My Story

Dan has worked with ILM Professional Services since 2014 and has 15 years of experience in software development. He is rapidly gaining expertise in front-end JavaScript frameworks with a particular interest in mobile applications. Expect an enthusiastic and helpful team player!

A Few Questions with Dan

When did you first get started or interested in programming? 

From an early age, I knew that I’d regret it if I didn’t know how computers worked, like back in the day when there were PC games like Oregon Trail. Two older brothers were into IT, so they were a portion of the influence on me. I also had some peer influence, like in high school, when I would hang out with several friends who were interested in computers and gaming. Then in college, I started learning C# and I knew then that I wanted to write code, so I stayed learning C# until the end of college. I came to learn the fundamentals of programming, how to design projects, and used several other programming languages as well.  

What’s one project that you’ve worked on that you’re most proud of? 

That would be the Thoughtful Pinch project. It was a very inspirational project for me. To work on the application from the beginning, and go through the entire process of exploring ideas, design, and building the app was great. I got to follow its launch and saw that it was very useable. I also enjoyed using Azure Functions and several other cloud tools with the project.  

What do you do to keep up with the latest programming and industry news?  

I check out conferences and look at what the main topics being discussed are. I also attend meetups to find out what’s on people’s minds. I will also check out Pluralsight and YouTube course videos regarding programming and follow other people in the industry online.  

What is in your DNA that got you into the tech/coding space? 

I have 2 skills that I feel that I excel at, creativity and being logically minded. Since I’m involved in the tech space, I think of entrepreneurial applications and how to build them. I want to see Apps that are reasonably designed and don’t break.  

Do you find it easy to take a break from work in your mind? 

It depends on the state or condition of the project that I’m currently working on.  If I feel a project is encountering some risk or uncertainty, it can be a challenge to stop thinking about it.    

What kind of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work? 

I like to build my own applications and explore app ideas with friends.  Part of the fun is considering things other than just the programming such as timelines or if the app could be profitable. I also dabble in creating websites for my siblings when they need one. 

Additionally, I enjoy playing PC games, like Civilization 6, and playing multiplayer online games with friends such as StarCraft. I also enjoy walking around Uptown Minneapolis and the chain of lakes.   

Tagline: Do you have a fun app idea?