During the nineties, Robby Rae worked for a long standing local manufacturer of automotive repair equipment. The company had been in operation for seventy five years, but the industry was facing a severe downturn. As the Parts Sales Manager, Robby oversaw a three person outbound sales team and managed an inventory of over five hundred thousand parts. Much of the stock supported obsolete equipment, forcing him to find creative and resourceful ways to repurpose or sell it. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy and later re emerged as a lean, revitalized operation that rose from the ashes like a Phoenix.

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This role also marked the beginning of Robby’s interest in computers. He began compiling spreadsheets, merging data from a mainframe system into Windows, and developed an immediate appreciation for Apple computers. Using Apple technology, he designed product catalogs and built a strong relationship with the local Apple reseller.

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Just before Y2K, in 1999, Robby joined that Apple reseller. He ran the Dubuque, Iowa location on his own, commuting an hour each way, driven by genuine passion for the products and the work. His dedication and enthusiasm even led to a feature in the Dubuque Herald’s Business Section.