About Our Owner | Blinntech

About Me

Calling & Early Years

I was blessed to know who I was from a young age. I knew what I was gifted with and what I wanted. At the age of 5 I told my dad I wanted to be an engineer and it stuck. Over time it became clear to me that the mechanical discipline was my bread and butter. After barely graduating high school due to not-so-great choices in my teens, I found a job as a machine operator running an FFG machine that produced boxes. I hated school and needed a break to just make money. Everyone told me if I took a break years I'd never go back for college. I knew I would. I knew engineering was what God had wired into me. After 2 years of running machines (which I loved), I applied for the new Mechanical Engineering BS program at Dunwoody College of Technology. Due to my high school career I didn't meet the requirements for the program, but by the grace of God they gave me a chance to prove myself for one semester, in which I got straight A's.

Earned it

Jonathan Aurand, the head of Dunwoody's Mechanical Engineering program gave me a chance even though I didn't deserve it. Skeptical of how I would perform over the next 4 years, I exceeded his expectations, rising above and graduating at the top of my class and receiving the most prestigious award that Dunwoody credits, The Academic Excellence Award.

Excellence in the Work

I may have hated schooling up until college, but now that I was studying what I was passionate about, I was thriving. I went above and beyond every single project I worked on. I was never concerned about the grade. I just wanted to produce quality, to stand proudly behind my work. This work ethic (which I can't seem to turn off) led to Dunwoody saving nearly every single project I ever worked on. Many of which are still on display or used as demos for future classes to this day.

Racing & Mentorship

I built my first engine when I was 19, during my break from school. Other than God and my future wife, racing is my greatest love. If the Lord wills, I hope to someday have my own racing team where I can race frequently. I'm a Porsche guy, but I 2.7 swapped a B6 Audi S4 because Audi is the poor man's Porsche. God placed the right people in my life at the right time. I learned how to properly build a 2.7 engine from the legend himself, Rathana Moua. Not too long after he helped me out, he started his performance shop, Ratified Motorsport. A good family friend Ben Aust let me use his garage and lift for 3 months while I slowly built the car for the first time. Another amazing man that came along side me and helped me build that car was Jordan Price, another legend. He tunes 2.7 & 1.8 engines for a lot of the Audi community in Minnesota and does extraordinary work. I am in no way a self-made man. So many have blessed me along the way.

Research & Development

Approaching more recent years, I have been working as a research and development engineer at my families HVAC company, Twin City Filter Service. My boss is my uncle and where I get many of my personality traits. My junior year of college he asked me if I would be willing to come work there after I graduated to start developing new automated equipment and machinery for them. I can't share in depth about the machine I am developing for them, but I have designed everything from the ground up. Everything from mechanical, electrical, and software design, as well as some in house manufacturing. We even have a patent pending on one of the mechanisms I created for the machine.

Personality & Conviction

I am a big weirdo and have always gone against the grain of the culture. I don't care if engineers typically where a nice Hawaiian button-down shirt and some slacks, I'll show up to the meeting with greasy torn up dress pants. I say, if it ain't in scripture, don't tell me how to live. What you see with me is what you get. I am very authentic and don't try to be something I am not. I can be stubborn, but that is typically because I have spent an absurd amount of time meticulously coming to my conclusions. I am not perfect, but the work I do is sound and thought through. Safety factor of 2.5? I say let's go with 7. My personality has made it difficult to work with others or for others. I need things done a certain way in order to achieve what I deem as the best results. Starting and running my own company, BlinnTech, will allow me to be myself. The man not tied down by other voices, but thriving as the man God has made me to be.

Faith & Foundation

My faith is very important to me. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am without the God who created me. I pursue truth and love above all else. This company is ultimately not my own, but the Lord's, who has entrusted me with it. Therefore, I will run it as such. If that bothers you, I don't mind. This what putting God first looks like. If only you knew how much the God of this universe loved you. I also have a pup named Ace. He is half Husky and half German Shepherd. He doesn't really help run anything since he is a dog.

Experience & values

Experience

Early Hands-On Experience

Worked as a custom fabricator for an HVAC company in my teens
Built my first engine at 19
Have built small to large contraptions my entire childhood

Industry Experience

Machine operator on an FFG machine for 2 years after high school
3 years of R&D experience doing mechanical, electrical, and program design, as well as building and testing

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Dunwoody College of Technology (2023)
Recipient of Dunwoody’s most prestigious honor: The Academic Excellence Award

Engineering Philosophy

I am very particular and precise
Nothing should be an afterthought
Though perfection is impossible, strive to get as close to it as possible
Quality and being proud of my work before profit
Every job is a self portrait of the one who did it
Our work should serve others first, money is just a perk

Foundation

God deserves all the glory. I am who I am because of Him.