I am Brian Zalewski.

I am a Software Engineer, Father, Genealogy Addict, Video & Board Gamer, and Heavy Metal Fan

My name is Brian Zalewski (zuh-loo-ski or if you're feeling particularly Polish today, zaˈlɛfski). I am a full-stack software engineer in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area.

I am always striving to learn and use the the latest technologies to build with.

About Me

Besides full-stack development, there are other things in my life that I really enjoy doing.

The year 2010 marked a pivotal turning point in my life when the arrival of my daughter brought boundless joy and immeasurable changes. In December 2012, my son joined our family. Parenthood has been an extraordinary mix of challenges and blessings, encompassing moments of both stress and pure amazement. This incredible journey has shaped me in ways I never imagined, and I wholeheartedly embrace every step of it.

In 1999, a convergence of events — a thought-provoking news article and the loss of my beloved grandfather — propelled me into the vast realm of family history and genealogy. It's an ongoing exploration that continues to teach me valuable lessons about my roots and personal identity. I love to share this knowledge with my children, and my fascination with genealogy fuels my ongoing quest for discovery and software engineering.

Gaming has been an integral part of my life since my early years. I remember my first encounter with video games on my parents' Texas Instruments TI-99/4A, where Space Invaders became my go-to entertainment. However, it was when my brother brought home the Nintendo Entertainment System that my early obsession truly took flight. While my gaming time has dwindled since becoming a parent and taking on adult responsibilities, I still manage to carve out moments to get lost in this beloved hobby. My interests and priorities have shifted over time, but gaming continues to provide me with a much-needed escape. Recently, my family and I decided to relaunch our family gaming site, Stay-At-Home Gamers, where we document our adventures in video and board gaming

The pivotal moment when I laid my hands on my brother's Metallica "Master of Puppets" cassette tape forever changed my musical journey (probably known to most now as that song from Stranger Things.) Since that day, I've remained a devoted fan of heavy metal and hard rock music. While I also appreciate and enjoy a diverse range of genres, there's something about heavy metal that evokes a special kind of passion and connection, you know by how your favorite music affects your own soul.

Beyond software engineering, I'm intrigued by fields such as big data, machine learning, gamification, and, weirdly, logistics. For fun, I enjoy rooting for NFL teams like the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, as well as Premier League sides like Liverpool. I also like to explore history, watch documentaries and comedies, and ponder the vastness of space.

This site was built with React and Gatsby using much inspiration from Brittany Chiang's v4 website.

A few technologies that I've worked with recently are:

C#
Python
APIs
Node.js
React
Vite
MongoDB
Microsoft Azure
.NET Core

Work History

Software & Database Engineer

Cain Industries, Inc (Germantown, WI)

August 2023 - Current

Main developer of a custom-built industrial machinery manufacturing CRM with Microsoft .NET, streamlining sales and information retrieval for enhanced efficiency.
Designing custom software to automate and optimize the data and information exchange between production, purchasing, and sales.

Software Engineer III, Financial Applications

Gannett, USA TODAY NETWORK (McLean, VA)

April 2016 - June 2023

Full-stack development focused mainly on the back-end systems including, but not limited to, working with C#, Microsoft SQL, MySQL, PHP, jQuery, and Bootstrap.
I had the ability to create custom full-stack software solutions that were utilized throughout the organization across various departments. These comprehensive solutions enabled us to streamline complex processes, such as time card data translation, credit card approvals, employee data imports, and user access reviews. My role allowed me to contribute to the organization's success by developing innovative software solutions that improved our overall efficiency and productivity.
As the sole developer, I spearheaded a critical security project to address an outdated and insecure method of receiving tax forms via email. I replaced this system with a fully secure web-based solution, enhancing both the public-facing site and the internal administration application. By implementing robust security measures, such as encryption and authentication protocols, we were able to significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and protect sensitive information.
Worked with a small team to design and implement an in-house User Access Review solution that significantly streamlined our workflow by replacing a complex and time-consuming CSV and Excel-based process. This new system dramatically reduced the amount of time needed to perform user reviews, slashing the review process from weeks to mere days. The time savings achieved with this solution allowed our team to focus on other critical tasks, resulting in improved efficiency and productivity.

Application Developer

Journal Media Group (Milwaukee, WI)

January 2015 - April 2016

Development on back-end systems including, but not limited to, working with Microsoft SQL, MySQL, C#, and PHP.
Thrived in a dynamic role where I worked as a "jack-of-all-trades," jumping from system to system as needed to ensure smooth operation.
Took on the primary development responsibility for a custom Intranet suite created after our company's recent merger/split.
Leveraged my expertise in PHP/MySQL to design and build a suite that catered to the daily tasks of users across various departments.
Contributed to the success of the system, which encompassed features such as employee directory, change management, transaction management, security requests and provisioning, document library, company announcements, and much more.

Note: Gannett purchased Journal Media Group in 2016. More Info »

Web Software Engineer, Broadcast Properties

Journal Communications, Inc (Milwaukee, WI)

September 2002 - January 2015

Web development for 50+ newspaper, radio, television, and niche websites. Included migrating and converting dozens of them to our primary CMS to fit with our standardized core.
Provided top-notch support for a range of technical issues, including FTP, security systems, and legacy software, delivering timely and effective solutions to keep operations running smoothly.
Led the design and development of a company-wide Intranet using ASP, .NET, PHP, MySQL, Javascript, and other cutting- edge technologies, implementing a CMS to streamline content management.
Served as the Technical Contact for a large-scale revenue project involving Internet Streaming and Ad-Placement technologies, working closely with stakeholders to ensure project success.
Installed and administered 13 video streaming and recording servers, enhancing online video capabilities and contributing to increased user engagement.
Microsoft SharePoint 2007 implementation and development

Note: Journal Communications and Scripps divvied up assets and JCI became Journal Media Group in 2015. More Info »

Help Desk Technician

Journal Broadcast Group (Milwaukee, WI)

May 2000 - September 2002

Supporting business computers including Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 and all software that was used for business.

Featured Projects

Procedural Family Tree
A fun side-project to have a system that creates procedurally-generated family trees.
- C#
- .NET Minimal APIs
Zalewski Family History
My main genealogy blog where I write about not only my research but all things family history related.
The Zalewski Project
My goal on this genealogy-related site is to aggregate data and records related to the Zalewski surname and present them in an easy-to-use fashion. Includes local data and data pulled from APIs.