Data Automation Professionals is a full service software solutions developer focusing on rapid development and deployment of Excel and integrated Excel/SQL Server applications. Services also include extensive Excel training from basic usage to advanced automation provided via online courses, custom onsite training, and personal support. Data Automation Professionals is the team behind Excel Tables: A Complete Guide for Creating, Using and Automating Lists and Tables, the acclaimed tour de force guide for creating, using, and automating sustainable Excel Tables published in 2014 and commended by Microsoft professionals worldwide.
History
Data Automation Professionals was founded in 2014 by Kevin Jones and Zack Barresse, two Microsoft Excel MVPs since 2005 and 2007 respectively. The two seasoned Excel and SQL Server developers wanted to create a company that exemplified their attention to detail, solid development practices, and personalized customer service. Kevin is the mastermind behind our proven and effective best practices for managing, designing, implementing, and testing small to large scale computer systems utilized by major IT consulting companies as well as corporations in diverse industries, large and small. Zack brought a tenacity to investigate and test new technologies as well as creativity and social media expertise—he knows everyone who is anyone.
Today
Together, Kevin and Zack have formed a respected team that combines the best that each brings to the table—project management and development skills, extensive software automation knowledge and experience, expertise in social media and digital marketing, and a voracious appetite for learning new technologies. The result is a team that creates in you, our client, a deep trust in our applications. Together with a support team of IT and graphic arts associates, Kevin and Zack have created a continuum of care that encompasses Office automation, SQL Server, web services, website design, and security across a variety of industries including retail, financial, insurance, and services.
Meet the Team
Kevin
Co-Founder and Principal
With an undergraduate in Computer Science, an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and over 25 years of expertise in the technology industry, it’s a wonder Kevin still manages to be humble. Early in his career, he developed a major online mainframe banking application that generates over half a billion dollars in annual revenue and is used by Wells Fargo, Bank of America, American Express, Diners Club, and other financial institutions. As VP of Engineering at Husdawg Communications, he designed and developed E-Reg card for Windows and Macintosh, an electronic registration application used by over 100 companies including Intel, Disney, Block Financial, Broderbund, Activision, and Electronic Arts. Since then Kevin has worked as a consultant building software and Internet applications with productive and satisfying user experiences. As the years passed, Kevin has focused his creative energy on Excel, Excel automation, and SQL Server, and has been creating solutions using these platforms for companies such as Gap, Chevron, Brighton Collectables, and IBM. He also frequents online technical forums where he has answered over 10,000 Excel and VBA automation questions.
Having leveraged our best practices and extensive code libraries, it’s a great feeling to witness a satisfied customer using our applications that were built quickly, designed with an intuitive UI, and structured for a long life-cycle.
Zack
Co-Founder and Principal
Zack is the one you want on your team in an emergency. As a trained fire fighter and Emergency Medical Technician, he knows how to assess a problem and design a solution in blazingly fast time. Zack shifted his focus from emergency services to Excel and Access development in the early 2000’s and co-founded VBA Express—an online forum focusing on the endless possibilities Access, Excel, and other Office applications through automation. Zack has brought his automation skills to major companies like Microsoft, Verizon Wireless, and Ralph Lauren. A born educator, he remains one of the world’s leading technical forum experts, as well as an online and offsite training and webinar coach. A design ninja, Zack created approximately 75% of the popular Microsoft Excel templates offered by Microsoft in Excel’s Start view and enjoyed daily by users worldwide. Zack has had the privilege to have received the Microsoft MVP award every year since 2005. Between writing blogs and articles, he still volunteers with his local EMS.
It’s a great thing to be able to help somebody and show them the true power of Excel and Office.
Emily
Graphic Artist and Designer
Emily specializes in digital illustration, text and graphic design, front-end web design, photo editing, ad design, product branding, and UI/UX design. In short, she makes our stuff look awesome. She is most comfortable and can provide the highest quality of work with Adobe Suite software and Cinema 4D. Emily has worked as a graphic artist and UI/UX designer at a startup, illustrated children’s books, designed album cover and CD art, a tabletop card game thrown in there, and constructed personal and professional websites. Emily lives in Chicago with her adorable kitty, Sophie.
Jaes
Everything But FORTRAN Expert
Jaes is a data and technology subject matter expert with over 20 years’ experience in development, training, process automation, data manipulation, and reporting. He is a Microsoft Excel expert and considered by his peers an expert in Excel formulas and automation. More recently he has developed his experience with Microsoft SQL Server and managing data warehouses which includes data loads through SSIS and reporting through Excel, SSRS, Power BI and Tableau. Other skills include CSS3, HTML5, JavaScript, MySQL, Oracle SQL, Perl, PHP, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, SASS, T-SQL, VBA, VBScript, VB6, and XML. Jaes is our go-to wizard with anything and everything data and Microsoft Office. In his spare time Jaes is mastering Hiragana (a Japanese system of syllabic writing), learning to play the guitar, obtaining his Series 65 license, and increasing his Ruby on Rails knowledge. When he ventures outdoors Jaes looks for the nearest large body of water and starts swimming.
Tracy
Excel Specialist
Tracy is a Microsoft Excel developer and author of eight Excel books. She’s been helping people with Microsoft Office issues since 1997 when she discovered free online forums where anyone could ask and answer questions. She discovered she enjoyed teaching others new skills and, when Tracy began working as a developer, she started integrating the fun of teaching with one-on-one online desktop sharing sessions. Tracy lives in eastern South Dakota with her husband, one dog, two cats, one horse (hopefully two one of these days,) and a variety of wild foxes, squirrels, and rabbits.
Brian
Server Technologies
Brian is our everything server guy. He builds our virtual machines, databases, web-service applications, and then tunes everything to run (almost) as fast as his bike. He has a passion for gardening and visiting his oldest son—an attorney—in Japan every few months. He lives in Placerville with his wife—a director of the local public school system—and some cats.
LeeAnn
Financials
LeeAnn is our financial gatekeeper and makes sure the company runs smoothly. She owns and operates Advanced Business Services which provides all the necessary bookkeeping services a business needs to run efficiently. She caters to the financial needs of small businesses looking to grow and larger corporations that want to maintain their financial records accurately and efficiently. She lives in Folsom, California with her two sons and a couple of rambunctious Corgis.