The newest member of the operations team.

I’ve spent the last 11 years at a Fortune 50 company, working with a fantastic team of people to build and maintain the brains behind one of the most incredible industrial facilities I’ve ever seen. Despite the efficiency of “the machine,” my work was increasingly complicated by conservative technology and development practices.

37signals stands firmly on the opposite end of the spectrum, with an advanced technology stack bent on squeezing every advantage out of staying current (or being ahead), defining best practices in developing and deploying web apps, and continually identifying trouble spots and taking corrective action.

In 2011, I applied for a position at 37signals because I felt my values matched their displayed values: agility and consistency in operations, and deliberate thoughtfulness in their products. Obviously, I didn’t get the job then. But I kept in touch because I admired the company. And, maybe, just a little, because I hoped to see another position open up.

Last year, I attended RubyHoedown and was fortunate enough to carpool with fellow Louisvillian Ernie Miller. After a long, rambling discussion about Ruby, Rails, and programming – but also about happiness; I decided life’s too short to keep doing things I hate! So in an effort to break out of my rut, I started the Louisville instance of OpenHack. (Openhack was started by fellow Signal Nick!)

When 37signals began looking for a Systems Administrator a couple months ago, I knew I had to dream big and apply – my happiness was at stake! And this time my dream came true.

I’m excited to learn many new things and contribute to the operational success of 37signals. I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years bring!