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By Amy Oldham
December 6, 2021
Anyone who lived on planet Earth knows that 2021 was filled with challenges. Without a doubt, the most significant one we faced at Equinox occurred September 28 when Derek Drake lost his battle with Covid. It was an unexpected and overwhelming blow that crushed us, leading us to postpone the 2021 Protector User Group Meeting (PUGM) just days before its start. Derek was a mainstay and customer favorite at this annual event.
After graduating from Union University in 1995, Derek joined Equinox as a junior developer. At that point, developers were responsible for not only coding the applications but also providing support directly to customers during implementation and for troubleshooting issues. It’s likely that many of you initially got to know Derek in this capacity. This experience also contributed to his passion for the user interface and desire to bring customers’ wishes to life in the application. Before long, he was the senior developer in charge of all interface efforts for both Protector and TeleLink. If you own or have seen one of our solutions, you’re familiar with Derek’s handiwork. It’s literally visible on every screen of our applications.
Derek was already a seasoned veteran when I joined the Equinox team in 2010. His love of sports and the Pittsburgh Steelers in particular was well known around the office. I hadn’t even been on the job long enough to have logged into both applications before I knew how he felt about the Steelers, the Penguins, and the Pirates! It also didn’t take me long to figure out that it wasn’t wise to bring up or try to chide him about one of his teams the day after the loss. He always had ammunition loaded and did indeed fire back.
Although Derek answered my steady stream of questions about the system’s buttons and fields, we weren’t friends from the beginning, as Derek viewed all newcomers with a healthy (and not subtle) dose of skepticism. But after our first experience together at PUGM 2012, we became friends. Derek truly enjoyed this fraud management event. He wanted to hear from the customers about how they used the application, what new features they wanted, and to get feedback on his latest creations in the system. And it was a great opportunity for me to talk to him about his life outside of work.
What I learned about Derek is how much he loved his two children and how proud they made him. He was always quick to share milestone events in their lives—all of us at the office cheered them on as they grew up. I also learned a lot about his days as an award-winning tennis player in high school and college, his love for music, more sports talk than a roomful of commentators speaking non-stop during the playoffs, and I also learned that if he had an opinion on a certain topic, I was going to hear ALL of it. What I know is that Derek loved his wife abundantly, as he practically glowed anytime he spoke of her or their time together. He loved his family fiercely.
Over the years, our friendship grew far beyond the walls at work. He and I always had a wonderful time going out with customers who were in Nashville for PUGM or hanging with friends in Vegas after the CFCA meeting. He and I had lengthy—and often spirited—discussions on a wide range of topics from politics to finance to retirement goals. Derek, (his wife) Courtney, Bill (my husband who also works at Equinox), and I travelled to Mexico two years in a row for a warm winter break and a series of Dave Matthews Band concerts. Derek and Courtney enjoyed going to concerts, events, and in general just living life to its fullest. We all went on many outings together, and each one was an adventure. I can still picture him with his eyes closed singing at the top of his lungs at Ascend Amphitheater, donning a sombrero and strumming a tiny guitar in Mexico, and working together with me at the merchandise line to make sure we both got a poster before they sold out.
On the professional front, our customers benefited from his passion and curiosity—he was always an advocate for how they used the system. He actively participated in user groups but especially so during the wish list. He took notes on suggested features and talked to folks during the break to find out how they accomplished tasks in the application. He also engaged directly with every customer who implemented Protector’s blocking feature. He was proud to unveil new features and excited to hear the customer’s feedback on it.
I was glad to know Derek professionally, but I am extremely grateful for the time we spent together outside work. Derek had a big personality, a bright smile, a willingness to share his opinions, and a razor-sharp wit. Although his imprint will forever be in our software, he has left a void in the hearts of all of us at Equinox. I miss him, and I know many of you do, too.
With his loved ones at his side, Derek Linn Drake passed away September 28, 2021, after a brief battle with Covid pneumonia.
After being born in Pittsburgh, PA, Derek soon moved to Hendersonville, TN, which was home for most of his life. He went to high school in Hendersonville, returned there after attending college on a tennis scholarship, and remained there for most of his tenure at Equinox. After marrying Courtney, Derek moved to Murfreesboro, TN, in 2017.
During Derek’s 26-year career at Equinox Information Systems, he served as the Director of Interface Development. Unofficially, he also held the title of CSO, as he was the undisputed chief sarcasm officer who headed up the effort to deliver zingers at meetings and throw shade at company founder Byron Middendorf.
Derek is survived by his wife Ellen Courtney Drake (Earp), daughter Chaselyn (James Rawls) Drake, son Derek Cannon Drake, father Audrey Rea Drake, mother Judith Ann Drake (Emery), brother Brian Drake, sister Audrey Drake (Ken) Morgan, father-in-law Field Earp (Melissa), brothers-in-law, Jon (Leah) and Connor Earp, along with a host of nieces and nephews.
Although he left us unexpectedly at the young age of 49, he will never be forgotten.
