FRANKLIN, Tenn. Nov. 5, 2012 – Jack Bailey, John Beck, Michael Eatherly, James McCracken, John Owens, Logan Serman, Ali Taher and Ron Unger have joined custom mobile application developers,Metova, Inc. as developers, company officials announced today. Todd Grooms has also come onboard as a lead developer, and Jill Henderson started as manager of software development.
Jack Bailey
Bailey recently graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. He previously worked as a developer at Jamais Vu Productions, where he assisted in programming iOS applications. He also interned as an engineer for Premier System Integrators.
John Beck
Beck received his undergraduate degree in economics and his master’s in computer science, both from Southern Illinois University. While in college, he worked as a computer support assistant and computer lab technician, supporting Southern Illinois University’s College of Liberal Arts and the English department.
“Jack and John Beck are both hobbyists at heart, and enjoy learning new techniques, technologies and programming languages,” said Dave Lane, director of development for Metova. “They will be able to use this innate curiosity will them to solve problems for our customers.”
Michael Eatherly
Eatherly previously developed and maintained applications for HealthStream Inc. He received associate degrees in computer information systems and university studies from Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tenn. He also earned his bachelor’s degree in computer information technology from Western Kentucky University. While attending Volunteer State, he worked as a PC technician.
“Michael’s technical background is wide-ranging. He has created Web apps, mobile apps and built websites. He will be a strong new asset to our team,” said Kevin Ross, president of Metova.
James McCracken
McCracken joins Metova having recently graduated with a master’s in software engineering from Auburn University. He also received his bachelor’s in computing engineering from Auburn. He previously worked as a controls engineer from Prism Systems, Inc., developing systems including programmable logic controller code, touchscreen design and installation.
John Owens
A recent graduate of Vanderbilt University, Owens holds a dual degree in computer science and chemistry. While at Vanderbilt, he served as a research assistant for the Vanderbilt Clinical Research Center, providing technical support. He also has experience developing for ASP, C# and .Net and managing MySQL databases.
“James and John Owens are proficient in multiple programming languages and pick up new concepts and technologies very easily. These are extremely important traits for programmers working with mobile and tablet applications,” said Lane.
Logan Serman
As a data warehouse intern for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, Serman optimized the efficient retrieval of financial files. He also previously interned for PI Engineering, developing software for the company. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s in computer science.
Ali Taher
Taher, a California native, joins Metova having recently graduated from the University of California–Irvine with a bachelor’s in computer science. He previously worked for THQ, Inc., a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software, as a tester, ensuring quality and documentation of games.
Ron Unger
Unger comes to Metova from Jacobs Technology, where he worked for three years as a senior java enterprise developer for the technology engineering service provider. With an extensive background in java, he previously worked as a java software engineer for Argon ST, Dash Navigation and Northrop Grumman. Unger earned a bachelor’s in engineering from Auburn University.
“All of Metova’s new programmers have a solid foundation in computer science, which will give them the confidence needed to adapt to our fast-paced programming environment,” Lane said. “We’re excited to welcome them all to our team.”
Todd Grooms
Grooms joins Metova as a lead developer. He previously worked at Metova from 2009 to 2011 and developed mobile software for Android, iOS and BlackBerry. During the last year, he took a mobile software developer position at Asurion where he specialized in iOS. He graduated from the University of Louisville.
Jill Henderson
Henderson is a 10-year video game industry veteran. She most recently worked for Zynga Games Inc. as a senior community manager. While at Zynga, Henderson provided community management and publishing support for highly influential products including Mafia Wars, Café World and Words with Friends, among others.
She also worked as an associate community relations manager for NCSoft-Paragon Studios, as lead customer support for Sigil Games Online and lead customer support for Verant Studios/Sony Online Entertainment. Henderson received her bachelor’s in social work from Utah State University.
Metova’s most recent hires come shortly after the mobile app developer took on a majority investor and added government technology services to its portfolio. The move tripled Metova’s existing employee base to 70 employees, and opened opportunities for more high-tech job growth in Middle Tennessee.
“This newest batch of development talent is only the first of our recruiting efforts,” said Dave McAllister, Metova’s vice president of software development “We expect to continue growing our mobile application shop over the next several months.”
About Metova, Inc.
Metova is a technology company made up of Metova Mobile and Metova Federal Services. Metova Mobile develops custom mobile applications for smartphone and tablet platforms, including Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. Metova Federal Services is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that provides information technology services and support to government entities. John Adams serves as CEO for both companies, and Metova founder Kevin Ross serves as president of Metova Mobile. The Metova brand employs over 60 people in four cities: Franklin, Tenn. (Metova Mobile’s headquarters), Cabot, Ark. (Metova Federal Services’ headquarters), Augusta, Ga. and Washington D.C. You can find Metova on Facebook at Facebook.com/Metova, Twitter at Twitter.com/Metova, or on the Web at Metova.com.
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