Solutions Architect | Systems Integration & Automation | Infrastructure & AIOps
I'm a results-driven technology professional combining 15+ years of telecommunications infrastructure experience with proven web development and systems administration expertise. I founded multiple technology businesses including Apex Webcrafters and Steinmetz Printing, both operating under Steinmetz Ventures LLC.
My expertise spans full-stack WordPress development, containerized application deployment with Docker Swarm, network infrastructure design, and AI integration. I run a personal homelab with 15+ production services, architect solutions for small businesses, and build custom WordPress plugins that power real-world operations from tournament management to e-commerce.
I'm a strong technical problem-solver with a track record of translating complex concepts for diverse audiences — from configuring fiber optic terminals to designing AI-powered product design studios. Whether it's deploying infrastructure, writing code, or consulting on network design, I bring the same hands-on, security-first approach to everything I build.
Notes from the workbench — deep dives into the projects, problems, and occasional rabbit holes I find worth writing down.
No spam, just an email when a new post goes up.
Apex Webcrafters / Herrin, IL
Apex Webcrafters / Herrin, IL
Steinmetz Printing / Herrin, IL
Steinmetz Printing / Herrin, IL
Futiva / Marion, IL
Futiva / Marion, IL
Galaxy One Marketing / West Frankfort, IL
Galaxy One Marketing / West Frankfort, IL
Mediacom Communications / Southern IL / Western KY
Mediacom Communications / Southern IL / Western KY
Pizza Mike's / Herrin, IL
Pizza Mike's / Herrin, IL
Want the story behind these? Case Studies →
Wrote a Linux kernel driver from scratch for a USB ATSC TV tuner that ships only x86 binary blobs — bringing free over-the-air TV to a Raspberry Pi 5. Custom dvb-usb glue for the Cypress FX2 bridge over an MN88436 demod, DKMS-packaged to survive kernel upgrades. Open-sourced (GPL-2.0).
Tournament management system for 3 Rivers BCA. 6-table billiards room management with chip engine auto-queuing, single/double/modified elimination brackets, Calcutta auctions, player self-scoring, and full WooCommerce payment integration.
Real-time player dashboard integrating Steinmetz TMS and Pool Ratings Engine. Features Elo ratings, skill level tracking, match history, and AI coaching scaffolding. React SPA consuming WordPress REST API with role-based access control.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication app helping non-verbal users communicate. Multi-tenant SaaS with organization management, subscription plans, and usage logging.
Full-service business management platform with headless WordPress API backend and React frontend. Membership tiers via PMPro with Stripe payment processing.
Fundraising management platform built on WordPress with React-powered pages. Campaign creation, donation tracking, and donor management hosted on local infrastructure.
Elo-based rating system (100-900 range) with performance scoring, Fargo/APA import blending, dynamic race calculation, and chart-based lookups. WordPress plugin consumed by TMS and LeagueMaster.
Docker Swarm cluster running 15+ containerized services with high availability. Traefik reverse proxy, automated Let's Encrypt SSL, RPi 5 hosting 5 WordPress sites, centralized monitoring.
Real-time infrastructure monitoring dashboard for Docker Swarm stacks and external sites. Auto-refreshing with health checks across 13+ services and 6 external domains.
Automated daily security scanning, Docker health checks, WordPress maintenance, ClamAV integration, and email reporting. Auto-updates WP plugins with backup and rollback.
Model Context Protocol server providing AI assistants with WordPress development documentation, hook validation, and block API search capabilities.
Trophy and awards e-commerce site with custom WooCommerce theme, product catalog, and online ordering for a local trophy shop.
Portfolio and e-commerce site for leather goods artisan. Product showcase with WooCommerce integration and custom design.
Restaurant and bar website featuring events calendar, booking system, menu management, and responsive mobile-first design.
Billiards club association site with tournament management integration, member portal, and WooCommerce for tournament entry fees.
Self-hosted workflow automation platform with custom business process workflows, API integrations, and automated task pipelines.
Cross-platform household task app — recurring chores generate independent instances so skipping one day doesn't cascade to the next. Gamified with points, streaks, and achievements, plus a native Android home-screen widget.
Self-hosted Canva-style design editor for product customization. Real-time Fabric.js canvas, embeddable in third-party sites as a web component via API keys and short-lived HMAC tokens, with NextAuth credential auth and a Postgres-backed project store.
Unified WooCommerce plugin for product personalization — built-in drag/drop design canvas plus an optional Steinmetz Studio embed mode, with an OAuth-style 'Connect to Studio' flow. Single codebase auto-deployed to multiple production stores via GitHub + Git Updater.
WooCommerce plugin that turns an admin-built order into a native PayPal invoice, sidestepping email deliverability issues by having PayPal send it directly. AES-256 encrypted API credentials, signature-verified webhooks, and penny-exact order-to-invoice reconciliation.
Multi-tenant cloud fax platform — WordPress REST API backend with per-tenant data isolation and JWT auth via httpOnly cookies, paired with a Next.js dashboard. Integrates a VoIP carrier API for inbound/outbound faxing with webhook-driven delivery.
9 technologies
I'm currently open to new opportunities — whether it's a full-time role, contract work, or a consulting engagement. Let's build something together.