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Vickie Hall
Executive Director

info@zworks.org
317-732-7096

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85 East Cedar St.
Zionsville, IN 46077

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Featured Member: Tony Reyes

Tony Reyes“The internet changed everything,” says Tony Reyes, as he describes his career path and the journey that many have taken in the Amazon Web Services cloud services industry. He goes on to describe how things used to be, when you had to move to California or another big city to work in the tech space. “Today, all you need is a wifi signal,” he says.

As the Director of Sales for Trek 10, Tony is able to raise his family in his home state of Indiana and still work for a premier company in the AWS Professional Services and Managed Services Consulting industry.

Growing up in Frankfort, Indiana, Tony laid the groundwork for his success by corn detasseling, as well as working in a factory where he packaged artificial christmas trees. Because of these early jobs, the influence of the hardworking community he grew up in, and the example his parents set for him, Tony developed the work ethic and values that Hoosiers are known for.

After completing his undergraduate degree from Wabash College, Tony moved to Chicago, where he met his wife and started his family. After 14 years, he accepted a position in IT consulting in Indianapolis. From there, Tony learned about Trek 10 and the advancements they were making in AWS infrastructure consulting. He was determined to join this exciting company.

In his current role with Trek 10, Tony is passionate about using his expertise to help the next generation of tech leaders start their careers, right in Indiana. He wants to help young professionals realize that they don’t need to leave Indiana to work for a competitive company in the industry.

Tony also loves having the opportunity to work with a variety of companies through Trek 10, where he helps develop cutting-edge AWS cloud-based solutions for his clients. Trek10 counts well known Fortune 1000 clients as its customers all the way down to exciting startups vying to be the next well known brand. Tony’s primary objective is to take these businesses to the next level, utilizing the services that Trek 10 offers.

Since starting with Trek 10 as the first Indianapolis-based team member, the Indiana team has grown significantly, with 30 team members in South Bend and seven in Indianapolis. Now, Trek 10 is in the top 1% of service providers of AWS, and is continuing to expand its reach. With team members throughout the midwest and east coast, it is an exciting time to be a part of the organization!

Tony works out of zWORKS, along with a few other Indy-based colleagues, and loves coming into the Zionsville Village to spend his days. zWORKS has been a great way for him to create his own workspace outside the house, and has connected him with wonderful people living and working in the community.

Featured Startup: Jewelr

Co-founders unite passions

One co-founder loves jewelry and one loves startups. And together – Natalie Whitmore and Richard Crowe are combining their passions to start Jewelr – a software management company for retail jewelry stores.

Whitmore worked in wholesale and retail jewelry for several years. Whether it was failing software, frustratingly complicated software or simultaneously juggling eight software programs, Whitmore had experienced it all.

When people asked what software she recommended, she had no good answer.

Featured Member: Daryl Knecht

A career of tech trends

To say one zWORKS member stumbled into the world of technology would be inaccurate. It was more of a calculated stumble.

From computer-aided manufacturing to data analytics to low-code technology, this is the story of an engineer-turned-sales-techy who has made a career of anticipating the next tech trend.

The year was 1999 and Daryl Knecht saw an opportunity.

He started out as a mechanical engineer in the computer-aided design and manufacturing world. During the five years in that industry, he received one too many offers to convert to the sales world and finally acquiesced.

“Ultimately, I married the engineering background with sales and got into the technical sales arena,” he said.

The year was 2009 and Knecht saw an opportunity.

Featured Startup: PerfectFit Software Solutions

zWORKS programmer turns hobby into career

It’s a tale as old as time. Or should I say, a tale as old as the late 1900s.

There’s three integral parts to this tale. First is an ‘80s kid. Second is a computer in some basement somewhere in America. Third, mix the first two together and – shazam – it’s a future tech genius in the making.

One zWORKS member’s story started like so. Matt Metcalf is the co-founder of PerfectFit Software Solutions and his tale is currently in the software startup chapter.

“I grew up with computers in the house and I was fascinated with them,” he said.

Featured Member: Jordan Morrissey

zWORKS member finds passion through design

It has been a 10-year journey for one zWORKS member from Bluffton, Indiana to owning an interior design company in Zionsville.

Jordan Morrissey came to Indianapolis to study interior design. After working for two designers, she decided to take a different route into space planning.

During one client visit with her mentor, Morrissey said she didn’t think she wanted to do interior design. A few years later and she’s telling a different story.

“Now if I see my mentor, she tells me I totally ate my words,” Morrissey said.

Featured Member: Eric Siemers

zWORKS member dedicates life to Alzheimer’s research

One zWORKS member was one of thousands to take Lilly’s retirement package in 2017.

Dr. Eric Siemers spent two decades researching Alzheimer’s disease at Eli Lilly and is continuing his life work as an independent consultant.

He joined a group of five other former Lilly employees and set up shop at zWORKS to support each other in their individual quests.

“What’s interesting about Alzheimer’s is that even people at other pharmaceutical companies – we’re all rooting for each other because everybody just wants a success,” Siemers said.

Featured Member: Jordan Hollingsworth

zWORKS member makes safety cool

Safety is the new black and Jordan Hollingsworth knows it. He’s making work environments safer one project at a time.

It all started with a seasonal college job with a utility company. Sometimes it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know, and Hollingsworth met someone in the safety management department. That person became his mentor and the rest is history.

Over a decade later and Hollingsworth has been working at Safety Management Group for 12 years.

Featured Partner: MDLF

zWORKS partner focuses on Indiana leaders

It’s all about young innovative leaders for one zWORKS partner.

In fact, their mission statement is “Enable Leaders. Drive Change”. This year’s Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation Fellows Program is a group of 20 young professionals from around Indiana.

The program has undergone some recent changes headed by one of our very own – Kate Swanson, MDLF Executive Director.

Swanson called it a revitalization of the organization after it began in 2014 – a few years after Mitch Daniels’ second term as Indiana governor. This year has been about focusing on the program’s curriculum.

Featured Startup: Revival Recreation

Personal experience motivates zWORKS startup founder

For Chris Jackson, recreational therapy has played an important factor in all aspects of his life.

Fly fishing was the form of recreational therapy he connected with the most. A few years ago, he went on a trip to Norway with Project Healing Waters and it changed his life.

“I experienced the intervention of recreation and outdoors in my life transitioning out of military service after being medically retired and transitioning into civilian life,” Jackson said. “Outdoor recreation was the vessel by which I experienced healing.”

Seven years ago, Jackson was living a very different life. He pulled apart roadside bombs for the U.S. Air Force; his title – Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team Leader.

Featured Startup: Maker Factory

At zWORKS, we’ve seen how beneficial collaboration can be. One zWORKS startup is looking to bring collaboration to the engineering world in Indy.

Brian Hull is one of the founders of Maker Factory and his goal is to start a maker space in Indianapolis.

A maker space is coworking for engineers and builders. It provides the tools and supplies needed like lasers, welders, 3D printers, design software, tools, etc.

“I’m a part of zWORKS because I think it’s similar,” Hull said. “It’s a coworking space and I think the next generation of workers are experimenting with coworking.”

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