Gary Mikos, Senior Programmer/Analyst, Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp.
| Name: Gary Mikos Title: Senior programmer/analyst Company Name: Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation Company’s Function: Cabinet manufacturer HQ: East Earl, Pennsylvania Years in IT: 34 |
What’s the biggest challenge facing your company today? Staying on top of new technologies and determining which could be utilized to achieve company goals or drive innovation.
What do you think “the next big thing” for your business will be? Generating prototypes with 3-D printers.
What’s been your biggest accomplishment? One of the highlights goes back to 2001 when, after hearing Jon Paris present a session on CGIDEV2, I guided the creation of a customer portal. I remember doing a mental double take when I heard Jon say, “You could get to the web using RPG and HTML.” The experience gained using HTML, JavaScript*, the integrated file system and the HTTP server has paid many dividends over the years, including now as we modernize our green-screen applications using software from Profound Logic.
What’s the geekiest thing you’ve ever owned? My Scott Forstie Fan Club pin. I’m a huge fan!
What’s your favorite book or movie (and why)? “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”—a classic that makes me laugh each time I watch.
What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t in IT? Possibly police forensics. I come from a family of blue bloods.
What superpower do you wish you had? I’d take the ability to fly.
What IBM product could your company not function without? Db2*. I’ll also mention Rational* Developer for I (RDi). After using RDi, rolling back would be painful.
What business skill would you most like to acquire or improve? Learning more about the possibilities of artificial intelligence.
Who’s been your greatest mentor? What role has that person played in your life or career? Aside from my parents, Todd Moyer, who shared his RPG skill set and provided guidance as I was learning RPG on the fly. Also, a couple of since retired Conestoga Wood programmers, Gene Berglund and Fred Johns, for their encouragement, objectivity and business knowledge. They’re a big part of my programming fabric.
What’s your favorite activity outside of work? I enjoy taking a jog through the countryside.
What trends are affecting your work? The integration of cloud-based technologies.
What’s your favorite sound? Karson (my son) laughing.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Sticking to the world of programming and debugging: “The code never lies.”