iDempiere enthusiasts share many examples of how iDempiere changed people’s lives for the better. Here we present to you our hero of the month for his contributions during the month of February.

Chuck Boecking is a very well known and respected name among the community. Chuck is one of the top 3 donors of the project. He has always been active in the forums and JIRA helping others and formulating important questions. His contributions include support, analysis and sponsorship of software improvements. Additionally, he’s also a part of the marketing team and during February he put a lot of effort into improving the sample data on iDempiere.

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Tell us a little bit about your childhood and where you grew up.

I grew up in west Texas, USA. I spent most of my middle school years working on a ranch during the summers. I am the oldest of three brothers. Sports played a big role in my youth. I have fallen off of more horses, 4-wheelers and motorcycles than I can count.

How did you get into programming?

I graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree where I learned assembly language. I programmed in Fortran while performing an internship at Texas Instruments. I learned C while working at National Instruments. I learn Java while working with iDempiere.

How long have you been part of iDempiere?

I am celebrating my 20th year with the iDempiere code base this year. I first attended a Jorg Janke Compiere training session in November of 2002 in Dallas, TX. This is where I first met Peter Milsom at Adaxa.

How and why did you get involved with iDempiere?

Around 2000, I deployed Microsoft Dynamics ERP for my company. It was not a good experience. I determined that I wanted to create my own open source ERP because I believed I could ‘do it better’. During my research, I found Compiere. I attended training with Jorg. The next month, I resigned from my current company to start my Compiere ERP implementation company.

I started my first real prototypes in 2004. I started my first real project in 2006. This is when I first met Carlos Ruiz. My first major implementation went live in 2008. This implementation is still live today, and it supports an $800M USD per year turnover global operation.

What is your experience in other OS projects?

How do I use open source: I run Linux on my desktops and servers. I use wireguard to support my VPNs. I use pfsense to run my firewalls. I use LXD to support my server clusters. I use WordPress and Hugo to support my websites. I use Firefox to view the digital world.

How do I contribute to other open source projects: I fix type-o’s

Is there something that makes you passionate about open source in general and iDempiere in particular?

I am inspired by how iDempiere has created and maintained a band of global brothers and sisters to create something amazing. I am impressed by how the group communicates and supports each other. I appreciate the incredible generosity others have shared with me to help me support my family.

I especially want to recognize Carlos Ruiz and Heng Sin Low for creating and supporting something the world can rally around.

What does your typical day look like?

Google calendar says that I spend almost 35 hours per week in meetings. That seems about correct. I am a teacher at heart. I feel fortunate that I get to most spend my days helping people learn, configure, audit, deploy, scale and support iDempiere.

If you have your customers for whom you implement or customize iDempiere, what are they like and what do they typically want?

Most of my customers fit one or more of these categories: distribution, professional services and/or light/outsourced manufacturing. Most have more than one entity. Many transact in more than one currency. Some operate multiple shifts. A few operate 24 hours-a-day. All of them appreciate that anyone in the organization can log into iDempiere without having to fight over restricted seat licenses.

How does it feel to win the February 2022 Hero of the month title?

I am inspired by our community. I am honored to work with you. Thank you for the opportunity! I am especially proud to have my picture next to Dirk Niemeyer.