I started my first website when I was 15 after a friend showed me how some simple code could alter a page we see on the Internet. At that time, the Internet was still pretty new to me and websites were things I used as tools to help with school reports and papers. After a few minutes of a “show and tell” I decided this was the coolest thing ever. He left me with a book that talked about basic HTML and told me about a few sites where I could create my own webpage for free. My first webpage was on a site hosted by Tripod.com and Geocities.com and I just did some simple text and background images with flashing animated gifs. What a cool thing this website building was.

Fourteen years later I am still working on websites and I still feel this is the coolest thing next to skydiving. Building websites has been a hobby of mine since I was young and in the last 8 years I have taken it as profession and love. As I first began, I was simply writing the basic HTML structure of websites utilizing mass amounts of tables to help with the uniformity of it all. After I had the root HTML known, I moved into CSS and started working on using the CSS attributes as my base skeleton, styling, and soon thereafter effects as well. I spent many years writing pure HTML/CSS by hand using Notepad as my development program. Knowing the core languages by heart helps me understand the layout of code and in writing every line without the use of a program also helped me troubleshoot problematic areas more efficiently.

Soon I started getting an interest in the design aspect of it all and really wanted to be able to design my own websites with artistic ability. Photoshop was very daunting and when I first used it, I hated it. The tools were so crude and not very informative. I turned to Google and web forums for help and was told to look for tutorials on how to create certain effects. I found dozens and dozens of sites with great tutorials with such detail and information that I spent 6-8 months doing each tutorial over and over again until I could create the finished image by heart without reading the step-by-step instructions. To me this was the best way to learn the tools.

At this point I had a good understanding of the program and had to fine tune my web design skills. Soon I started my own Web Design business and started advertising to friends, family, and coworkers. Within a few weeks I had gotten my first website request. It was for a local fishing lure manufacturer who also was the FedEx delivery guy at my retail day job. I designed and developed the site for $150 and to me it was a huge step in the right direction.

After this my business started to get more referrals and I was getting busier and busier each year. I felt it was the time to leave my retail job and start to work in the industry. My first job in the Web Design/Development industry was with NetLiance Corporation as an entry level web designer. I was responsible for creating the website designs for their clients and building the base template of the sites. After that our developer would take the site and add the backend programming that was needed.

From here I continually did my business on the side and aspired to work up and up the industry ladder with the goal to work with a large design firm that creates captivating multimedia items that not only shock their end users, but keep them coming back because both the design and usage of the site intrigue and interest them.

I took my development skill to the next level while the Webmaster for Quidel Corporation where I taught myself PHP, MySQL, Javascript and AJAX functionality. I found myself enthralled with these languages as I could do so much and make my development even more efficient. I spent two years with Quidel writing numerous intranet applications to help the departments with their day to day duties.

I am fortunate enough to love what I do and I always look for new and exciting ways to strengthen my skill set. Digital design is a passion of mine and when I’m not out with friends, playing sports, or skydiving, I am working on a website or design to keep myself on my toes and on the edge of the ever changing technical market.