partners, Colleagues and Friends,

Today I am announcing the closing of the Townsend Security business at the end of this year and a termination of the corporation at the end of next year. It has been my honor to serve you and work with you for these many years, and I know that our security solutions have kept many safe from harm.

In the formative years of my IT experience, I worked shoulder to shoulder with customer IT teams in a wide variety of businesses in the financial, insurance, retail, and manufacturing segments. I developed a deep appreciation for the commitment and character of the people I worked with. They worked hard for their organizations while also supporting their families and communities. This emotional connection inspired me to want to provide security solutions to help them protect their customers and their colleagues. I am grateful for that experience and for their patience with my foibles.

More than anything, I am grateful to my wife, my family and my team members, current and past, in their mentorship and guidance in helping me become a better person and a better leader. Any success that we have had is due to them. Because of them I learned to listen better. I learned the immense value of an engaged group of colleagues. I learned the value of creating and maintaining an emotionally healthy, respectful, and honest work environment. I learned that you can lead from a position of love and gratitude and that nothing is more satisfying. And I learned how important it is to have a truly diverse team of colleagues. You won’t find diversity in the asset column of a financial statement, but it may be your most valuable asset. I hope you find a team to work with as amazing, talented and awesome as I have!

The IT security arena is again undergoing rapid change. I am confident in a new generation of engaged and diverse security professionals and their ability to help protect us. My best wishes to them. And my best wishes to all of our customers, partners and employees as they progress through life.

Love is love, and is the only thing that matters.

Patrick Townsend

Edit: Sight edits for wording.