About Us
We are Ruby on Rails specialists, and we love it.
TreyBeanPresident, Co-founder
He's been building web apps for more than 10 years, and brings a disciplined approach to every project we undertake. He absolutely doesn’t take shortcuts—whether we’re talking about building a web app or a tarragon soufflé. He’s a mellow Texan who doesn’t talk BS, and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
ErinBeanCEO, Co-founder
Erin ensures that the 12 Spokes commitment to quality is maintained at every level of the company, whether she’s keeping our team happy and motivated, consulting on application design, or vetting new mobile technologies. A former magazine editor, she also makes sure everyone’s commas stay in line.
EthanViziteiCode Warrior
Ethan lives where the rubber meets the road, turning big ideas into well-tested software. Also our resident volunteer firefighter and EMT as well as vibraphone enthusiast.
- QuickStats
- A third-generation programmer (his grandmother wrote FORTRAN for the travel industry).
- More than 8 years in the software industry
- The man can drive a fire engine and intubate you.
DaveDonahueCode Chef
Whether you’re making fresh guacamole or a fresh new web application, this is the guy you want on your team. Dave is as talented in the text editor as he is in the kitchen, and he’s the man we turn to when we’re all in the same city and we want homemade pizza. His large wingspan also makes him a formidable ping-pong opponent.
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- Graduated from Purdue with a degree in Computer Science
- He’s been building websites since he got access to a computer and a free trial of America Online.
- Spent two years living in a part of South Dakota so remote that the Post Office doesn’t even deliver there.
- His secret to amazing pizza dough is to make it 24 hours in advance.
ColleenPalmerPixel Gremlin
A web superhero with a penchant for design, technology, and pizza. (Which is maybe why she and Dave get along so well).
She’s the best kind of web designer: all friendliness and talent, without the ego.
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- She got her degree in English (she’s one of the four English majors on staff)
- Has a cat named Pixel
- She and her husband are serious beer brewers
- Our go-to for all illustrations—she wields a mighty pen!
ChrisHartHTMELVIS
Chris strives to make everything he designs and codes as friendly, engaging and intuitive as possible for the people who will be using it. After a hard day's work on the Interwebs, Chris unwinds by making questionable music in his garage and perfecting his two-handed ping pong backhand (Dave - you have been warned!).
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- Graduated from New England Institute of Art's design program and has been working in Photoshop and Illustrator for almost 10 years.
- Has BAs in Philosophy and English (and no regrets!)
- In a cruel twist of fate, his wife is also named Chris.
MattWheelerEngineer
Formally trained as a structural engineer, Matthew left the world of building design to engineer cleverly efficient software solutions. Matthew brings to the table a rigorous methodology for abstracting complex problems into small solvable components with an emphasis on elegance and utility.
Matthew was born, raised, and lives in Columbia, Missouri, and when he's not stirring up trouble in the kitchen he serves his lifelong community as volunteer firefighter and EMT.
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- Has rescued people from water and rescued horses, but has never rescued a horse from the water.
- Once commanded the entire 12 Spokes organization to make enchiladas from scratch for fourteen people, in under two hours.
ErikLyngvedEngineer
Erik graduated with a degree in industrial engineering, but a big financial news organization picked him straight outta school to learn Ruby on Rails, and he hasn’t looked back since. Originally from Florida, he’s the product of a Norwegian father and Cuban mother. He currently lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is a rabid Miami Heat fan.
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- The most giant of the Spokes at 6' 5"
- Is a surprisingly convincing Julia Child when given the right wig
DrewBowmanEngineer
Drew studied software engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He initially coded in .NET, but soon saw the error of his ways and is now a Ruby on Rails evangelist. He lives with his wife and twin baby daughters in New Albany, Indiana. When he’s not rocking lines of code or rocking a baby, he fixes up his 90-year-old house.
ClayPreheimFront-end Designer
Clay graduated from Carleton College with a degree in History, and boy has it paid off in spades in the computer world. (Truthfully, he loves his degree and wouldn't change a thing.) Clay lives to design and develop user interfaces, and occasionally pretends to be a Ruby programmer to boot.
Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Clay makes his home with his wife, child, and three dogs in Jackson Hole, Wyoming -- the "Best Place on Earth" ™ .
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- Has recently developed a potentially harmful love of distance trail running
- Has mesmerized (frightened?) wedding guests with his guitar and singing at five weddings and counting
- Isn't the most creative in the cooking department, but man is the kitchen spotless afterwards
AdamAndersonEngineer
Adam is a test-driven developer who loves building products that make people happy. He finds joy in all aspects of the web, whether scaling back-end architecture to serve more customers or developing new interfaces to solve tough problems.
He and his wife live in Manchester, New Hampshire, where they work side-by-side coding and painting in an historic mill building.
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- Enjoys mastering and subsequently switching text editors.
- Every omelet he makes turns into a scramble.
- Rides mopeds (i.e., can be found on the side of the road staring at his broken-down moped).