Sunglass Hut, West Marine, Woolworths and HMV all ran their back rooms on software from a company in Scottsdale, Arizona. JDA's programs tracked merchandise from the buyer's order to the store shelf to the cash register. Retail chains were growing fast across countries, and spreadsheets could not keep up with millions of items. By November 1996 JDA was already public and selling more stock, with its founders still owning more than a third of the company.

From JDA Canada to Scottsdale

James Armstrong founded JDA Canada in 1978 and served as its president until 1987. In 1985 he and Frederick Pakis started the company that became JDA Software Group. Its Merchandise Management System let retailers plan purchases, control inventory and manage pricing. A companion system ran the stores themselves. JDA sold to large specialty and department store chains in North America, Europe and Asia, including Seiyu in Japan.

From Retail Code to Blue Yonder

JDA went public on Nasdaq as JDAS in March 1996 at $13 a share, and its November 1996 offering followed with the stock above $28. JDA grew by buying other supply chain software makers, including Manugistics and i2 Technologies. In 2012 RedPrairie, backed by New Mountain Capital, paid $45 a share in cash to take JDA private. The combined company kept the JDA name, became Blue Yonder in 2020, and was bought by Panasonic in 2021.

Cover: Market near a Canal, Jan van Goyen. Art Institute of Chicago, public domain. Chosen for a busy canal-side market (retail and supply).