Avue Corporate History

Avue Technologies began as a consulting business in 1983 as Washington Consulting Services (WCS), a firm specializing in consulting services related to classification, staffing, employee relations, Civil Rights and labor relations for the Federal Government. Linda Rix, the firm’s founder, established the firm following a five-year career with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in which she had significant experience and expertise in policy and program development, audit, and appeal adjudication in a variety of Federal HR areas.

In 1988, WCS introduced its first software product, called “ProClass,” a DOS-based software product that incorporated an “expert system” that automated the classification process of certain Federal job positions. The first purchaser of ProClass was the United States Air Force and the product was soon in use in over 125 Air Force bases worldwide.

During 1996-1999, WCS&T (Washington Consulting Services & Technologies, renamed Avue Technologies Corporation in March, 1998) continued to sell and promote the use of its expert system, Java-based intranet products - Coho (job classification and compensation), Coho Casting (staffing/recruitment), Chinook (employee relations/EEO), and the Sockeye Suite (retirement and injury compensation case management systems).

Early in 2000, Avue determined that an Extranet offering would become the standard. Avue would host its own applications in a data center and would customize and maintain all content and software for the client. In May, 2000, Avue advised its customers that it would no longer offer products other than through this Extranet model.

Avue Digital Services (ADS) - By year-end 2000, Avue had transitioned nearly its entire installed base of customers to Avue Digital Services, in addition to all new customers coming on ADS from the outset of their subscription.