I actually started college as an Aerospace Engineering major. Computers were more of a hobby than a career choice. That all changed the first semester of my junior year. I took a class called 'Fortran for Engineers', and aced it in my sleep. The job outlook for engineers at that time (early 90's), was not particularly good. So I changed majors to Avaition Computer Science, and never looked back.

In early 1999, I moved to West Virginia with my wife for a job she couldn't pass up. I took advantage of the downtime to pursue a Microsoft Certification (as I was unemployed). By the end of 1999 I had MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer) certifications, and was taking full advantage of the .com boom. Like most techies at the time, I hopped from job to job pursuing the ever-growing paycheck. In 2001 I landed a job at the US Coast Guard Operations Systems Center, not far from my house. Although I could make a lot more money working down in DC, I enjoy what I do, and the commute (or lack thereof).

Some of my hobbies include SCUBA Diving, Camping/RVing (we own a 36' Motorhome), and believe it or not, I still write code for fun somtimes :)

Learn more about my certifications and view my online transcript from Microsoft

Read more about my software development philosophy