A lifetime of building

1. 1984

   Computer science at IIT

   I earned a B.S. in Computer Science with a Digital Electronics focus from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

   

2. After graduation

   General Dynamics

   I worked on F-16 avionics systems and special projects, and served as a chief architect on advanced systems projects. Reliability, architecture, and engineering discipline were inseparable.

   

3. Embedded software and leadership

   Rational Software

   I became an embedded software architecture consultant and eventually led Rational’s professional services organization worldwide. Rational later became part of IBM. The work connected executive goals, engineering realities, and the teams responsible for delivery.

   

4. 1999–2009

   A winery and crush facility

   In 1999, I co-founded Copain Wine Cellars in Sonoma County and helped build Copain Custom Crush, supporting more than 30 boutique wine producers. The work included facilities, operations, capital, and customer relationships. When Copain Custom Crush was acquired in 2009, I remained as president.

   

5. Back in Chicago

   Software engineering and iOS

   I began iPhone development with Apple’s first iOS SDK. Through Deck5 Software, CTO engagements, and Windy City Lab, I built mobile applications and worked across cloud services, embedded hardware, IoT, and product strategy.

   

6. Teaching

   Engineering by building

   I developed iOS curriculum for Chicago-area high schools, taught professional workshops, and now teach intensive computer science and engineering courses through Northwestern CTD.

7. Today

   Teaching, building, and AI consulting

   I am semi-retired, build useful software with Codex, and help companies bring AI into their processes. My current work brings engineering, teaching, and personal curiosity together.

What connects the work

Understand the whole system: the people, constraints, decisions, and knowledge that allow it to keep working. Start with the real work, make architecture understandable, and leave teams more capable.

Outside the work

I was born and raised in Chicago. My first computer was an Apple II Plus. I play piano, photograph the night sky, and have a deep interest in astronomy. I earned my private pilot’s license in 1983, remain an unapologetic Star Trek fan, and enjoy the meeting of science, engineering, and imagination.

People I admire

Carl Sagan, Leonardo da Vinci, Alan Turing, Margaret Hamilton, Stephen Covey, Albert Einstein, and Steve Jobs.

Start a conversation

Tell me about your process, your students, or the software you want to build. We begin with goals, constraints, and timing, then agree on scope, deliverables, and fees before work begins.