My name is Rey Hill and I am the lead programmer at FSF. I first got into programming as I was wrapping up my bachelor's degree and beginning my Masters degree in Education at Columbia University.
Many teachers have a private tutoring business on the side and I understood that a huge component to that was having a personal website. I got my start with web technologies in order to expand my own reach as a teacher.
Throughout the process of learning new technologies in order to achieve my goals, I felt as though I had uncovered a different dimension and it activated something within me. Programming presented itself to me as a world with its own rules, a place where your creativity was your only limit. If you could imagine it and were willing to learn, you could build it.
I started FSF so I could share my ever expanding skillset and knowledge.
Being a teacher involves communicating knowledge. Being a good teacher involves communicating that knowledge in a way that addresses the unique perspective of each student. Being a great teacher is to embrace both the role of teacher and student - to provide knowledge in accessible ways while continuing to improve oneself. A lifelong learner is never content with what they know, but always hungry for more.
I take the time to teach the people I work with about the tools they are using so they know the “how” and not just the “why”. I also continue to expand my skillset so I have more to offer them.
In my youth, my parents owned and operated a factory that produced textile goods for various clients across the United States. My family's business exposed me to workplace standards at a very young age. I learned the value of on-time delivery, positive relationships, high standards, and clear communication by watching my parents do the work that sustained our family each day.
I apply these early lessons to my current approach by prioritizing professional growth and maintaining my relationships. When you work with me, you're working with someone that was brought up with an “old school” approach to business. For me, it is more important to maintain good connections that reap long term dividends than to find new ways to monetize every little thing as is so common in today's culture.
Coming up with plans and executing them is rewarding. Programming is a field that rewards both efficiency and creativity. At FSF, the entire development process is seen as a story and we are very proud authors.
There is never a dull moment in tech.
What do you get when you combine a love of technology with a world where it is evolving at an exponential rate? Unlimited potential. With all of the advances being made in computing, our ability to deliver will only increase over time.
We are led by curiosity as a principle.