The guys behind Five Finger Coding
So your Mom probably taught you not to take candy from strangers, which is why you clicked on “Who We Are” instead of heading straight for all the juicy content we’ve provided. Or maybe you’re just really bored. Either way we’re glad you stopped by.
Five Finger Coding is the brain child of Chet and Jason Garrison. Yes, we’re brothers. No, we’re not twins. And if you have any idea why people always ask us that, please let us know.
Chet Garrison: Design Junkie
Hey. I’m Chet.
I’ve been drawing and painting since I could walk and talk. My 4th grade teacher, Mr. Hagen, was kind enough to notice I had some talent and instilled in me a passion for art and design that I carry to this day. (Thanks Mr. Hagen.)
I joined the U.S. Marine Corps right out of high school for reasons I’m still trying to figure out. After bootcamp and infantry training my orders were stamped Yankee White, which meant I was chosen to serve presidential support duty. (I have no idea why. I guess I met the height requirement or something.) I was stationed at the Marine Corps Barracks “8th & I” in Washington D.C. before I headed up to Camp David to protect Former-President Bill Clinton. The photo there is of me and Bill shaking hands at the end of my tour of duty. Good times.
After the Marine Corps I went to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh to earn a degree in graphic design. While there I was chosen for an internship with Vance Wright Adams, one of the top design firms in the city. They offered me a full-time position after I graduated, but I wanted to strike out on my own. Jason’s friend was starting a company in Los Angeles and needed a designer so I packed up and moved to California. Unfortunately, the business crashed before takeoff. It had something to do with Kevin Costner’s nephew and lots of burnt chicken and fried eggs, but I’m over it now. Since then I’ve worked with design firms and as a freelance graphic and web designer in L.A. and here in Michigan.
My passions are tai chi, qi gong, design, animation, coding websites and anything to do with the Transformers. I also have an odd addiction to MSNBC’s Lockup Raw.
Jason Garrison: Code Jockey
Hi there. I’m Jason.
I’ve spent most of my life with my nose in a book, which has afforded me an intimate knowledge of wedgies and getting pantsed. (What is it about geeks and underwear that brings out the worst in bullies?) Fortunately, I survived the adolescent torture and the places I’ve gone and people I’ve met have made it all worthwhile.
I attended Brown University after high school, and at the end of my freshman year I joined the Marine Corps Reserve. Like my brother I have no idea why, but it didn’t hurt that I learned how to open a can of whoop-ass and overcame some childhood insecurities. I graduated from Brown with a degree in political science, then I went to the Pepperdine University School of Law. The picture there is of me and my friend Wendy after we won third place at a moot court competition. The pocket-sized woman next to me is U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Nice lady.
After law school I worked for a small firm in Los Angeles. Now, you might be wondering how I went from being a lawyer to coding websites. It’s a long, sordid tale that involves being stiffed out of $15,000, a crazy, old she-bat that lived next door, a voodoo priest, and a failing company that made t-shirts, soy candles, and pictures that float. The short version is that Chet and I were in the same place at the same time because of my friend’s company, which Chet mentioned earlier. When that fell apart we decided to seek our fortunes together on the internet. So I left the law firm I was working for, taught myself how to code, and haven’t looked back.
My passions are qi gong, martial arts, meditation, writing, the British television show Top Gear, and all things related to computers, coding, and the web.
Why “Five Finger Coding”?
Our goal with Five Finger Coding is to share with you all the tricks we’ve picked up during our many years in the web design business. We want to make it so easy for you to design and code websites THE RIGHT WAY (i.e. by hand) that you don’t even need opposable thumbs, hence the name Five Finger Coding.
If you ever have questions, comments, or suggestions, click the “Get In Touch” link and send us an email. We’d love to hear from you.
