We are so pleased to welcome Ben Schwinghammer, Technical Support Specialist, to the team. You can learn more about Ben below.
Tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
I’m originally from the Baltimore Maryland area, but I grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My fiancée and I moved to the Columbus area last September and have made it our home.
Where did you go to school?
I went to Horry-Georgetown Technical College where I got my Computer Science degree.
How did you get into software engineering? What areas of your field do you like to focus on?
I’ve always had a passion for computers and technology growing up, so it only felt natural for me to pursue a career in it.
I like to focus on client impact, making a difference to them and their business is the most fulfilling aspect of working in this field.
Do you have a code of ethics or a mantra that you live by when doing development work?
I try to find teaching moments wherever I can. I find it highly valuable to take any opportunity possible to learn something more in depth. It is also equally as important for me to take advantage of opportunities I have to share my knowledge with those around me.
How do our core values (collaboration, initiative, ingenuity) align with your own?
Collaboration has always come naturally to me. The time I’ve spent working with others is usually the time that I feel the most productive. It also offers a scenario where individuals can invest into one another and make the entire group stronger. I strive to find moments like this.
Initiative and Ingenuity are highly valuable skills for anyone to have! I try to find alternative solutions for an issue before I allow myself to get stuck on a task.
What do you want to learn in the next 12 months as a Technical Support Specialist? What do you want to learn about the web development industry?
I look forward to learning more about our stacks and how the technologies interconnect. Most of the components I already have an understanding of, but learning how they interact will help me to have a better scope of the big picture of supporting our clients needs.
Tell us about your hobbies. What do you like to do outside of work?
I am a huge board game geek! I own dozens of games ranging from Takenoko, a game about growing bamboo to feed pandas, to Twilight Imperium, a massive scale battle between factions vying for control of the galaxy. I’m usually the one who gets handed the rulebook and teaches everyone else how to play the game. Also, I collect and build my own mechanical keyboards.
What is the one thing most people don’t know about you?
My father was the first person in his family to be born in the United States, so I guess that makes me a second generation American!
