Our January “Meet the Team” feature is Jeff Bridges, long-time Senior Developer from our Kitchener-Waterloo office. Keep reading to hear about shifts in the tech space, indulge in a pet picture, and even get a sneak peek at Show and Tell’s very own AI – IRIS (you heard it here first!)
How long have you been at the agency?
It’s been 19 years, I think… Yes, this year will be 20 years!
Your team has stayed the same in those 20 years. What’s that like?
Well, my coworkers aren’t just coworkers – they’re really good friends. When you’re so close (in proximity) to someone for so long, you develop a relationship. These people are like my family.
What is your role and what does it entail?
I’m a Senior Developer. On the day-to-day, I’m doing all sorts of different jobs – buying domains, writing code, creating AI projects, building websites for clients and more. If it’s tech-related, chances are I’ve got my hands on it.
How have you seen the marketing industry change over the past two decades?
It’s funny, because when I first started, the internet was relatively new, so you can imagine the shift there.
I remember there was a time in university when I thought, “I don’t think I’m going to do the internet. I’ll do applications!” Suddenly, I got into the webspace and really everything is here. That shift was crazy.
From the beginning to now, the industry has constantly evolved and continues to. Everything and everyone is connected and moving, and everyone wants to always be connected. In my career, I’d say this shift—everyone wanting to be connected—has been the biggest change.
You’re located in our KW office. What’s been happening over there lately?
We sometimes have
Pizza Prosciutto Thursdays. We all get panzerotti. They’re delicious BTW.
What are your KW restaurant recommendations?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I tend to stick with the franchises admittedly. My number one is going to
The Keg and getting a steak. Every time, I love it. The wedge salad – I love it. I look forward to it a couple times a year.
What’s your favourite type of code?
What I like to play in the most is the .net Microsoft stack. I’m really engaged into the new .net C# at the moment. I’m learning a lot and it’s my favourite to work in.
Editor’s note: Can confirm, the above response makes sense. To developers, that is.
We’ve heard you’re a sports enthusiast. Who’s your team?
I am a sports enthusiast... but I tend to not have teams. I’ll watch anything.
I’ve of course been watching the Toronto Maple Leafs because they’re in my area, but really I’ll watch all Canadian teams, like a true patriot.
Editor’s note: Jeff is so patriotic, he just happened to be wearing a ballcap with a Canadian flag on it in this interview.
You’ve also been working on a secret agency project for a while. Can you tell us a bit about it?
Yes. IRIS (or Information Response Intelligence System) is using generative AI to help generate insights on our data here at Show and Tell. IRIS uses over a decade of project data to streamline internal processes, like project planning, and securing estimates and proposals more quickly.
For example, account managers can now generate project estimates in minutes, improving accuracy and efficiency while freeing senior staff for strategic initiatives. This means that my colleagues can spend less time on administration and more time doing cool things.
You know we love pets at S&T. Who are yours?
I have two dogs – Buzz and Norman. Buzz is a rescue from Texas. He came to us through an organization called
SCAAR (or Second Chance Auction Animal Rescue). Norman is a pure-bred yellow lab.
Augmented Reality (AR) components are getting more and more popular. Why do you think that is?
People are using technology all the time, on their phones all the time, so we essentially have tiny computers with us all the time. That’s an opportunity for brands.
If you aren’t willing to play in the tech space, you’re missing out on a ton of eyeballs. Brands are using things like augmented reality to create content because they want to be that thing that gets people to stop and look at them.
As an application developer, what apps do you use the most on your phone?
I’m a YouTube guy. I love to learn and watch videos on coding to keep up with the industry and the space.
I watch channels like
Veritasium and
The Primeagen that talk about code all the time. It’s interesting to watch how other people are coding and learning from that.
What’s been your favourite project to work on so far?
Our content management system (CMS) was built at Show and Tell – it’s called Custodian. We’ve made it really user friendly for others in the agency to use, and we love doing custom work for other companies with it.
We always love it when clients want to use the system we built for ourselves.
The Canadian Canola Growers Association website was a recent project built on Custodian.
Tell us something your coworkers don’t know about you?
Well, everyone in KW knows everything about me at this point. But over in Winnipeg, people might not know that I play hockey twice a week, I curl twice a week, and then in the summers I love to run. I did a 10k at the Toronto Zoo this past September!
How can we convince you to visit us in the Winnipeg office?
I’m always up for it. Give me a reason and I’m there.
Editor’s note: Project Bring Jeff to WPG 2K25 has officially started.
Lastly, what advice would you give to someone new at the agency?
I’d say don’t be afraid to talk to people. Everyone here is nice and wants to help. Don’t be afraid to get to know your coworkers!
Our first “Meet the Team” of 2025 was a heavy hitter, and we have an entire year of features planned. Stay tuned for our next edition.