Quick Facts
- The word “Laridian” is derived from the Greek word meaning “small book.”
- Craig Rairdin, President of Laridian, was the creator of QuickVerse®, the popular Bible-study software for Windows PCs.
- Laridian's first product, PalmBible™, was introduced in October 1998. PalmBible was designed for computers running the Windows CE operating system and has been replaced in our product line by PocketBible® for Pocket PC.
- Most of the products the company sells are owned by their developers and licensed for distribution by Laridian. If you have developed a Christian software product and are looking for a marketing partner, we might be interested. Send an email to Craig Rairdin, President.
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Photo Album
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Laridian World Headquarters in Cedar Rapids, IA
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Working from a local coffee shop in our "virtual" days. From left: Craig Rairdin, Jeff Wheeler
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Celebrating Craig's Christian Computing Hall of Fame Induction. From left (back row): Randy Pospisil, Michelle Stramel, Rhonda Juehring. From left (front row): Craig Rairdin, Jeff Wheeler
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Exhibiting at an International Christian Retail Show
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Laridian Co-founder, Jim VanDuzer making new friends at an International Christian Retail Show
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Laridian's Early Days: Craig Rairdin & Jeff Wheeler at the Microsoft Conference Launching Pocket PC 2002
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Laridian's Early Days: Craig, Jeff, and Jim on the cover of Christian Computing Magazine, December 2000
Welcome to Laridian!
Laridian is a privately owned company that develops and markets Bible-related software, primarily for mobile devices.
We've been doing Bible software for a long time (24 years now). Laridian co-founder Craig Rairdin wrote the original QuickVerse program, selling it from home for a few months before taking it to Parsons Technology in November, 1988. Jeff Wheeler joined him there in 1989, and Jim VanDuzer in 1995.
QuickVerse was the first software product to receive a Gold Book Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for sales over 500,000 units, and shortly thereafter qualified for the Platinum Book Award for sales over 1,000,000 units. By 1998, The Church Software Division directly employed about 30 people in development, quality assurance, marketing, and reseller sales roles. In addition, it drew from Parsons Technology's 1200 other employees for direct sales, technical support, manufacturing, shipping, and other supporting services.
Parsons Technology was bought and sold four times while Craig, Jeff and Jim were there; three times in the last two years before they left. When working for the company became more about impressing Wall Street analysts and meeting quarterly sales goals and less about creating products that helped people study and live the teachings of the Bible, the three began talking about a project that Parsons Technology had dismissed -- a Bible program for the emerging personal digital assistant (PDA) market. In March, 1998, Craig began working at home on the program that would become PocketBible for Windows CE (the predecessor to Windows Mobile, the predecessor to Windows Phone). In October, Laridian was incorporated and began selling PocketBible (then known as PalmBible). By the following January (1999), Craig, Jeff, and Jim had all left their positions at Parsons Technology to work full-time on mobile Bible software.
Because of its founders' history of being part of a large, publicly traded company, Laridian has a unique perspective and business plan that is more about satisfying our customers and being happy with the product of our work than it is about building a company to go public or to be sold to Google or Microsoft.
That attention to customers has paid off. In 2002, Laridian's MyBible program for Palm OS outsold all Bible software for any platform, including the most popular Bible software for Windows, and in 2007 Laridian released the first Bible study software for the new Apple iPhone. Laridian continues to offer innovative Bible study solutions for the ever-changing mobile device market while sticking to its goal of staying small and efficient.
Meet our Staff
 Craig Rairdin, President |
What did you do before coming to Laridian? I wrote the original QuickVerse program and brought it to Parsons Technology in 1988. At Parsons I was their VP, Church Software Division, but also ran technical support, manufacturing, and shipping at various times. I was there for ten years before leaving at the end of 1998 to start Laridian with Jeff Wheeler and Jim VanDuzer. Current devices: Amazon Kindle Fire (Android OS), Verizon iPhone 4, iPad 3G, and Android HTC Dev Phone. I also have a box of Windows Mobile, Palm OS, iPod, Blackberry, and other mobile devices I pull out when needed. Preferred mobile platform: After ten years of a strong affinity for Windows Mobile products, I've switched to iPhone and iPad as my preferred mobile platform. I still enjoy developing for Windows and am learning to love Android. Favorite Laridian product: PocketBible for iPad Favorite Laridian books: NASEC with The Complete Word Study Dictionary Old and New Testament editions; Ancient Christian Commentary series. Favorite non-Laridian PDA software: For the iPhone/iPad: Navigon GPS navigation rivals any stand-alone GPS I've used. Backgammon NJ, Word Warp and Pinball HD fill my few free moments. RunKeeper Pro keeps me company while running. What do you do when you're not at work? My main hobby is flying. I'm a private pilot with single, multi-engine, and instrument ratings. My dad and I own a little "light sport airplane" that we fly around for sightseeing, and I have access to bigger airplanes for business or personal travel. Recently I've taken up running. I also enjoy TV/movies, reading, backgammon, and sudoku. And I do technology-related projects for my church. |
 Jeff Wheeler, Vice President, Development Personal Blog: According to Jeff |
What did you do before coming to Laridian? I spent nearly ten years at Parsons Technology, providing development and project management for its Bible and church related products. Prior to that, I worked with Craig at a large, local company. Craig and I have been working together since 1984! Current devices: iPhone 3GS, iPad Preferred mobile platform: iPhone - I love my iPhone way more than any other device I've ever used. Favorite Laridian products: PocketBible for the iPhone, what else? Favorite Laridian books: Holman Christian Standard Bible and the Life Application Study Bible notes Favorite non-Laridian PDA software: MLB At Bat for my iPhone What do you do when you're not at work? I enjoy family time, St. Louis Cardinal baseball and a fantasy baseball league. A lot of my time is spent in ministry at my local church. |
 Michelle Stramel, Marketing & Customer Service |
What did you do before coming to Laridian? I did marketing for the Church product line at Parsons Technology—I was at Parsons for 8 years. I briefly worked for "another software company" before joining Laridian in 2002. Current devices: iPad 2, iPhone 3G, Palm T|X Preferred mobile platform: iOS. What's not to love!? Favorite Laridian products: PocketBible for iOS Favorite Laridian books: Experiencing God Day-by-Day, Holman Christian Standard Exhaustive Concordance, Vine's Expository Dictionary and Believers Bible Commentary What do you do when you're not at work? Enjoy time with my husband and son—we like to ride bikes (in fair weather), build legos and play video games on our too many devices. I am also a member of a local Toastmasters club. |
 Randy Pospisil, Editor |
What did you do before coming to Laridian? I'm the pastor of Living Hope Church in Manchester, Iowa. Before that I was a pastor in Kansas and First Baptist Church in Medford, Wisconsin where I was ordained. I attended Dallas Theological Seminary for my Masters of Theology degree, and the University of Iowa for a B.A. in Elementary Education. I've also been an elementary school teacher, banker, phone counselor, UPS guy...the list goes on and on. Current devices: Android LG Optimus phone Preferred mobile platform: Android Favorite Laridian products: PocketBible for Windows Favorite Laridian books: NET Bible, IVP Dictionary of New Testament Backgrounds and Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament What do you do when you're not at work? When I'm not at Laridian, I'm usually working for Living Hope Church in some capacity. Otherwise, I love being with my family (wife Kim, kids Lauren and Atticus), going fishing, or reading a good book. And of course, cheering on the Hawkeyes! |
 Rhonda Juehring, Editor |
What did you do before coming to Laridian? I spent 25 years in tax software development. I spent 12 years at 2nd Story Software as Director of Business Tax Development and prior to that I was at Parsons Technology and CCH. Current devices: Android Motorola Droid X Preferred mobile platform: Android Favorite Laridian products: PocketBible for Windows Favorite Laridian books: Holman Christian Standard Bible, New King James Bible, My Utmost for His Highest Devotional What do you do when you're not at work? I take joy in spending time with my husband and children. We like to spend time outdoors, running, hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing. I also enjoy spending time with my church family. |
Find us on FacebookInsider InfoHardcore Laridian fans watch our blog for the latest news, including comments on as-yet-unreleased and unannounced products. Facebook Fans get notified of all special offers and sometimes get special special offers just for them. We don't keep lists of potential beta testers. Just watch the blog. The Fine PrintCopyright © 2010-2012 by Laridian, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Laridian, PocketBible, and MyBible are registered trademarks of Laridian, Inc. DailyReader, Memorize!, PrayerPartner, eTract, BookBuilder, VerseLinker, iPocketBible, Change the way you look at the Bible, and The Bible. Anywhere. are trademarks of Laridian, Inc. Other marks are the property of their respective owners. |
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