Get to Know Support Engineer Jonathan ‘Finn’ Finnegan
Finn recently joined our team and is fast at work digging in and helping customers. As to why he goes by Finn? “Everybody has a Jon/John in the office, so I got used to people calling me Finn. It helped me stand out, and it stuck,” he shares. Whatever you call him, we’re glad he’s here.
“I’m a full stack developer, who’s seen it all. 3 Media Web created a unique role that is an excellent fit for me and my skills. I like fixing stuff and getting into the code—and it’s great to be able to focus on providing support, solving problems, learning new things, and managing a large set of websites.” Finn Finnegan, WordPress Support Engineer, 3 Media Web
Skateboarding to web development
Finn grew up skateboarding and still skateboards to this day. After exploring options in that industry, he decided to see what else was out there. He moved to Philadelphia to take video production classes with a plan to make skateboard videos. “It turned out that I’ve always had a knack for computers. As I discovered more about web development, which was still pretty new in 1998, I had a feeling it would grow and that I could grow with it,” says Finn.
He started working with HTML, launched his first professional brochure website in 2004, and began exploring the WordPress platform in 2008. He’s had senior web developer roles at digital agencies and has also done freelance work for all types of clients, including small businesses and artists.
Making a difference and supporting clients
Finn was looking for new career opportunities when he happened to meet our Director of Technology, Step Schwarz, at an online WordPress meetup. It was a true meeting of the minds that materialized in Finn joining our team. “I’ve always done support because often I’d find myself being the only developer at an agency—so I’d be working on new builds and fixing things on sites that had already launched,” he states.
One of Finn’s defining characteristics is his intent to make a positive impact. “I want to build things that make people’s lives easier and make things easier to understand,” he asserts. “I like to see how things work and find out where to put my stamp.”
Back to where it all began
Born and raised in Buffalo, Finn spent many years in Philadelphia with a brief sojourn in Albuquerque before returning to Western New York earlier this year. He and his partner, Heather, who is starting her Ph.D. program next month at SUNY Buffalo, share their home on the city’s west side with their cat, Hoagie (yes, like the Philly sandwich).
Aside from skateboarding, Finn enjoys programming microcontrollers, tinkering with hardware, flying drones, and building out home automation features, like having the lights gradually come on in the morning. He frequently meditates and is having fun riding his bike all over the city with Heather and discovering everything happening in Buffalo.
He has also lived a whole other life as a DJ. “I’ve always loved hip hop,” Finn reveals. “From 2010 up until right before the pandemic, I DJ’ed quite a bit and had a few monthly gigs In the Philly area. I DJ’ed for M. Night Shyamalan once. That’s my sweet brag—he hired me to DJ a private birthday party.”
“I love the path I’ve been on, and while it hasn’t been a direct route, I like when those serendipitous moments like Step reaching out to me about this role happen,” Finn concludes. We’re pleased his journey led to 3 Media Web, and we’re sure our clients will be, too.