With the first two weeks of 2015 now gone, I am a bit late in sharing a list of just a few people whom I either met or got to know better in 2014. The following is certainly not a comprehensive list of people who made a positive, lasting impression on me, but those in this admittedly very short list continue to impress, inspire and motivate me.
Joe Mastrangelo
Joe Mastrangelo and I met through a number of professional contacts maybe two or three years ago. In the spring of 2014, Joe approached me with a creative project. From that point, he and I have worked together a number of times: sometimes on projects for his clients, sometimes for mine. In working with Joe, I was immediately impressed by his professionalism, thoroughness and attention to detail. A genuinely nice guy, Joe is laid-back and quick to laugh. On the business side, Joe heads up a small firm called Masthead Marketing.
Tim Whiting
Tim Whiting is the founder of his own personal injury and truck accident law firm. More than that, Tim is one of the most generous and thoughtful guys I know. I’m always learning something from Tim. Incredibly hard working, Tim always remembers the personal details that make a professional relationship so enjoyable — and he makes times to check in about those small, important personal details. I’m known Tim for more than 15 years, but over the past year we’ve have grown increasingly close. I consider him one of my dearest friends.
Zoe Rooney
Zoe Rooney is a Philly-based front-end developer who’s established a stellar reputation for herself over the past few years. I first heard about Zoe at WordCamp Philly where she delivered a presentation about automating development-related tasks. She was kind enough to deliver a version of that same talk a few months later to the Philly ‘burbs WordPress Meetup. Zoe is hugely generous with her time and talent, often sharing “how to” posts on her blog and offering guidance to others in the WordPress and tech community. You can check out her services and portfolio over at zoerooney.com.
Ngaire Ackerley
Ngaire Ackerley spent more than three years working with me at LBDesign. For that reason alone she deserves a mention in this list. On a serious note, she is a very hard-working, focused and dedicated designer and front-end developer who contributed so much value to my business during her tenure in our UK office. Ngaire’s off traveling the world now, so be sure to check out her amazing photos and insightful travel advice.
Lauren Pittenger
Lauren Pittenger is a friendly and energetic designer and front-end developer from greater Philadelphia. I was lucky that Lauren applied to join LBDesign in the autumn of last year. Since joining our little team, she has proven so valuable and such a joy to be around. She brings a fresh, intelligent perspective to the daily virtual office. I’m thrilled to get to work with her every day – and because she’s in the same city, I get to hangout with her in real life.
With almost a full 12 months of 2015 still to go, I look forward to working, collaborating and spending time with these amazing people. I’m also very much looking forward to meeting new people!