Co-Founder and Lead CMS Architect  In 1996, when many businesses had only heard about a then-new phenomenon known as the “internet”, John was building his first business (auto parts distributor Saturn Performance Systems) and his first website (spswebpage.com). With the help of Brian Lavelle (now the owner of belcommunications.net), John built one of the industry’s first ecommerce-enabled sites. He did this not because it was the trendy thing to do, but because it made sense. For a one-man operation, streamlining marketing, sales, and customer support through an inexpensive and dynamic medium like the website was critical for future growth.
Hence, as early as 1996, he had built an “interactive website” before the term itself had even been coined! “We had never heard of ‘interactive media’ before,” John later remarked. “We just knew that our website should be an integral part of caring for our customers."
Over the next 9 years, SPS grew into a 3600 square foot warehouse with 7 employees and $1.2 million in annual revenue. During the course of this growth, the SPS website received several updates, including a transition to a completely database-driven online store and shopping cart system built entirely by Jennifer Larew, Brian Lavelle, and John Comeskey. All the while, John and the team were learning hands-on how to engage and serve a real audience of customers through their website.
In 2006, when consulting firm Ground Water Science (led by John’s brother, Allen Comeskey) needed an update to their aging but content-rich website, they called on John and the team from SPS. This time, the trio employed the 'Joomla!' content management system and became hands-on experts in the process. John was so engaged by the project that he decided to pursue website design as a full-time career.
Since then, John has built many sites using the 'Joomla!' CMS. He is almost always reading, tinkering, and experimenting with new software and techniques in order to quench his seemingly endless curiosity. The co-founder and lead CMS architect at Springhill Interactive Media is truly passionate about building quality websites and is a devoted fan of 'Joomla!'.
John has been a sales and marketing professional since 1993. He is a former amateur racecar driver and is still a competitive runner and triathlete. From 2006 to 2011, he served as an elected trustee and Vice President of the non-profit Ohio River Road Runners Club (ORRRC) and was a member of the executive planning committee of the ORRRC's largest event, the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot in Miamisburg, Ohio. And in 2009, 2010, and 2011, he served as the Turkey Trot Race Director, growing the event to it's all-time record for participation (with 8250 registrants in 2011). John earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in economics and management from Wittenberg University in 1993. |
