Rob Reynolds
Founder and Software Engineer in Topeka, Kansas
Rob is a developer turned founder. He has been involved with several highly successful open source projects related to automation in the Windows ecosystem. Rob has over 14 years experience in infrastructure automation and modern automation approaches (something most folks simply call “CI/CD” and “DevOps” nowadays).
Starting in 2006, Rob and Dru Sellers built infrastructure automation tools to help both developers and operations perform CI (continuous integration) / CD (continuous delivery) more consistently in an audit friendly way for organizations that have rigorous control processes like Sarbanes Oxley (SOx).
In 2010, Rob and Dru also worked on a .NET package manager named Nu, which later merged with Microsoft to work on NuGet (a package management framework for .NET development). Following that Rob created Chocolatey in 2011 as a way to package up and execute PowerShell, and help manage applications and tools (Chocolatey has become a full on Windows package management/software management solution). Rob is also one of the main enablers of Puppet on Windows and worked at Puppet for 3.5+ years prior to moving out to help folks implement Chocolatey full time.
Rob has a passion for developing low maintenance solutions. He has been working in the software industry since the early days of .NET 1.0. Rob is a 7 time Microsoft MVP, ASPInsider, C# Insider, an MCSD for .NET, holds a bachelor's degree in MIS from Kansas State University, is active in his local .Net User Group, an Eagle Scout, and a former officer of the US Army Reserve. He also presents on topics he finds interesting a few times a year.
His goal in life is to make things easier/better for those around him. His goals in development are to bring low maintenance solutions (using SOLID where applicable) that solve the problem at hand and are not necessarily focused on the shiniest new tool/framework.
Rob continues to be very active in OSS and manages several OSS projects.
He started out in life going down the path of artist and converted to developer when he realized it could make a bigger impact on folks and realized he could work with computers. Rob got his first lessons in Microsoft Windows at age 18 when he purchased a Gateway PC that needed a lot of love and attention. That's when he first fell in love with computers, both fixing them and creating things.
Rob spends his free time w/his family, cheering on the Royals, and dodging tornadoes.