Profile

Joe Young

Technology Generalist & Integration Leader

Technology generalist with 20+ years of experience building scalable solutions and leading cross-functional teams. While creating large scale solutions is challenging, what I enjoy most is creating tools that make users' jobs easier and more efficient.

About Me

Headshot Photo

My career in software development began at the dawn of interactive web development—before AJAX was coined and jQuery existed. Back then, we built dynamic experiences with plain JavaScript and remote scripting techniques, pushing the boundaries of what browsers could do. Today, I'm leveraging AI agents across the entire software development lifecycle, from design and coding to testing and deployment.

What sets my perspective apart is extensive experience with low-code and model-driven platforms. I cut my teeth on COOL:Gen building enterprise middleware, spent years with Visual LANSA modernizing IBM iSeries systems, and now lead a team delivering integration solutions with MuleSoft. These tools taught me that the best solution isn't always the most technically elegant—it's the one that solves the problem efficiently and can be maintained by the team you have.

This breadth of experience has made me pragmatic rather than dogmatic about technology choices. I've seen paradigms come and go, watched "best practices" evolve, and learned that context matters more than convention. Whether it's hand-crafted code or a low-code platform, the right tool depends on the problem, the team, and the constraints you're working within.

Throughout my career, I've worn many hats—developer, architect, team lead, and mentor. What I enjoy most is creating tools that make users' jobs easier and helping teams navigate the ever-changing technology landscape with clarity and purpose.

Core Expertise

Cloud Architecture Team Leadership System Design Agile Methodologies Microservices API Design

Professional Experience

Senior Manager of Integration Services

Express Employment International

November 2016 - Present

Participated in digital transformation initiative while building and leading integration team. Started by modernizing IBM iSeries systems with Visual LANSA, then researched and selected MuleSoft as the enterprise integration platform. Established hybrid MuleSoft platform with on-premise runtimes and CloudHub, progressing to manager and senior manager roles. Currently leading team of 6 MuleSoft developers as part of the "Integration Hub" strategy.

  • Modernized back office systems on IBM iSeries using Visual LANSA
  • Researched and selected MuleSoft as enterprise integration platform
  • Established hybrid MuleSoft platform with on-premise runtimes and CloudHub
  • Progressed from developer to Manager to Senior Manager of Integration Services
  • Leading team of 6 MuleSoft developers as part of Digital Transformation initiative
  • Driving Express "Integration Hub" project integrating with multiple vendors
  • Collaborating with business teams, vendor partners, internal development teams, and consulting partners

Software Developer

Paycom

July 2016 - November 2016

Worked with a team developing a Windows Forms application in C# that maintained tax documents.

  • Developed Windows Forms application in C# for tax document management
  • Collaborated with team members on application development

Senior Software Developer

MTM Recognition

September 2005 - July 2016

Developed web-based applications for internal and external customers using primarily C# and Java. Conducted research and evaluation of new technologies for system modernization, with expertise in Visual LANSA for IBM AS400/iSeries platforms. Implemented and maintained AWS infrastructure while mentoring new hires.

  • Developed web-based applications in C# and Java for AS400 platforms
  • Conducted research and evaluation of Visual LANSA as a modernization tool for IBM AS400/iSeries platforms
  • Implemented and maintained AWS infrastructure
  • Mentored new hires in company culture and technology

Web Programmer

Tarleton State University

August 2003 - September 2005

Developed numerous web applications for faculty and staff using ASP and JavaScript. Responsible for all phases of web application development including requirements gathering, analysis, implementation, deployment, maintenance, training, and demonstrations.

  • Gathered and analyzed requirements from faculty and staff stakeholders
  • Implemented web applications using ASP and JavaScript technologies
  • Deployed and maintained applications for university-wide usage
  • Provided training and demonstrations to end users

Software Developer

The Innovation Group

January 2001 - June 2002

Web and COOL:Gen developer for an insurance policy administration (IPA) application. Contributed to both frontend and middleware development, leveraging web technologies and COOL:Gen framework.

  • Member of web team developing the front end for the IPA
  • Member of the middleware team developing the business logic for IPA using COOL:Gen
  • Assisted in the conversion of VB6 COM objects to J2EE EJBs
  • Assisted in the writing of new training materials for the in-house COOL:Gen training course

Education

Bachelor of Science in Computer Information System

Tarleton State University

1997 - 2000

Certifications

MuleSoft Certified Developer - Level 1

MuleSoft

January 2022

Hobbies & Interests

Fly Fishing

Passionate angler specializing in fly fishing for Redfish in inshore waters. Love the challenge of pursuing these powerful fish.

Woodworking

Dedicated craftsperson creating handmade furniture and home projects in the workshop.