In my years in this industry, traveling around the world, greeting people at Appsterdam events, I've met around 500 people who have affected me in a good way.
I think everyone has a list of good companies and people they believe to be ethical, smart, and hard-working—doing it the right way, for the right reasons.
I thought we might all benefit from knowing some good people, so put mine on GitHub.
I don't know all the good people.
If you're an App Maker, I bet you know some people on this list, but haven't met some others yet. If I could see your list, it would be the same for me. I haven't met all the good people yet. Not by a long shot.
This list should not be considered complete. If a name is not on here, that doesn't mean anything. I can go on about this at great length, so I put that in a WAT.
Please file issues to suggest changes, and fork this list to create your own. This list is just one man's experiences, but as part of a community exercise, it could be useful for everyone.
If you needed a job, and I could afford it, I would hire you if:
- Your name is on this list.
- You worked for a company on this list.
- You were introduced to me by someone whose name is in bold.
Names in bold are people who inspire me with their exceptional quality—typically people I have worked with or know well enough to go so far as to risk my personal reputation to vouch for them. Names in italics are my A* list—people who challenge me, often by simply being so smart, I feel I have to be 110% of my best when I'm around them.
Industry Legends are people who have been around for a very long time, are very well known, have been involved in so many things that there's no easy way to describe them, or are generally considered to have made such tremendous contributions to the industry in the past that nothing further is expected from them.
- Apple
- Atlassian
- Big Nerd Ranch
- Black Pixel
- Double Encore
- Empirical Development
- Fingertips
- Glimworm
- Iconfactory
- MartianCraft
- Omni Group
- Pacific Helm
- Panic
- PushIO
- Realmac Software
- Rogue Amoeba
- Aaron Hillegass {@}, Big Nerd Ranch, Industry Legend
- Aaron Tuller {@} {f} {LI}
- Adam Betts {W3} {@}
- Adam Swift {f}, Apple
- Adrian Kosmaczewski {W3} {@} {LI}
- Alan Francis {W3} {a} {@} {LI} {GH}, LivingSocial
- Alan Rogers {@}
- Alastair Houghton {@}
- Alex Blewitt {W3} {@} {LI}
- Alex Cone {@}, CodeFab
- Alex Lagutin, Rogue Amoeba
- Alex Rozanski {@}
- Alexander Griekspoor {@} {LI}
- Alexander Klöpping {@}
- Alexander Repty {@} {f}
- Allan Schaffer {@} {f}, Apple
- Amanda Wixted {f}
- Amber Castaldo {@}
- Amber Conville {LI}, Detroit Labs
- Amy Hoy {W3} {@}
- Amy Jane Gruber {@}, "Just The Tip"
- Amy Worrall {W3} {a} {@} {GH}
- André LaBranche {W3} {@} {LI}, Apple
- Andrew Pontious {@}
- Andrew Stone {@}, Stone Design, Industry Legend
- Andria Jensen {@}, Appsolute Genius
- Andy Durdin {@}
- Andy Finnell {@}
- Andy Ihnatko {W3} {@}, Chicago Sun-Times
- Andy Matuschak {f}, Apple
- Anne Halsall {@} {f}
- Anthony Agius {W3} {@}
- Aral Balkan {W3} {@}, Codename Prometheus
- Ariel Michaeli {a} {@} {LI}, appFigures
- Ash Furrow {W3} {@} {GH}
- August Joki {f}
- August "Gus" Mueller {@} {f}, Flying Meat
- Ben Hogan {W3} {@} {LI}
- Ben Jackson
- Ben Scheirman {W3} {@}, NSScreencast
- Ben Trumbull
- Beth Massa, Microsoft
- Bill Bumgarner {W3} {@} {f}, Apple, Industry Legend
- Bill Dudney {@}
- Bill Kunz {a} {@}
- Birgit Reizevoort {f}
- Blake Chaffin
- Bob Ippolito {f}
- Bolot Kerimbaev {@} {f}, Big Nerd Ranch
- Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, The Next Web
- Bradley Ellis {f}, Pacific Helm
- Brandon Walkin {f}
- Brent Simmons {@}, Industry Legend
- Brian Henderson {me} {@}
- Brian LeRoux {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
- Brianna Wu {a} {@}, Giant Spacekat
- Bruno Koga {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
- Bryan Bell {W3} {@}
- Buzz Andersen {f}
- Cabel Sasser {@}, Panic, Industry Legend
- Cameron Barrie {@}, Bilue
- Carl Brown {@}, King of Demos
- Carolien Gehrels {W3}, City of Amsterdam
- Casey Fleser {W3} {@}
- Casper Koomen {@}
- Cathy Shive {f}
- Cesare Rocchi {@}
- Charles Perry {@}, Leaf Hut Software
- Chris Adamson {W3} {@}, "Learning Core Audio"
- Chris Barajas, Rogue Amoeba
- Chris "Clarko" Clark {@} {f}
- Chris Espinosa {@} {f}, Apple, Industry Legend
- Chris Foresman {@}
- Chris Hansen {@} {f}, Apple
- Chris Le Petit {@}
- Chris "Kansas" McMichael {f}, Apple
- Chris Nebel {@} {f}, Apple
- Chris Parrish {@} {f}, Aged and Distilled
- Chris Parker {W3} {@}, President and Co-Founder of the Hair Club for Engineers
- Chris Walters {@}
- Christa Mrgan {@}, Rogue Amoeba
- Christine Palmieri-Bumgarner {f}
- Christopher Bowns {@} {f}
- Christopher Phin {@}
- Chuck Toporek {f}
- Cindy Morris
- Colin Barrett {f}
- Colin Cornaby {@}
- Collin Donnell {f}
- Corbin Dunn {@} {f}, Apple, Industry Legend
- Cory Wiles {W3} {@}, Salesforce
- Craig Hockenberry, Iconfactory
- Craig Stanford {@}
- Cyril Godefroy {a} {@}
- Dallas Brown {@}
- Damian (O'Suilleabhain) Sullivan {W3} {@}
- Dan Burcaw {@} {f} {LI}, Double Encore
- Dan Counsell {W3} {@}, Realmac Software
- Dan Frakes {W3} {a} {@}
- Dan Keen {@}
- Dan North {W3} {@}
- Dan Weeks {a} {@}
- Dan Wood
- Daniel Demiss {@}
- Daniel Jalkut {f}, Industry Legend
- Daniel Jilg {W3} {a} {@} {bb} {so}
- Daniel Kennett {@}
- Daniel Pasco {@} {f}, Black Pixel
- Dave Addey
- Dave DeLong {W3} {@}, Apple
- Dave Dribin {W3} {@}
- Dave Hayden {W3} {@}, Puzzllotto Champion
- Dave Thomas {W3}, Bedarra Research Labs
- Dave Verwer
- Dave Wiskus {@} {f}
- David Ballard
- David Barnard {@}, Contrast (Formerly App Cubby)
- David Chartier {W3} {@}
- David Duncan {@} {f}, Apple
- David Lanham {W3} {@} {f}
- David Smith {W3} {@}
- Davide Casarin {@}
- Deric Horn {f}, Apple
- Diederik Hoogenboom {f}, Obvious Matter
- Dieter Oude Kotte {LI}, City of Amsterdam
- Dirk Stoop {f}, Facebook
- Don McAllister {@}
- Don Ritzen {@}, Rockstart
- Doug Russell {W3} {a} {GH}
- Drew McCormack, Mental Faculty
- Duncan Davidson
- Duncan Wilcox {@}
- Ed Wynne, Rogue Amoeba
- Edward Marczak
- Elger van der Avoird {@}
- Eli Hodapp {@}
- Elliot Harris {f}, Apple
- Elon Musk, SpaceX, Tesla
- Eloy Durán {@} {GH}
- Eric Knapp {@}
- Eric Sabban {f}
- Eric Vitiello {@}, Apple
- Erik Lammerding
- Erik Meijer {LI}
- Erik Rietveld
- Erik Romijn {f}
- Evadne Wu {@}
- Evan Davis
- Evan Doll {W3} {@}
- Evgenia Grinblo {@}
- Ezra Siegel {@}, Apptentive
- Fabio Gallonetto {@}
- Fabio Tiriticco {@}
- Faisal Jawdat {f}
- Faruk Ates {@}
- Federico Viticci {@}, MacStories
- Felix Lepoutre {@}
- Florian Brueckner ® {@}
- Floris van Alkemade, New Lemurs
- Fraser Speirs {W3} {@}
- Gavin Morris {@} {f}
- Gedeon Maheux {W3} {@}, Iconfactory
- George Dick {@} {f}, Black Pixel
- George Warner {f}, Apple
- Gerald Hensel {@}
- Gertjan Rösken, {@} {LI}, Rabobank
- Gijs van Klooster {@}
- Giovanni Maggini {@}
- Glen Aspeslagh {@}
- Graham Lee {@} {f}
- Grant Farr, Rogue Amoeba
- Greg Parker {W3} {@}
- Guy English {W3} {@} {f}, Aged and Distilled
- Guy Kawasaki {@}, Industry Legend
- Halle Winkler {@}
- Hans verschooten {@}
- Hansen Hsu {f}, Big Nerd Ranch
- Dr. Helge Staedtler {W3} {@} {GH}
- Henry Balanon {W3} {@}
- Hernan "CJ" Calabrese {W3} {@}
- Hernan Pelassini {@}
- Ian Baird {@} {f}, Apple
- Ian McDougall {f}, Apple
- Igor Sutton {f}
- Ingrid Lunden {@}, TechCrunch
- Isaiah Carew {me} {a} {@} YourHead Software
- Ivo Jansch, Egeniq
- Jack Brewster
- Jacob Gorban {f}
- Jacqui Cheng {me} {@}
- Jade Rauenzahn {@}
- Jaimee Newberry {me} {@}
- Jake Behrens {W3} {@}, Apple
- James Bryan Graves
- James Cox {@}
- James Dempsey {@}, Industry Legend
- James Thomson {@}, PCalc
- Jan Jungnickel {@}
- Jana Boruta
- Jane Lee {W3} {@} {f} {G+}
- Jane McGonigal {W3} {@}, Industry Legend
- Janene Pappas, Black Pixel
- Jared Wyles
- Jason Beaver {f}, Apple
- Jason Harris {@} {f}
- Jason Snell {W3} {me} {@}
- Jason Yeo {f}, Apple
- Jasper Hauser {f}, Facebook
- Jay Freeman
- Jay Thrash {a} {@}
- Jed Wesley-Smith
- Jeff Atwood
- Jeff Johnson, Rogue Amoeba
- Jeff LaMarche {@} {f}, MartianCraft
- Jeff McLeman {me} {@}, Black Pixel
- Jeffrey Czerniak {@}
- Jennifer Newell
- Jeremy Bierbach, Avocado Legal
- Jeremy Tanner {@}
- Jerica Lurve
- Jerrol Spier
- Jessi Chartier {@}
- Jessica Char {f}, Pacific Helm
- Jim Dalrymple, The Loop, Industry Legend
- Jim Dovey {f}
- Jim Puls {@}
- Jiva DeVoe {@} {a} {f}, [Random Ideas]
- Joe Heck {f}
- Joe Pezzillo {@} {f}, PushIO, Industry Legend
- Joe Ricioppo {@}
- Joey Hagedorn {@} {f}, Apple
- John Eddie {@}
- John Fox
- John Geleynse, Apple
- John Gruber {@}
- John Moltz {W3} {@}
- John Randolph {@} {f}, Industry Legend
- John Siracusa {W3} {@}
- John Welch
- John Wilker {@}, 360 Conferences, Industry Legend
- Jon Woodroof {@}
- Jonah Neugass
- Jonathan Carter, Glimworm
- Jonathan Dann {f}, Facebook
- Jonathan Deutsch {@} {f}, Tumult
- Jonathan Penn {W3} {@}
- Jonathan Rhyne {@} {li}, Smith Debnam Attorneys at Law
- Jonathan "Wolf" Rentzsch {W3} {@} {f} {g}, Industry Legend
- Jonathan Wight {@} {f}
- Jordan Breeding {@} {f}, Apple
- Joris Kluivers {W3} {@}
- Jørn Larsen, Trifork Software
- Jorn van Dijk
- Jorn van Dijk {f}
- Jose Vazquez {@}, NSCoderNightDC, Rogue Amoeba
- Josh Clark, "Tapworthy"
- Josh Graham {@}
- Josh Johnson
- Josh Michaels {@} Jetson Creative
- Joshua McKenty {me} {@}
- Joy-Vincent Niemantsverdriet {f}, Instagram
- Judy Chen {@}, Appsterdam
- Judy Hoctor
- Justin Williams
- Kai Cherry
- Karl Bode {@}
- Keith Duncan {@} {GH}, GitHub
- Keith Mortensen {f}, Apple
- Keith Stattenfield {f}, Apple
- Kelly Somers {W3} {@} {GH}
- Ken Aspeslagh {@}
- Ken Case {@}, Omni Group
- Kenneth Ballenegger {f}
- Kevin Avila {@} {f}, "Learning Core Audio"
- Kevin Ballard {f}
- Kevin Elliott {f}, Apple
- Kevin Hoctor {f}
- Kevin Kim {@}
- Kirby Turner {W3} {@} {GH}
- Klaas Pieter Annema {f}
- Klaas Speller {@} {f}, New Lemurs
- Krzysztof Zabłocki {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
- Kyle Kinkade
- Kyle Richter {f}, Empirical Development
- Lassi Kurkijärvi {@}, Sanoma
- Laurens Bon {f}
- Laurent Baumann {W3} {@}
- Lauwrens Metz
- Layton Duncan
- Lee Falin, Rogue Amoeba
- Lemont Washington {f}
- Len Case
- Lex Friedman {@}
- Lili Sang {f}, Apple
- Linda Ouandji {f}
- Lindsay Giachetti {@} {d}, Double Encore
- Loren Brichter {@} {LI} {GH}, atebits
- Louie Mantia {@} {d}, Pacific Helm, King of iPhone Graphics
- Lucius Kwok {@}, felt tip
- Luis de la Rosa {W3} {@}
- Lyndia Ives Zarra {f}
- Magnus Dahl
- Malcolm Crawford, Industry Legend
- Marcel Borsten {@}
- Marcel Speller, Big Nerd Ranch
- Marco Arment {W3} {@}
- Marcus Alkemade {f}
- Marcus Zarra {f}, Empirical Development
- Marga Keuvelaar {@} {f}, Obvious Matter
- Mark Aufflick {W3} {@}
- Mark Boszko {@} {f}
- Mark Dalrymple {W3} {@}, Big Nerd Ranch
- Mark Hughes {a} {@}
- Mark Johns {W3} {@} {f}
- Mark Malone {a} {@} {LI}, Apple
- Mark Pauley
- Mark Pospesel
- Mark Voermans {W3} {@}, Microsoft
- Markus Nigrin
- Markus Palmanto {@}
- Martin Adoue
- Martin Marconcini {@}
- Martinus Meiborg {f}, Appsterdam
- Mary Brunson
- Mathys van Abbe {@}, Mobypicture
- Matt Drance {W3} {@} {f}, Bookhouse Software, Industry Legend
- Matt Feigal
- Matt Johnson {W3} {@}
- Matt Gemmell {W3} {@}
- Matt Long {W3} {@}
- Matt Pennig {@}, Space150
- Matteo Manferdini {@}
- Matthew McVickar {@}
- Matthew "Trent" Trentacoste
- Mattt Thompson {W3} {@}, Heroku
- Maxie Ketschau-Repty {@}
- Mercedes Portales
- Merel Ivens {f}
- MG Siegler {W3} {@}, TechCrunch
- Michael Fey {me} {@}
- Michael Gorbach {f}, Black Pixel
- Dr. Michael Johnson, [Pixar], Industry Legend
- Michael Margolis {W3} {@}
- Michael Rose, TUAW
- Michael Simmons
- Michael Jurewitz {@} {f}, Industry Legend
- Michael Lowdermilk {f}
- Michele Titolo {W3} {@}
- Michelle Yaiser
- Michiel de Graaf {W3} {@} {f} {d}
- Michiel van Meeteren {f}
- Midas Kwant {f}
- Milly Pagán-Dunaway {f}, Apple
- Mike Ash {W3} {@}
- Mike Berg {@} We Heart Games
- Mike Cohen {@} {f}
- Mike Glass {@}
- Mike Matas {f}, Facebook
- Mike Monteiro {W3} {@}
- Mikey Ward {@}, Big Nerd Ranch
- Mischa McLaclan
- Moshen Chan
- Nate True {W3} {@} {f}
- Nathan De Vries
- Nathan Eror {@}, Empirical Development, Free Time Studios
- Neil Inglis {W3} {@}
- Nevan King {@}
- Neven Mrgan, Panic
- Nicole Wilker
- Nick Pellow {@}, Atlassian
- Nick vd Berg, Small Mountain
- Nicklas Saers {@}
- Niko Lanzuisi {@}
- Pam Lefkowitz {@}
- Pamela Fox {@}
- Pat Castaldo {@} {f} {LI}
- Patrick Burleson {@}
- Patrick de Laive, The Next Web
- Patrick Gibson {W3} {@}, Pacific Helm
- Paul Darcey {@}
- Paul de Medeiros
- Paul Goracke {@}
- Paul Kafasis {W3} {@} {f}, Rogue Amoeba
- Paul Manwaring, Glimworm
- Paul Schreiber {f}
- Paul van Dijk
- Peter Bierman {W3} {@} {f}
- Peter Cohen {@}, iMore, The Loop
- Peter Hosey {@}
- Peter Mitchell
- Peter Robinett {f}
- Peter Steinberger {W3} {@}
- Peter Tuszynski
- Phillip Bowden {@}
- Quentin Carnicelli, Rogue Amoeba
- Rachel Kinkade
- Raj Sharma {@}
- Raul Portales
- Raven Zachary {W3} {@}
- Ray Wenderlich {W3} {@}
- Reed Mangino {@}
- Renato Valdés Olmos {f}
- Rene Ritchie {me} {@}, iMore
- Rich Siegel {@} {f}, Bare Bones, Industry Legend
- Richard Branson {@}, Virgin, Industry Legend
- Richard Feldman {@}
- Rick Ballard
- Rob Elkin {@}
- Rob Longridge
- Rob Rhyne {@}, MartianCraft
- Rob Rix {@} {GH}, Black Pixel
- Robb Albright {@}
- Robert Andersen {f}
- Robert Gaal {f}
- Robert McGovern
- Robert-Jan Mersch {a} {@}
- Robi Ganguly, Apptentive
- Ron Jones
- Ronald Rietveld
- Ros (Hodgekiss) De Vries {@}
- Rudy Richter {@}, Black Pixel
- Ryan Nielsen {@} {f}, Tumult
- Ryan Smith Black Pixel
- Sal Conigliaro {@}, {a}, e design
- Sam Deane {@}
- Sam Noble
- Samuel Goodwin {@} {f}, Roundwall Software
- Saul Mora {@} {f}, Magical Panda
- Scott Chandler {@}
- Scott Little {@}
- Scott Lopatin {f}, Apple
- Scott McAlister {@}
- Scott Maier {@} {f}, Apple
- Scott Perry {W3} {@}
- Scott Richie {f}, Big Nerd Ranch
- Scott Stevenson {f}
- Sean Fannan {f}
- Sean Heber {@}
- Sean Woodhouse {@}
- Sebastiaan Capel {W3}, City of Amsterdam
- Sebastiaan de With {f}
- Shaan Pruden, Apple
- Shane Crawford {@}, Blue Lightning Labs
- Shawn Grimes {@}
- Sidney de Koning {W3} {@}
- Simon Wolf {@}
- Sjef van Gaalen {@}
- Soesanto Arp
- Sophia Teutschler {f}, Apple
- Stefaan Lesage {@}, Devia
- Stephanie Grimes {@}
- Stephen Ives {f}, Smirk Design
- Stephen Martin {f}
- Steve "Scotty" Scott {@}, NSConference, Industry Legend
- Steve Sorbo {@} {f} {LI}, MacS.O.S.
- Steve Weller {W3} {@}
- Steven Frank {@}, Panic
- Stoney Gamble {f}
- Tammo Freese {@}
- Tara Ross {@} {f}, Appsterdam
- Terry Cabeen {@}
- Thad McDowell
- Thijs van der Vossen {W3} {@} {d} {GH}, Fingertips
- Thomas Muldowney {@} {LI}
- Tim Burks {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
- Tim Titus {f}
- Tim Wood {@} {LI}, Omni Group
- Timo de Winter {W3} {@} {LI}
- Tom Clark, Apple
- Tom Harrington {W3} {@}
- Tom Maes {@}
- Tom Ortega {@}, Omega Ortega
- Tom Santero {@}
- Tony Arnold {@}
- Tristan O'Tierney {W3} {me} {@} {f} {LI}
- Tyler Morrison, Haiku Software {a} {@}
- Uli Kusterer {@} {f}
- Vicki Murley {@}, Apple
- Vicki Tourtouras {@}
- Vicki Wenderlich {@}
- Victor Agreda, Jr. {@}, TUAW
- Victoria Wang {@}
- Vinay Gupta {W3} {@}
- Vincent Foster {@}
- Volker Mohr {W3} {@}
- Werner Vogels {f}, Amazon
- Whitney Deatherage
- Wil Shipley {W3} {@} {f}, Delicious Monster, Industry Legend
- William Mottl
- William Scarvie {@}
- Yuan-Ping Wu
- Zbigniew Sobiecki
- Zee Kane, The Next Web