Today, Rich Trotman operates at the intersection of technology, creativity, and cultural innovation—a rare hybrid of architect, artist and engineer.
His career lives in the space between two worlds that rarely meet—but desperately need each other: the precision of engineering and the soul of artistry.
As Director of Technology and Head of Product at Drum Corps International, Rich helped architect and scale a live video platform that evolved into a multimillion-dollar acquisition—designing everything from backend systems and enterprise infrastructure to user experience and broadcast technology.
At the same time, his work as a composer, producer, and bandleader placed him on stages and in studios with Grammy-winning artists and legendary performers, creating music that moves fluidly between jazz, hip-hop, soul, gospel, classical, and cinematic soundscapes.
That rare duality—technologist and artist, engineer and storyteller—became the foundation of his next chapter.
Rich founded Exit88, a product innovation agency dedicated to transforming ambitious ideas into scalable platforms and intelligent digital ecosystems.
But beyond products and platforms, his work is guided by a deeper philosophy:
innovation, creativity, and humanity are not separate fields.
They are languages of the same intelligence.