Kelly Mason
| Name: Kelly Mason Title: Software engineer Company Name: Smalley Steel Ring Company’s Function: Manufacturing HQ: Lake Zurich, Illinois Years in IT: 2 |
The biggest challenge our data center is facing today is finding young talented RPG programmers.
The next big thing for our business will be the integration of cognitive thinking.
My favorite IBM product is the Watson* music maker.
If money were no object, the one thing I’d purchase is an ice rink.
My favorite activity outside of work is playing pool.
My favorite musical artist is Sublime.
The best movie I’ve seen recently is “Into the Wild.”
The geekiest thing I’ve ever owned is a Tardis wallet.
If I were stuck on a desert island, the one item I’d want is a metal container.
The trend affecting my work is the modernization of source code to allow for younger programmers to easily learn the syntax of RPG.
The favorite part of my day is when the user sees the end product and they express how much it will help them.
I ended up in IT when I was thinking about the jobs that would last. I knew a career in the medical field would always be around, but I didn’t want to work with bedpans. Another field that would be around would be criminal justice, but I didn’t want to work with criminals, either. The field that runs them both is IT. And once I got into programming it was a perfect fit.
My favorite or most impacting book is “The Giver” by Lois Lowry.
The business skill I’d more like to acquire or improve is communication.
My guilty pleasure is Red Bull.
My greatest mentor has been Jim Buck. I was fortunate to take his classes at Gateway Technical College. All of my success I owe to him and the faith he has always put into his students to be great programmers.