Hello! I’m AJ Hoffer, a.k.a, the new guy around LEx! Allow myself to introduce… myself:
FIRST, LET’S GET PERSONAL
Currently, I live in Lancaster, PA, which is an awesome little town, full of history, food, activities, and not to mention lots of breweries!
I live there with my wife, an elementary school teacher, and our dog, Moxie. We are expecting our first child in March, and we are pumped! (Although, Moxie will surely not appreciate being knocked down in the pecking order.)
I’m also a classic extrovert. I thrive in an environment where I get to interact with people. I also love spending time outside, whether that’s playing ultimate frisbee, going for hikes, or just exploring around town.
THE RESUME
I took a programming class (C++) as a freshman in high-school for no other reason than I thought that “computers are cool!” But I fell in love with the class. I took every programming course my high-school offered.
It was an obvious choice, then, to major in Computer Science (with a focus on Software Engineering) at Shippensburg University, where I graduated cum laude. There, I learned to love programming even more. High school taught me the basics, but college was where I first learned to program full systems, where I learned to put the pieces together. It was great!
After college I interned, and then worked, at a software consulting company that built web applications. This is where I first learned why and how software can help real people. Writing software was already fun on its on, but working with businesses who would say, “We have X problem,” and then telling them, “We can build Y, which will help solve your problem!” was an extra special experience. It’s also where I was first introduced to the Microsoft .NET programming framework (upon which LEx is built). While I’ve worked with languages from C++ to Java to even LISP, Microsoft .NET has always been my go-to programming language, and the one I’ve spent most of my career working with (I’m even a Microsoft Certified Professional Developer!).
After that job, I worked at a hospital where I wrote systems to help patients connect with specialty physicians. Then I freelanced, working directly with companies and individuals to help them solve problems. This was my first time working so closely with customers, and I loved being able to communicate and build relationships with them, in addition to helping them solve problems with code.
WHY I’M EXCITED ABOUT WORKING AT LUPULIN EXCHANGE
I am excited about working with LEx because I love working with code and with people. I can’t wait to connect with brewers, growers, and everyone else in the LEx community to see how we can maximize our service and your experience. I believe my technical background puts me in a great position to help build the product, and I believe my passion for people will help me build relationships with our users.
I’m excited about the direction that LEx is going, and I can’t wait to help it grow!