 By 1968 he was feeling the urge to try his hand at entrepreneurship and, with his friend and colleague, Vern Dettwiler, founded MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates in the basement of his Vancouver home in 1969 while continuing to serve as a professor at UBC.By 1973 the demands of his role at MDA caused him to leave the university and work full time with the fledgling technology company.He served as President and CEO of MDA until 1982, and as Chairman of the Board from 1982 to 1998.