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Richard is a Partner at Ignition focusing primarily on infrastructure software, including virtualization, cloud and services investments. Richard’s prior investments include; Appature (IMS Health 2013), Azaleos (Avanade 2012), GotVoice (Spoken 2009), InstallFree (WatchDox 2012), Likewise (Isilon/EMC 2012), StorSimple (Microsoft 2012), Verity Solutions (Cigna-Express Scripts 2019), and WHIPTAIL (Cisco 2013). He currently serves on the boards of Onehub while working with several early stage technology companies in the Northwest.

Prior to joining Ignition, Richard was 16 years at Microsoft Corporation in several leadership roles including serving on the executive staff as a division level vice president. Most recently Richard was Senior Vice President of the OEM division where he was responsible for Microsoft’s licensing business with PC OEM and embedded device manufacturers. Richard served as VP Desktop and Consumer Applications, overseeing the creation and launch of Office 97 and several Microsoft Office product line extensions. Richard was Vice President of the Internet Business Unit and served as Vice President Far East Region where he was responsible for product development, sales, and marketing for Japan, China, and Korea. Richard led the teams which produced the first successful double-byte versions of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office applications.

Richard and his wife Susan have been active in helping families of children with developmental disorders. The Fades co-founded the Autism Center at the University of Washington. Richard is a board member of the Autism Center, and co-founder and prior chairman of the Autism Treatment Network (now a part of Autism Speaks).