About.
I’ve been building things for the web since 2003, which means I’ve worked through more frameworks, platforms, browsers, and "next big things" than I care to count.
I’m currently the Web Development Manager at Kreg Tool Company in Des Moines, Iowa, where I lead the development team, work on our e-commerce and digital platforms, and spend a growing amount of time exploring how AI and automation can improve the way we build and work.
My experience covers the full stack: front-end & back-end development, APIs, integrations, databases, infrastructure, and everything in between. I’ve built large e-commerce experiences, internal business tools, custom applications, content platforms, and plenty of smaller projects along the way.
What I enjoy most is solving problems. Sometimes that means writing code, sometimes it means simplifying a process, and sometimes it means figuring out that something shouldn’t be built at all. The best projects are the ones that leave something noticeably better than it was before: faster, simpler, easier to use, or easier to maintain.
Outside of work, I’m usually experimenting with a new idea, building a side project, or learning a technology that may or may not turn into something useful.
- Based in
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Building since
- 2003
- Currently
- Web Development Manager, Kreg Tool Company (opens in a new tab)
- Education
- B.S. Management Information Systems, Upper Iowa University, summa cum laude (2012)
What I do
- Web development
- Web services and APIs
- AI
- Social media
- Idea development
- Product launches
Tools
- HTML5 / CSS
- JavaScript
- React
- SASS & LESS
- Next.js
- Node
- PHP
- jQuery
- SQL / MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- LAMP / LEMP
- Web services / APIs
- WordPress
- MODX
- Cloud servers
- SSL & auto-deploys
Experience
2024 – now
Web Development Manager · Kreg Tool Company
A hands-on Web Development Manager who leads Kreg's e-commerce and web platforms; serves as the technical lead for its AI and web automation efforts.
2022 – 2024
Director of Web Development · CMRignite
Led a team on redesigns for the National WIC Association, EBSA and APHIS. Built a migration script for 1,000+ pages and a marketing materials portal.
2021 – 2022
Director of Webservices · Flying Hippo
Led cross-functional digital teams and projects while modernizing development workflows with CI/CD, reusable WordPress packages, and automated API-driven systems.
2016 – 2021
Digital Manager / Lead Developer · Meyocks
Led development of custom digital solutions and websites, translating strategy into execution while improving client efficiency by up to 90% and managing a team of developers.
2014 – 2016
Dev Ops / Lead Developer · Midwest Basement Systems
Launched Stowify, a SaaS app on Adobe Sign and Twilio, which raised customer response rates by 300%.
2013 – 2014
Web Developer · Slash Web Studios
Developed and managed 70+ custom websites and web applications using full-stack technologies, APIs, project scoping, and client-focused delivery.
2013
Technical Administrator · FBL Financial
Oversaw corporate technical systems while automating document workflows and converting printed reports to electronic formats, saving hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars annually.
2005 – 2013
Workflow Analyst · Edwards
At EDWARDS, improved productivity by 25% and implemented the company-wide PrintFlow system to streamline workflows, capacity planning, approvals, and delivery timelines.
Kind words
Excellent web developer. Justin created everything exactly the way we wanted it. Thank you!
Thanks to Justin Cateron for all the hard work on the IM4RM site. It looks awesome!
Justin has done an excellent job and for the first time since we opened in 2001, we are proud of our website.