we were regularly putting models into production that on net reduced costs by millions of dollars a year over the cost of the work.
...
The whole Probability division was laid off as a cost-cutting measure
It's comical, I have to chuckle, even though deeper down I'm truly saddened. The short-sightedness and lack of understanding of upper management seems inevitable as companies grow.
Turning an internal tool (or what sounded like a customized process, for each internal team/group) into a portable product fit for a broader market can take considerable effort.
