From Flight Decks to Software

My name is Richard Comeau. I once helped launch jets off the flight deck of naval carriers; now I launch applications and IT infrastructure to help businesses reach their customers and grow.

Early Life

As a teen and young adult, I tried launching myself in several directions. I attempted to make progress toward becoming a nurse, an accountant, and in other specialties. I wasn’t sure which path to choose. I didn’t see the end goals I wanted to achieve. I wanted to assist people, which is why nursing appealed to me conceptually. However, due to life events and personal drive, I didn’t pursue any of these to completion. I decided to see the world for perspective and to gain skills. I considered working with a company that could help build my resume and provide some guidance. I wanted to see the world, too. I did some of that while working with one of the world’s largest employers: the Department of Defense, specifically the US Navy. I gained both soft and hard skills that still help me in my corporate software roles. The US Navy and the Department of Veterans Affairs set me up for success by offering resources after I left. With them, I found direction and purpose. For my world travels, I only made it to Washington and California. Still, my seven years in the Navy prepared me well for my engineering career.

Transitioning from the Navy

When it was time to separate from the US Navy, I had a plan. I lined up a job and planned to enter a software development program to earn my Bachelor's. I expected to be in a good position. Then COVID-19 changed everything. Not only was the world turned upside down, but my plans were disrupted, too. The job I had lined up fell through. This made it harder to attend school because I needed to support my child after leaving the Navy. I had to find a solution quickly. I got accepted into a boot camp called Sabio. Gregorio, an excellent instructor, prepared me for my first role.

Building My Engineering Career

My first corporate role was at Vizient, an enterprise healthcare company. As an Associate Software Engineer, I worked as a Full-Stack Developer using C#, Angular, and Microsoft SQL Server. We did pair programming and practiced test-driven development. We worked with many third-party systems, such as Wrike, Tableau, and Power BI. This role revealed the possibilities of the products Vizient used to coordinate efforts. While at Vizient, I hit a ceiling on what I could do. I was put on a team I didn’t want to join. I lacked the experience to advance and couldn’t transfer. So, I started looking for other opportunities and found one. I joined Plante Moran’s team, which has been exceptional. Plante Moran is a top 10 US accounting and consulting firm with an incredible culture. I was hired as their first deployment admin. I started in Application Development. Later, I joined the new Platform Engineer team.

Consulting and Fractional Tech Leadership

I work on many project products and speak with different program managers. This has given me the ability to switch contexts quickly. I can find pain points and deliver results to program managers when they need them. Where am I now? I’m developing my voice, looking to speak on technical topics, and exploring new projects. I’m open to opportunities as a fractional tech lead or technical consultant for teams seeking expertise.

Let's Build Together

Who am I? Many things. I am a veteran, a father, a husband, a church and community leader, and a consultant. I am an engineer because I love problem-solving, and I find the simplest solutions that deliver great results. That mindset guides how I tackle big projects. If you are curious about my work, follow my site and newsletter. If you have a project or team that needs results, reach out by email. Let us build together.