The Scratching Post: The New Guy

Posted Sep 1 2010, 02:10 PM

I've often described the Ambrosia Office as the little house on the corner; our small staff and menagerie of pets comprising a happily dysfunctional family. As the case may be, a new face at the sweet fountain of life force we call a coffee maker does not go unnoticed very long.

Because we are all such congenial individuals, anyone affectionately dubbed "the new guy" is welcomed whole heartedly-- the way new campers to camp, or brothers to a frat. Okay, so we aren't really *hazing* the new guy (and if we *were,* a good employee would never admit it!) but I did subject him to a bit of an inquisition. After all, as office "zookeeper," knowing the animals is just another part of the job!

"I came to Rochester for school," says Jon Gary, an RIT graduate who spent his childhood in Suffolk County. "I worked at the University of Rochester for a while, got hired by Kodak, then spent about 15 years there writing software for digital cameras."

Aside from the usual computer geekery we eagerly embrace around here, our newest employee revealed himself to be a bit of a film enthusiast-- particularly indie titles such as Martin Scorsese's "After Hours," or "anything David Lynch." According to Jon he frequents Rochester's Little Theatre, specializing in offbeat cinema, and will occasionally patronize a particularly compelling blockbuster film. But the intrigue doesn't stop there-- Jon is also a song writer and multi-instrumentalist.

"I play bass in a band called Woody Dodge, which plays out probably 4-6 times a year," Jon says of his rock star status. "I also write and record my own material under the name Crabapples."

Jon's skill in audio and visual development are a perfect fit for our major utilities focus (Snapz Pro and the WireTap family), and we have already put him to work! In only his second week here, Jon has hit the ground running, and seems to have a pretty good comprehension of the sort of tight ship we run.

"It's a very different environment than I'm used to working in." He quickly adds "But in a good way! I'm used to a corporate environment, where the focus is less sharp. This is the kind of place I imagined myself working when I originally got into Mac development."

So, Jon likes beer, music, movies, and coding. Sounds like we have yet another great addition to the Ambrosia team. Although Jon did confide in me his concerns regarding his only moderate level of devotion to bacon, I'm sure he will do just fine!