About Ian Mariano

This is a personal website. The thoughts, opinions and content appearing on this site are not reflections of any of my affiliations or any professional relationships. This site may contain fictitious content. Any resemblance to persons living, dead, or virtual represented on this site and its content is purely coincidental.

Strategist at the intersection of business, design and technology.

My name is Ian Mahr Mariano. I was born 30 November, 1969. I am the eldest amongst my siblings and have six sisters, no brothers.

My first musical instrument was the Piano. I do attempt to play others. I studied music privately and have won several performance and composition competitions and awards.

My first computer system was a TI-99 4/A. I learnt to program Extended Basic, 16-bit Assembly and Forth on it. I created text-based adventure games for my siblings.

I worked as a dishwasher to pay for my first keyboard, then promptly quit. I was part of a technopop band called “Piper Blue” in the mid to late eighties amongst other musical projects.

I once worked at and assisted managed a toy store selling trains, scale models and high-end dolls.

I attended the University of Akron and changed majors several times. It was there I encountered the VAX and Hunt the Wumpus.

I criss-crossed the US as a DJ and electronic musician during the heyday of rave culture. I have a record label. I still compose music and DJ occasionally.

I have had my heart broken and have broken hearts.

My technologist career started when I began freelance C, C++, Perl CGI programming for several clients using SCO Unix. Right around that time I bought a 486 and promptly put Slackware 0.9 Linux on it. University dial-up was my on-ramp onto the nascent Internet.

I have worked freelance. I have been part owner of a company. I have worked as part of several consulting firms and startups.

Systems thinking has become my mainstay. I am technology agnostic and design-friendly.

I am licensed to fly fixed-wing aircraft, single-engine land. I haven’t flown in a few years due to family, time, and finances.

I write when I can. This site is one I/O device for just that purpose.

I am a fierce friend. J’y suis, j’y reste.

I am ever becoming chef.

I am deeply in love with and married to my favorite person.

And I am a proud father.