Bruce A. Bott, the founder of
ADD Systems (Advanced Digital Data Inc.), has passed. Bott was a true visionary and entrepreneur who pioneered software for the energy distribution industry and built ADD Systems from a one-person operation to a thriving corporation that employs 1500-plus people across the U.S. and Canada.
Bott was a proud graduate of Lehigh University, where he studied civil engineering and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. While attending college, on weekends and breaks, he was employed by Dixon Brothers in Boonton, N.J., as an oil delivery driver. Between his undergraduate and graduate studies, he worked at Rust Engineering in Georgetown, S.C. After graduating with his master’s, he took on a position at Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., followed by a job with General Electric in New York City, but Bott was drawn to the oil delivery business and soon returned to New Jersey to pursue a business idea. He partnered with Bill Dixon of Dixon Oil to create ADD Systems, developing fuel management software that automated the process of predicting fuel deliveries.
The company grew organically for the first 24 years with a few hundred clients. Starting in 1997, Bott spearheaded the first of three acquisitions, each of which added additional industry expertise, clients and software. The petroleum division of STS, located in Montreal, was the first in 1997, and then, in 1999, ADD Systems purchased the petroleum software division of EDS (formerly known as PSS), based in Orlando, Fla. The last acquisition was the petroleum division of Versyss in Providence, R.I., in January of 2005. Since then, ADD Systems has continued to grow to serve more than 500 clients in the U.S. and Canada.
ADD Systems celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and continues to thrive. Bott had the foresight to plan a transition from his leadership role 15 years ago. His son Bruce C. Bott has been the president since 2010, leading the company with the same vigor, honoring his father’s vision. Rob Culbertson, senior vice president and chief operating officer, was also strategically placed by Bruce A. Bott to continue ADD’s commitment to innovation.
“Bruce was an amazing man. He was the epitome of an entrepreneur, focused on his customers, his employees and products. His vision and enthusiasm were unmatched. Bruce’s leadership of ADD Systems was one of his greatest accomplishments. We will all miss him,” Culbertson shared.
“Dad will be missed at home and at work. I trust that he’ll continue to give me the guidance from above needed to carry on his legacy of this wonderful company,” Bruce C. Bott added.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease, Chicago or Smile Train.
ADD Systems has been a provider of software for the petroleum distribution, HVAC and convenience store industries since 1973. The company’s software solutions include ADD Energy E3, ADD Energy E360, ADD eStore, Atlas Reporting, Raven and Pegasus mobile truck computers, and SmartConnect, a web services gateway.
