24 Years of Curiosity, Change and Community: Brenda Crowe’s SmartSafety

Celebrating 30 Years of SmartSafety Software Through the People Who Have Helped Shape Its Story

When Brenda Crowe joined SmartSafety Software, she wasn't coming in with 24 years of experience behind her.

She was coming straight out of college.

At the time, what is now SmartSafety Software was a small company known as TransLogic Systems. There were only about six or seven employees; Brenda was the only woman on the development team, and she was about to begin her first job as a software developer.

Twenty-four years later, Brenda is still here.

As SmartSafety celebrates its 30th anniversary, Brenda's story offers a personal look at just how much can happen during a career, and how much can stay the same.

Starting Something New

Brenda graduated from the College of Idaho with a degree in mathematics and computer science. Her computer science program was relatively new, and her college experience required a lot of independent learning.

That made starting her first job both exciting and intimidating.

Like many people entering the workforce for the first time, Brenda knew she had a lot to learn. She wasn't sure exactly what her first days as a software developer would look like, or whether she knew enough to succeed.

Fortunately, one of the people involved in bringing her onto the team gave her an important perspective.

Brett Morrell, who interviewed Brenda, reminded her that being a software developer means you never stop learning.

That idea ended up being particularly fitting for Brenda.

Twenty-four years later, learning is still a big part of her career.

Technology has changed. Products have changed. The company has changed. Brenda has continued learning right alongside all of it.

A Very Different SmartSafety

When Brenda looks back at her first days with the company, one of the biggest differences is simply how small the team was.

There was no HR department. Employees often handled responsibilities outside their primary roles, and the company had the feel of a young startup.

But Brenda remembers the environment fondly.

“It was fun and exciting,” she said.

She also remembers the flexibility that came with being part of a small team, a quality she believes has remained part of the company's culture even as it has grown.

That consistency is something Brenda appreciates.

A lot has changed over the past 24 years, but the ability to work together, adapt, and give each other room to do the job has remained familiar.

A Career Full of Different Chapters

One of Brenda's earliest projects involved the Montana Department of Transportation and a product called TrafLab.

The project began with a very small team, and Brenda remembers developing a relationship with the head of the transportation department. When he needed something done, he often wanted to speak with Brenda directly.

For her, that trust stands out even after all these years.

It was one of many experiences that helped shape her career and gave her the opportunity to take ownership of the products she worked on.

Over the years, Brenda has continued moving between different products and projects, including work that eventually led to Easy Street Draw and the newer AutoScene Draw technology.

She has also worked on localization projects with teams in Taiwan, which meant some very early mornings because of the time difference, and helped with additional projects involving Arabic translation.

Each project brought something different.

And that's part of what has kept the work interesting for Brenda.

The Biggest Change She's Seen

After 24 years in software development, Brenda has seen technology change in ways that would have been difficult to predict when she first started.

When asked what she considers the biggest change, she points to artificial intelligence.

For Brenda, AI isn't simply another new technology. It represents a significant change in how developers can approach their work. She sees the potential for AI to automate some of the more time-consuming parts of development and help teams move faster.

“I really think AI...is very exciting,” Brenda said, pointing to its potential to help automate work and support the creation of new products.

There is still uncertainty around AI, and Brenda recognizes that change isn't always easy. But after experiencing so many changes throughout her career, she isn't afraid of adapting. She's done it before. And she believes the SmartSafety team knows how to do it again.

The People Are What She Remembers Most

For someone who has spent 24 years with a company, it's easy to assume the technology would be the thing that stands out most. For Brenda, it isn't. It's the people.

She describes the SmartSafety team as a group that understands one another, shares a sense of humor, and feels comfortable enough to be honest when something isn't working.

That comfort matters to Brenda. The team knows her personality; she knows theirs, and over the years they've developed the kind of working relationships that make it easy to joke with one another while still being able to have serious conversations when they need to.

“I've never had an issue with anybody,” Brenda said. “We all get along really, really, really well.”

It's also why she sometimes misses the office. She remembers working alongside colleagues, including Lisa, and the walks they used to take together. Those everyday moments became part of what made the workplace feel like a community.

Twenty-Four Years Later

Twenty-four years is a long time. For Brenda, it represents nearly her entire professional career and almost half of her life.

During those years, she has experienced different owners, different managers, new products, changing technology, and plenty of other changes along the way.

Through all of it, she has remained.

And as SmartSafety celebrates 30 years, Brenda says she's grateful for that.

“I'm grateful that I'm still working with great people,” she said.

She also recognizes that some people have come and gone over the years. The fact that so many employees have stayed for a long time says something meaningful about the company and the relationships they've built.

Her hope for the future is simple:

That the people who are still here will continue to be here for many years to come.

“Hopefully we all get to retire from here.”

Beyond the Office

While much of Brenda's story has been shaped by her career, there is plenty more to her life outside of software development.

Brenda and her husband have three children, and these days, much of their family life revolves around sports.

Her oldest plays basketball, her daughter plays volleyball, and her youngest also plays basketball. Between school sports and club teams, there is rarely a shortage of games, practices, and activities.

When she does find some downtime, Brenda enjoys baking and cooking—especially sourdough.

Her daughter has recently started helping her in the kitchen, creating a new tradition they can share together.

It's a small detail, but it feels fitting for Brenda's story.

So much of her career has been about learning, adapting, and passing knowledge along. Now, outside of work, she's finding opportunities to share things she loves with her family.

A Story Still Being Written

Brenda joined SmartSafety 24 years ago as a young software developer just beginning to figure out what her career might look like.

She couldn't have known then that she would still be here more than two decades later.

She couldn't have predicted all of the technology she would work with, the projects she would take on, the people she would meet, or the changes she would experience.

But she kept learning. She kept adapting. And she kept showing up.

That may be the simplest way to describe Brenda's 24 years with SmartSafety.

As the company celebrates 30 years, her story is a reminder that the history of SmartSafety isn't only found in its products or milestones. It's found in the people who have spent years building, learning, laughing, solving problems, and growing together.

For Brenda, there are still chapters left to write.

And after 24 years, she's excited to see what comes next!