559 isn’t just a number—it’s where I started: 559 East 37th Street in the Ida B. Wells Homes on Chicago’s South Side. My dad was an electronics guy who worked at Zenith; he put tools in my hands early and let me take things apart. Curiosity did the rest.

Two women shaped the way I work. Momma Lena (my grandmother) was calm power—mildness can break a bone—and she taught me not to let emotions drive the bus. My mom, who had the same vocal range and high school coach as Minnie Riperton, elevated my thining by making me listen and think critically; she taught me to celebrate other people’s wins—even when they outplay you.

I rode the #4 Cottage Grove bus from Momma Lena’s house to downtown Chicago, found a Radio Shack that didn’t mind me hanging out all day, and learned to write code on the TRS-80. By high school I was writing real code, landed a summer gig at Amoco Oil on Randolph Street (the AON building now), then supported sales engineers at IBM on the river and State, just as the PCjr showed up. After that: a north-side bank running Burroughs check processing, credit reporting data analyst and later programming, tech writer, and training roles at Trans Union, and eventually a career in low-code, architecture, delivery, and design across industries, work with tools produced by Pegasystems.

Chicago has always been home—South Side, Oak Park, Maywood—with one quick detour to Des Moines, Iowa (much to my surprise; I moved fast to fix that). Meanwhile, neighborhood sports taught me to play through pain and finish the play.

My Christian life and ministry keep me grounded: be content, be thankful, do good even when no one sees it; be balanced: money can’t buy happiness, and happiness can’t buy money.

I love all kinds of music and still pick up instruments (work in progress). I’m the league commissioner for fantasy football and I still find a basketball court now and then.

559 Consulting is that whole story, applied to your work: Chicago grit, plain language, and steady delivery for small businesses and nonprofits. We make tech simple, clear, and ready to use. No jargon. No drama. Just tools that serve the mission.