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Robert Felton co-founded the San Francisco-based Indus in 1988 as a provider of application software packages for customers in the electric utilities, petrochemical, heavy manufacturing, transportation and packaged goods industries. The company grew rapidly and, in 1993, was ranked third in Inc. magazine's list of the 500 fastest-growing privately held companies. As CEO, Felton played a key role in preparing the company's initial public offering, which occurred in February 1996. During this critical period, Felton kept all 450 employees updated on the IPO, sharing with them confidential information. Felton is a firm believer in open lines of communication in all levels of the corporation. To that end, Indus employees regularly post work summaries on an electronic bulletin board where colleagues may read and offer comments on various projects. Felton's belief that open employee communication offers a vital competitive advantage to Indus was the subject of a column in the Jan. 10 issue of The Wall Street Journal. Felton earned a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 1961 and a Master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Washington in 1971.