Andy Barrows
Software Engineering Manager
Webby Award-Winning Engineering Manager with 26k contributions over 17 years evolving distinguished software engineering expertise. Played a leading role in growing an enterprise of 40 comic, games, and article web applications to 8.6 million monthly users at the world’s largest syndicate. Proven servant leadership with a unique “Product-First” culture acclaimed for innovative workflow efficiencies and championing AI integrations that force-multiplies company success.
Skills
Languages & Core Proficiencies: ASP.NET, Back-end Engineering, Back-End Web Development, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Front-End Web Development, Front-end Engineering, Full-Stack Development, Git, GitOps, GO, HAML, HTML5, Java, JavaScript, JSON, Node.js, PERL, PHP, Prompt Engineering, Python, RESTful services, Ruby on Rails, SASS, SCSS, Software Engineering, TypeScript, XHTML, XML, YML
Frameworks & Platforms: A/B Testing, AWS, Bootstrap (Framework), CCPA, Cypress, Drupal, GCP, GDPR, Google Analytics, GTM, Jest, Joomla, Material UI, Microsoft Azure, Next.js, NextAuth, OpenAPI Specification (OAS), Playwright, React.js, Single Page Applications, Stripe, Structured Data (JSON-LD), Tailwind CSS, Wordpress (WP)
Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Figma, Google Gemini, Illustrator, Microsoft & Github CoPilot, Photoshop, Sketch, VS Code, Warp
Specialized Skills: Agile Methodologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automated Software Testing, Azure DevOps Services, Content Management Systems (CMS), Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD), Data Analysis, Data Engineering, Digital Advertising, Digital Analytics, E-commerce, Game Development, Growth Strategies, Information Architecture, Integration Tests, Market Analysis, Market Research, Onpage SEO, Process Automation, Product Development, Product Management, Project Management, Prototyping, Public Speaking, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Software Quality Assurance (SQA), Software Security, Software Testing, Stakeholder Management, Team Building, Team Leadership, Technical Writing, User Experience (UX), User Interface Design (UI), User Research, Visual Design, Web Analytics, Web Application Development, Web Content Management, Web Development, Web Engineering, Web Services
Work Experience
Manager of Software Engineering | August 2019 - April 2024
Andrews McMeel Universal | Kansas City, MO
Grew and managed a front-end team from the ground up to 11 engineers. Main objective was transforming 15 flagships from monolithic Ruby on Rails applications & Python services into streamlined UI systems in React.js/Next.js/ with .NET Core/C# microservices, all in Docker/Kubernetes hosted in Azure/AWS.
- Led front-end engineering architecture and development across 15 high-performing websites and services, culminating in a peak of 8.6 million monthly user impressions. Built with React, Next.js on Docker/Kubernetes in Azure.
- Supervised front-end operations delivering over 16,000 digital assets monthly to prestigious clients like Apple, Amazon, and USA Today, directly contributing to multi-million dollar annual B2B revenue streams.
- Championed company-wide AI adoption by showcasing enterprise models like GitHub CoPilot, Gemini Pro, and ChatGPT to technical leadership, aiding in the formation of corporate AI integration guidelines.
- Established an acclaimed front-end developer experience that reduced non-coding activities from 65 minutes to less than 5 minutes per ticket and without engineers having to leave VS Code; built with AI, Github Actions, Docker, and continuous feedback.
- Vanguard for fast-paced professional growth among software engineers; achieving 6 job promotions in 5 years as a hands-on manager, more than all other engineering teams combined.
- Evangelized growth-minded, skills-based culture for engineering teams and across the company within 2 years by establishing a “progression bands” system that streamlined career growth and advanced skills for technical roles.
- Increased speed to market by 66% within 6 months by innovating a blueprint codebase system that stored all team approved principle React components, Next.js tooling, and bundler strategies while automatically raising code reviews for emerging team changes.
- Streamlined software engineers onboarding by 77% through reducing the onboarding procedure from 60 days to 14 days and institutionalized throughout technical teams.
- Spearheaded enterprise adoption of the Atlassian suite within 8 months, resulting in streamlined task management by configuring highly customized workflows while continuing to improve based on business needs
- Managed response to a state-sponsored ransomware attack, achieving 100% data recovery in four days and refused to pay ransom. By directing collaboration between senior leadership, cyber insurance, company employees, and the FBI, successfully maintained 100% of SLA commitments.
Lead Front-End Developer | January 2017 - July 2019
Andrews McMeel Universal | Kansas City, MO
- Led our front-end engineering team through development on thefarside.com which won a Webby Award in 2020; built in Ruby on Rails, Redux, Webpack with microservices and PostgreSQL.
- Directed a technical audit and budget proposal which reduced department’s annual budget by 45%. Adopted zero-based strategy to eliminate unnecessary expenses and strategically shifted to more cost-effective platforms like Atlassian, Github, and Browserstack while negotiating with partners.
- In 5 months, boosted deployment speeds by 22% and vastly improved code quality in flagship products by orchestrating a 12 point checklist on the CI/CD pipeline while coaching the DevOps team.
- Reduced enterprise hosting cost by 60% during a 5-year cloud migration plan to Azure. Transitioned 40 digital products and 80 services from Ruby on Rails, Python, GO to a modern architecture by migrating UIs to React.js, Next.js and RESTful APIs while supporting DevOps team.
- Led a User Privacy Compliance campaign across 16 product roadmaps resulting in 100% CCPA, GDPR, and COPA regulations within 9 months while training engineers “Privacy First” best practices and ongoing procedures.
- Increased security, efficiency, and broadened capabilities within 2 months by creating a Node.js utility which automated the migration of the entire organization’s 400 repositories while coordinating training with 4 peer lead engineers.
Web Developer | April 2011 - December 2016
Universal Uclick | Kansas City, MO
Game Developer | March 2010 - March 2011
Universal Uclick | Kansas City, MO
- Reduced maintenance by 90% by converting 80 games into scalable engines with client versions.
Web Integrator | June 2010 - July 2014
Adamson USA | Kansas City, MO
- Secured and retained major clients commitments by delivering digital marketing products to iconic brands like Kawasaki, ExxonMobil, Earth’s Best, some boasting six-figure budgets.
Volunteering & Leadership
United States Army Reserves | March 2003 - March 2009
37F Psychological Operations | Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC
- Expert in Behavioral Analysis and target audience segmentation through rigorous special operations training in psychological campaigns and influence operations force-multiplying success for coalition.
Education
A+ In IC3 Certifications, Certified Internet Web Developer | March 2006 - December 2017
Centriq Foss IT Institution | Leawood, KS
Associates (Incomplete due to Military) | Overland Park, KS