1. Herb is by far the most talented Software Engineer I have worked with, though he may more
likely describe himself as a scientist and artist. I say “Software Engineer” because “Programmer”
or “Developer” do not nearly do justice to his vast talents. From system-level architecture, to
difficult mathematics of 3D graphics, to nitty gritty networking, database optimization, and cloud
configuration, Herb’s influence as Director of Software at PieceMaker spans the company’s
entire Software/IT offering.
Although Herb has decades of experience developing enterprise-level web software, he came to
PieceMaker initially as a contract 3D graphics programmer. Herb joined PieceMaker at a time of
need, when the company had 1 month to create a kiosk interface for users to customize toys in
real-time for 3D printing. Herb’s work in that short month was remarkable and crucial to
PieceMaker’s reception of the “Top Trending Toy” of the NY Toy Fair that year, as noted by
CNBC. What stood out at the time was how devoted Herb became to our cause, putting in
80-hrs per week for 4 straight weeks, even aiding with piece design and the construction of the
physical kiosk. He did so because unlike many others, Herb takes his work personally, and thus
will not skimp.
Upon expiration of his contract I offered him a position as Director of Software and he dove into
the startup world with us, a decision I am confident neither party regrets. Over the years Herb
developed and grew PieceMaker’s software department, a major competency that has made it
possible to acquire customers and partners such as Toys R Us Times Square, Nickelodeon, and
Ford Motors.
With combined knowledge of 3D graphics and interaction design, Herb began his work by
constructing the company’s consumer-facing GUI and 3D customization engine, a native
OpenGL app built around a completely custom framework. He then quickly identified the need
for several internal tools for the company’s product designers and engineers. These internal
tools are the glue that brings together the work of PieceMaker’s departments to easily integrate
with the customization engine and offer new features. That move ushered in a new era for
PieceMaker, taking the company’s offering from a simple kiosk and 3D printer to a full,
enterprise solution to deploy customization kiosks and printers at multiple locations across the
nation. I cannot even begin to mention all the projects spearheaded and managed by Herb.
From the beginning Herb always produced exceptional code, accounting for memory
considerations and correctly packaging code to be reusable and expandable. He goes out of his
way to ensure things are done correctly the first time to avoid future pitfalls. Beyond all this,
Herb took a strong role in company culture early on, organizing outings (where he usually goes
out of his way to BBQ way too much delicious food!) and reaching out to new hires. He is a
great colleague and friend, and I strongly recommend him for any future endeavors.