MINDFIRE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Software Engineer / AI & ML Expert
I am a motivated developer who is always looking for the next challenge. I enjoy learning new technologies and new techniques, and I bring several with me already. I have a very broad experience in several different development environments and languages, and I learn very quickly.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sales and Business Development
I am a passionate Family oriented professional with a unique zest for life. I was blessed to spend my early years in the entertainment industry as an Actor and Musician, I have a deep passion for the arts and always aim to put a smile on everyone's faces whenever possible. I have over 20 years in the Professional IT and SaaS industry as a top-performing individual contributor, Sales Coach, Sales Manager, Global Program Manager, and Director of Business Development with a heavy focus on startups and brand advocacy. I appreciate the challenges/rewards that being a Tech Partner presents and look forward to where the future is going to take us as an industry. Let me help you get your idea or project to the next phase, let's connect on LinkedIn.
I have in worked in the IT industry for 25 years of which I spent 21 in software engineering positions. Along with my development responsibilities, I've held positions as a network engineer, IT director, Development Manager, Project Manager and Software Architect. My favorite positions have involved designing and implementing software systems with customers from the ground up.
Job Titles:
- Padlock Software Engineer
I have been programming since I was around 5. I absolutely loved having the computer do exactly as I told it. My computer didn't work very well either so I'd have to write a game before I could play it, and when the power shut off, I'd have to write the game again to play it again.
I always knew I wanted to be a software engineer, so I tried to do all I could in High School including taking the AP computers class and lettering in Computer Science (possibly the only one to have ever done that before). I got my first professional job when I was 15 writing computerized testing and distance learning programs for Salt Lake Community College. While seeking a degree at Weber State University in Computer Science, I worked for their Student Affairs IT staff as a software engineer. I wrote many apps that are still in use today including web apps for note keeping, student body voting, nontrad daycare, equipment rental, tutor scheduling, and more. I also lead the transition among our team from ASP to ASP.NET.
A little while after I graduated, I started working for a consulting company. I really enjoyed the challenge of working in different projects for different industries. I developed a habit for studying and keeping up with current technology that I keep to this day. This really helped me in this demanding career choice. I also really liked to teach. I became a founding member of Utah Geek Events in July of 2010. We put on community training for local professionals, including Utah Code Camp, Big Mountain Data, SQL Saturday, Sharepoint Saturday, Kids Code Camp, and various other tech launches, summits, and trainings.
While I really loved consulting, I didn't really love the consulting companies I worked for. The first one felt too much like an HR / Staffing company. The second one wasn't much better there, plus I didn't really like the company culture. That is when I decided I needed to start my own company that would be a tech company first! I also wanted to make sure that our company was a great place to work for everyone who worked for us. So in 2012 Mindfire Technology was born. While I enjoyed early success, I knew that while I could do pretty much any tech project out there, I needed a business partner to focus on the business and sales. That's when I approached Shane about becoming a partner in Mindfire. We saw eye to eye on just about everything that was important, and we knew the partnership and venture was going to work.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Sales Associate
I'm a serial entrepreneur and eternal optimist. I see opportunity where others see dead ends, and I see possibility where others see roadblocks. I dream big and share that dream to inspire others.
I absolutely love people. I love their quirks and imperfections, their opinions and perspectives, their talents and potential. It's people that make any group or organization successful, and I work with some of the greatest on the planet.
I've started companies in software, healthcare, higher education, e-commerce, retail and real estate. The companies and products have come and gone, but the relationships have endured.
I'd love to meet and work with you.
I began college as an electrical engineering student and graduated with a degree in psychology so naturally I am now working as Mindfire's bookkeeper and office manager. My love of physics led me to the engineering field. Although I enjoyed my classes, I felt that something was missing. Psychology was one of my general classes and it was fascinating! I realized helping people was the thing I was missing so I changed majors. After graduation, I worked for a few years in the field of abuse prevention before choosing to stay at home with my kids. When Nate started Mindfire, he asked me to put my organizational talents to work on payroll and managing his files so he could focus on the programming. I happily pulled out my label maker and the rest is history.
Most of my time is filled raising my children and passing on my geekiness to them. Sci-fi, fantasy, and comics are a staple at our house. I am still a science nerd at heart and doing experiments with my kids is one of my favorite things. I believe music enriches all aspects of life so I play the piano and the saxophone. I spend as much time as possible reading. I've become very inventive at finding ways to get a few more reading minutes into my day. Most of the time I have a DIY project or two in the works. There's a certain thrill in creating something for yourself and, sometimes, in learning from the failures. I love to learn new things and I hope to keep that desire throughout my life.