<img style="float:right" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-12" title="us" src="http://reybango.wordpress.com/files/2009/04/us.jpg?w=300" alt="us" width="300" height="225" />After 19 years in information technology, I've been fortunate to see a lot of cool things happen. The one thing that has stayed consistent is that companies can't run without us, the guys that actually build things.

I'm supported by the best wife in the world, Maggie, who along with my kids motivates me daily to be better.

My interests lie in:
<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/reybango/sets/72157614502470953/">My family</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://jquery.com/">jQuery</a></li>
	<li>JavaScript</li>
	<li><a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/">Mozilla Add-ons</a></li>
	<li>The social interactions of the web</li>
</ul>
I'm immensely proud to be a member of the <a href="http://docs.jquery.com/Contributors#Rey_Bango_.28Florida.2C_United_States.29">jQuery JavaScript library's Core Project Team</a> as well as a writer for the top Ajax &amp; JavaScript online publication <a href="http://ajaxian.com/">Ajaxian.com</a>. I'm equally blessed to be the Add-ons Community Lead for <a href="http://mozilla.com">Mozilla</a> helping add-ons developers be successful as well as spreading the message of open web technologies.  Most recently, I was listed by <a href="http://thinkvitamin.com">ThinkVitamin</a>.com as <a href="http://thinkvitamin.com/dev/40-web-developers-to-follow-on-twitter/">one of the top web developers to follow on Twitter</a>. That made me a little giddy. :D

Evangelism is one of my main strengths and when I'm passionate about something, you'll know. But by the same token, I'm objective enough (in most cases) to listen &amp; explore other possibilities. It's an ability that's allowed me to create some amazing relationships with very smart people who many times don't see eye to eye with the things that I support.

People who I feel have made a lasting impression on me for various reasons:
<ul>
	<li>John Resig (I can't thank him enough for how much he's helped me)</li>
	<li>The whole jQuery project team</li>
	<li>Dylan Schiemann - Sitepen/Dojo Team</li>
	<li>Pete Higgins - Dojo Team</li>
	<li>David Walsh (the 1 person who I couldn't convince to use jQuery &amp; is now in my role with the MooTools team)</li>
	<li>Basil Hashem</li>
	<li>Ben Nadel</li>
	<li>Aza Raskin</li>
	<li>Paul Rouget</li>
	<li>Elliott Kember</li>
	<li>Ryan Carson</li>
</ul>
The list is not all inclusive just people that have recently made a big impact on my life and I'm grateful to know them.