26 years later, it's still the people

F5 Newsroom Staff

As we celebrate F5’s 30^th anniversary, we’re shining the spotlight on employees from around the globe who’ve spent their careers shaping F5’s growth as a company. This second installment of our “F5ers behind our 30 years” series features Laura Hendrickson, Principal Technical Program Manager, based in Seattle, Wash.

When Laura Hendrickson joined F5 in October 2000, she wasn't planning to stay.

Fresh off a role as a Unix Systems Administrator, she was looking for something different: a place that felt less formal than IBM and offered the chance to build innovative technology alongside passionate engineers. F5 happened to be hiring software testers with Unix experience, and it seemed like the right next step.

If someone had told her she'd still be here more than two decades later? "I wouldn't have believed them," she laughs. "I thought I was just waiting for the right opportunity to work in international policymaking."

Life, as it often does, had other plans.

Today, Laura is one of the longest-tenured employees at F5. She's watched the company grow from a small engineering-focused organization into a global leader helping customers secure and deliver applications in the AI era. During that time, she's helped ship major F5 BIG-IP platforms, countless software releases, and thousands of hotfixes that continue to power organizations around the world.

But ask her what has kept her here for 26 years, and the answer isn't the technology. It's the people.

Watching technology transform

When Laura describes F5 in the early 2000s, she smiles. "It was like a frat house full of people building computer systems," she says. "It was fun, competitive, and very casual. There was a lot of celebrating success and a ton of really passionate arguing about technology."

Those conversations mattered, Laura says, because the people cared deeply about building great products. That spirit is something she's never forgotten, and, of course, plenty has changed since then.

F5 has become more global, more diverse, and more corporate. The technology has evolved dramatically. The company has expanded far beyond its original focus, while continuing to innovate for customers navigating entirely new challenges, including AI.

Yet beneath all that change, Laura sees remarkable consistency. "The commitment to F5 as a community has stayed the same," she says. "And our engineering focus on helping customers through innovation has always been at the heart of what we do."

The people have always been the reason

Over 26 years, Laura has worked alongside hundreds of colleagues. When asked who has had the biggest impact on her career, she doesn't name just one person.

Instead, she rattles off a long list of engineers, architects, managers, mentors, and teammates who each taught her something different. "Naming just one person doesn't do the relationships I've built at this company the justice they deserve," she says.

That's because, for Laura, growth at F5 has never come from one defining mentor or one pivotal moment, but rather from years of collaborating with smart people who challenged her thinking, shared their expertise, and approached problems from different perspectives.

"Sitting in rooms full of architects, engineers, managers, and senior leaders taught me how to clarify goals, focus on what's most important, and still represent other people's perspectives," she says. "That's a balancing act that's incredibly valuable."

Those relationships continue today. She still talks regularly with previous managers and teammates, proof that the connections built at F5 often outlast organizational charts.

Building technology that lasts

Laura has spent 17 years in engineering, contributing to BIG-IP as both a software tester and program manager.

Looking back, she's proud of the role she played in delivering major hardware platforms, software releases, and thousands of hotfixes that became the foundation customers still rely on today. "I'm proud to be part of the foundational work that is still making F5 successful," she says.

Some of the innovations from those early days still amaze her. She points to the creation of Traffic Management Microkernel (TMM), F5's high-performance traffic processing engine, as one example.

"Our architects figured out how to build software that made the hardware go zoom," she says. "We're still benefiting from that creativity today."

It's a reminder that innovation isn't always about chasing the newest trend. Sometimes it's about building something so well that it continues delivering value decades later.

A company built on connection

When Laura reflects on her favorite memories, they aren't product launches or release milestones. They're moments with people.

Walking through the Seattle office and laughing at someone who had secretly placed oversized googly eyes on a giant planter. Taking walks to Myrtle Edwards Park with coworkers. Being welcomed into teammates' homes while helping build the Hyderabad office. Sharing meals with colleagues and their families in Tel Aviv. "I have a lot of good memories at F5," she says.

Those experiences reinforced something she's always believed about the company: people aren't just coworkers. They're a community.

That's also why she hopes traditions like Thirsty Thursday and Employee Inclusion Groups never disappear. "People need to connect and share who they are."

Looking toward what's next

After 26 years, Laura is still excited about where F5 is headed.

She sees the company's strategy becoming more aligned than ever, with engineering and business leaders working together to shape what's next. "We have some really impressive leaders in the company, and I'm excited to see the success that will be built from their vision."

When asked what would surprise the younger version of herself the most, her answer isn't about AI or new technology. It's about how much she's grown.

"I'm amazed at how quickly I can turn work around now," she says. "Twenty-six years of experience has taught me how to partner with teams and deliver meaningful work on tight timelines."

One thing never changed

Over 30 years, F5 has transformed. The products have evolved. The company has grown around the world. The technology has advanced in ways few could have imagined back in 2000. But for Laura, the reason she's still here is exactly the same as it was all those years ago.

"The people."

Sometimes, that's the biggest constant of all.

Every F5er has a unique story to tell. Read our previous blog in our “F5ers behind our 30 years” series featuring Jack Wang.

Interested in working at F5? Explore open roles today.

About the Author

F5 Newsroom Staff

More blogs by F5 Newsroom Staff