Get ready to explore Kevin Wiles' world, when he is not globetrotting, he has acquired a giant collection of Funko Pops. Our Director of Development, Unified Platforms, has spent 15 years crafting success stories at Tranztec. Along the way, Kevin dives into his pivotal role in projects like IDSync, offering a delightful peek behind the curtain. Beyond the code, Kevin shares his personal passions, from globe-trotting adventures to cheering on the Toledo Walleye. Discover the man behind the monitor as Kevin opens up about family, furry friends, and their one-of-a-kind anniversary gift tradition.
Join us in the penalty box as we sit down with Kevin Wiles, the hat-trick hero of Tranztec's winning team!
Tranztec:
Congratulations, Kevin. You are the Tranztec May driving success employee. What is your title and how long have you been with Tranztec?
Kevin Wiles:
Hang on. Let me open a recent email so I can see. Director of Development, Unified Platform. I have been at Tranztec for 15 years now!
Tranztec:
It is like, how many years ago was the 1980s Kevin?
Kevin:
1980s were 10 years ago.
Tranztec:
*laughs* Exactly. 20s top.
How did Tranztec get so lucky to have you? Did you always want to be in computers, and/or technology or Transporation?
Kevin:
Computers, yes. Not necessarily transportation. I didn't know anything about transportation before I started at Tranztec. I did health insurance EDI and then so when I switched over here, knowing something about EDI, I think that was the thing that got me in here.
Tranztec:
What is your day to day like at Tranztec?
Kevin:
I am either adding new stuff to the Tranztec Platform, specifically, Connect, or figuring out why pieces of Connect broke and fixing them.
Tranztec:
So, lets back up, you went to Ohio Northern correct?
Kevin:
I did indeed.
Tranztec:
Bachelor of Science and Computer Science.
Kevin:
Yup!
Tranztec:
So you went to Ohio Northern, you get your degree in computer science; you start working for the healthcare insurance company.
Kevin:
Yep.
Tranztec:
You joined Tranztec in 2008. Has it lived up to expectations for you?
Kevin:
I don't know if I necessarily had expectations, because the other place shut down a little after I left. So it was, I was looking for a job, so I wasn't looking for anything specific at the time.
Tranztec:
What is one project you've worked on that you are pretty proud of?
Kevin:
Whatever I'm working on currently.
Tranztec:
Ha! Ha! But Kevin, you were pretty instrumental in some of the 10 4 stuff? etc.
Kevin:
Yeah, I was pretty involved in that for a while.
Tranztec:
That was a major win for Tranztec at the time. So he got pulled over, because he was obviously good on this side that they were going to start bootstrap this other thing, this entire other company off of Kevin. I mean, that's pretty impressive!
Kevin:
I would say yeah, I mean, that's IDSync is kind of what I remember most just because I devoted such a big chunk of my career there. I mean, we had some of the code but we started a whole new company and kind of built that up and that was really chugging along for a while.
Tranztec:
There we go, that one. Kevin's just too humble to say all that.
Kevin:
I am. We're talking about one of my least favorite subjects, which is myself so.
Tranztec:
So, you mentioned earlier that you spend your days fixing and adding items to Tranztec Connect; will you walk us through what that includes or contains at a high level?
Kevin:
I am adding new connectors to various TMSs and websites and stuff like that and extending existing stuff to do you know, more advanced and fancier features
Tranztec:
Alright, so let's talk about young Kevin.
Kevin:
Hmm, okay.
Tranztec:
Are you from this area or are you from somewhere else?
Kevin:
This area. Generally I grew up probably about an hour and a half west of here, right on the Indiana border. In a little place called Hicksville.
Tranztec:
You always wanted to work with computers; when did that start or why?
Kevin:
I do not recall exactly when it started. However, for the most part, computers are fairly logical. And I don't know that seems to be the way my brain works. So it fit with my thought patterns I think.
Tranztec:
When we gave them personality analysis, you had a very interesting personality test that that kind of suggested that as well. Didn't you?
Kevin:
Yes, yeah, I was actually kind of surprised how accurate that seemed. I thought it was some kind of witchcraft voodoo thing.
Tranztec:
I agree it did seem like that, but I know they highlighted yours because it was odd in a good way. I don't remember the circumstances, but..
Kevin:
Yeah, I don't remember exactly either, but I do remember remarks being made that it was unusual.
Tranztec:
Very good. So when did you get your first computer?
Kevin:
Probably the early nineties, 93 or 94. So I wasn't, you know, first on the bandwagon, but once the internet started coming around that was what got me.
Tranztec:
Was there something specific that you really liked to do on the computer when you first started?
Kevin:
I did like to, I did game back in the early days, but I kind of fell out of that.
Tranztec:
What was favorite game back then?
Kevin:
Oh, actually, no, I think it went back further than that, because I started gaming on a Commodore 64. So yeah, that would have been where it started. But I don't remember any specific games offhand. Because that was that was back farther than I thought. My memory doesn't go back that far.
Tranztec:
When did you take your first steps into programming? What was it that got you got you started on that?
Kevin:
Um, it was probably sometime in high school because I was in the advanced math classes. And so, we got into binary, and you know that sort of stuff there. So, I think at that point, I probably got into actual programming.
Tranztec:
You like programmed your little Ti-83. To, to cheat in class.
Kevin:
Um, I can't comment on that. But I do remember programming like Mario into the Ti-83. So, I can slack off in class. Yeah.
Tranztec:
*Laughs* Only reason I said that because I wrote all my stupid formulas in the in code, so I could just look them up.
Kevin:
I mean, I could see where one would do such a thing.
Tranztec:
What would you consider your hobbies outside of work?
Kevin:
Probably my dogs and travel would be my two big ones.
Tranztec:
Well, how many dogs do you have? What kind are they? What are their names?
Kevin:
At most, I had four right now I've only got two. I've got Daisy. She is the black and tan one in the one picture. And I've got Saxon who is an Old English Sheepdog.
Tranztec:
Saxon. What a good name for a Sheepdog!
Kevin:
Yep, got it from the Simon Peg movie, Hot Fuzz.
Tranztec:
Do you foster dogs? Is either a rescue?
Kevin:
The Black and Tan one is a rescue. Saxon is not we got her as a puppy. Because I've had Old English Sheepdogs my entire life. Growing up my parents were breeders so I've got one of those and probably will until I reach the end. But yeah, all the other dogs we've got we're rescues.
Tranztec:
Nice! And now where have you traveled to?
Kevin:
Oh, I've been all over the place. I've been to England, Iceland, Germany, France, Belgium, Turkey, Canada, and Mexico!
John Bolitho:
and Indiana.
Kevin:
I've been to Indiana once.
Tranztec:
You live in Michigan, don't you?
Kevin:
That is another interesting fact about me. The Michigan Ohio line goes right through the middle of my house. If I'm on the north side of my house, I'm in Michigan. If I'm in the south side, I'm in Ohio.
Tranztec:
How does that work for residency?
Kevin:
By where my mailbox is, which is in Toledo.
Tranztec:
Move the mailbox.
Kevin:
Well, if I did, there's no road to get there, so I don't think I'd ever get any mail.
Tranztec:
Fair point. Do you have any siblings?
Kevin:
I have one brother.
Tranztec:
Is he older? Younger?
Kevin:
Younger by two years and if that leads to ask how old I am, I don't know 40 something.
Tranztec:
*Laughs* I was not going to ask that.
I know you are married. How did you meet your wife?
Kevin:
One of the online dating sites. I think it was Yahoo Personals, or something like that. Back when that was new and a novel thing.
Tranztec:
Of those places you travel, do you have a favorite place or is there somewhere you go regularly?
Kevin:
We try to mix it up. So we go new places most of the time. I've been to England twice just because the wife has family over there and so little cheaper to stay with them. But as for my favorite I'd probably say Iceland. Just because it's so different than here.
Tranztec:
In what ways?
Kevin:
It's kind of like being on the moon. They don't have a lot of trees or plants there. They also have volcanoes and geysers and all that stuff. So yeah, it's not like Northwest Ohio at all.
Tranztec:
Are you doing this as cruises? Are you just doing this as like traveling about the land?
Kevin:
We have done cruises recently, but that's kind of a new thing. Other than that. Yeah, all the European places we've been to we have just flown over and either drove around or taken trains.
Tranztec:
Is there a specific culture you're interested in? Is it like Viking or English, or maybe nothing?
Kevin:
Not really. I mean, it's just interesting to be somewhere different than where you are.
Tranztec:
Do you have any trips coming up planned
Kevin:
We are planning on going to Norway and Sweden and Finland at some point, but I don't know when that's going to happen. I think that's the next one.
Tranztec:
You named a lot of countries that you know, English isn't the first language. Is there ever a language barrier?
Kevin:
Not to where I've been except for Turkey. But my wife had family stationed there so her aunt translated for us.
Tranztec:
That is helpful. I didn't know if you guys are like getting on Duolingo or Babel to learn the language before you go.
Kevin:
No, and my wife knows French. So, she had had France and Belgium. So no, we haven't run into any problems yet. I mean, if it was just us going to Turkey, I think it would have been a problem. But I think kind of Western Europe that you can get by pretty well with just English. At least, that's my experience.
Tranztec:
Is your wife from England then?
Kevin:
Her mom was. So, she was actually born in Belgium and then came over I think, when she was one or two. So, she's been in the States for all of her life.
Tranztec:
We know you have a kilt, will you tell us more about it?
Kevin:
Well, it is my family kilt on my mom's side. She is a MacLeod of Sky, so it is yellow and black. I wear it as often as I feel I would not get ridiculed for doing so.
Tranztec:
So where is the Isle of Skye?
Kevin:
It is over actual Scotland, an island Northwest near the top I believe.
Tranztec:
Are you into the genealogy and your ancestry?
Kevin:
A little bit. Enough that I know that piece. I've got it back, maybe to the mid 1800s but not too much farther than that.
Tranztec:
That's really cool. Have you ever been to the Isle of Skye?
Kevin:
I have not. I would like to go there someday but haven't made it there yet.
Tranztec:
We have obviously talked about your travels, but during a regular week between trips, what's Kevin hobbying?
Kevin:
Well during the fall and into Spring, say October through May, I am downtown watching the Walleye play hockey. Yeah, so that's my winter hobby. What do I do in the summer? I don't know, I guess. I guess I try and stay out of the heat in the summer.
Tranztec:
You're about to find out right?
Do you have tickets to the playoffs?
Kevin:
Yup, sure do.
Tranztec:
Are they finally going to win it all this year?
Kevin:
I don't know. They're looking good so far. We usually do pretty well the first couple rounds but seems like the West Coast teams in the finals usually figure out a way to clobber us.
*The Toledo Walleye are currently undefeated in the 2024 playoffs and will play the Kansas City Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals beginning Friday, May 17th in Toledo*
Tranztec:
What got you into hockey?
Kevin:
I played when I was little, like in grade school. Then I kind of forgot about it. And then Toby got tickets to the one of the suites. I don't know when it was probably five or six years ago and then the wife got into it enough that we both got back into it and have been going since.
Tranztec:
Are you watching only the Walleye or is it all levels of hockey?
Kevin:
No, I don't really watch anything but the Walleye. The thing is I can't watch it on TV. It doesn't hold my attention enough, so it has to be actually live.
Tranztec:
Anyone who has been in the office knows you have more Funko Pops than anyone else. How did that get started?
Kevin:
How did that start? I don't know.
Tranztec:
I think it was because we started doing it at work and we were just like everyone was growing like everyone kept competing. Then, Kevin took it to a whole nother level. So we couldn't compete.
One year for Christmas Toby bought Kevin specifically like an entire box load of Funko Pops.
Kevin:
Yup! Yeah, I miss those Christmas parties.
Tranztec:
I know I've seen you in Michigan Polos. Do you watch Michigan sports?
Kevin:
Yes, football and hockey.
Well, hockey, you know, when I can go. But football on TV.
Tranztec:
You kind of have, like eclectic things like you got those posters on your wall and stuff.
Kevin:
Yeah, I like weird things.
Tranztec:
We will call them unique, but is your house full of unique things?
Kevin:
Um, yes. Yeah, I guess this is kind of interesting about me. So, my wife and I for our anniversary, you know how there's, for each anniversary, there's a certain present that you're supposed to get each other. We go kind of crazy on that. So, like for the steel anniversary, I got her like, a knight helmet. For the wood anniversary, she got me some wood golf clubs, which I don't golf so we never use so yeah, we do all sorts of silly presents like that.
Tranztec:
That's fun. There we are coming up at the end. So, I think anything that we left out, didn't ask? Random story, anything you want to add? You survived a wildfire.? You jumped out of a plane? you? I don't know have you ever rode a horse?
Kevin:
Yes, I have rode a horse. But I think I think that's a prerequisite. For living in somewhere called Hicksville.
Tranztec:
Thank you for joining us. We appreciate it. Congratulations, as always.
Kevin:
See you guys.
Tranztec has made a donation to The Victory Center in Kevin's name. The Mission of The Victory Center is to provide hope and support to cancer patients, survivors, and those closest to them. Our vision is that no one will face the cancer journey alone.