As a child, PSG Engineer Nate Degen was your every day kid from the Midwest. He loved being outdoors, playing sports, and taking part in all the adventures that living in a neighborhood of 35 or more children had to offer. However, one thing separated him from most of his friends at that age, his love for technology. “I was always in charge of fixing or setting up whatever ‘technology’ there was around the house – from programming the VCR to fixing the computer,” said Degen. Even as a child it seemed he was bound for a career building technology solutions.
Upon graduating from high school from Park Hill in Kansas City, Missouri, Nate went on to college at Kansas State University. After a stint as a mechanical engineering major, he realized his favorite classes were those in computer studies. “I like the problem solving aspect of computers and being able to create something that you can see in action instantly,” explained Degen. “I’m all about immediate gratification.” In fact, Nate found himself constantly being asked to fix others’ computers which gave him the push needed to choose a career path where he could make money while doing something he enjoyed and clearly possessed natural talent. He decided to transfer to Missouri State University, formerly SMSU, where he majored in Computer Information Systems.
When summers would come around, Nate worked with his brother mowing lawns. While the work would help pay for college expenses, he soon came to the realization that, “there is a lot to be said for air conditioning, and worrying about the weather for your paycheck is no fun.” Instead he began to build work experience utilizing his inherent skills. A position working on hardware for H&R Block was Nate’s real introduction to troubleshooting the base windows platforms. During college, he worked for a company, called Cart32, whose main product was an Internet Shopping cart. That experience introduced him into programming in several different languages, mainly web applications.
In 2002, Nate graduated and was drafted to work at PaperWise. Since first joining the team, he has been a PaperWise Systems Engineer. “I don’t know how many installs I’ve done, but it is a lot; I did over 50% of the installs of people at the 2009 summit,” he said. His love for the work he does stems from the ever-changing industry offering new technology developments and with it the ability to grow. In addition, Nate appreciates how there is always a new challenge and the ability to build something innovative or different. As he explained, “I never get stuck doing the exact same thing over and over again. There is always room for improvement and growth in your skill set.”
Outside of working from his remote office in Kansas City, Missouri, Nate’s hobbies bring him back to the things that excited him in his youth. Coming from a close family, he enjoys camping, floating, and boating – basically any activity on water – with his mom, siblings, nieces, and nephews. And when he is in the mood to get his hands dirty, he enjoys working on old cars and trucks. “Last year I restored a 1979 Ford Bronco. I got it out of the junkyard for $100, and then rebuilt the motor, lifted it, got everything working, painted it all myself over a 6 month period,” shared Nate. Today this Bronco is his “daily driver” when he runs errands and is close to home. It seems his project oriented mind transfers easily into his personal life as he explained “I always have a project going at all times – be it something around the house, working on the boats, or working on trucks.” Fortunately for the PaperWise clients he serves and the PaperWise team, building and creating are deep-seated talents for this long-time engineer.