Get to know Union Technology Director, Ron, as he answers our 10 questions, including mountain biking and technology solutions.

Take 10 with Technology Director Ron Gaulden | Union

Take 10: with Ron Gaulden, Executive Technology Director

At the intersection of design, technology, and human character, you will find Ron Gaulden. As Executive Technology Director, he leads Union’s Technology department, but there’s much more to Ron than just his title. 
A true family man, Ron enjoys spending time with his wife and their two high-energy kids. Swimming, hiking, and anything outdoors is just another day in their busy household. But you can’t talk about Ron without also mentioning his passion for mountain biking. Although his love for biking is priceless, he probably has “more money in mountain biking clothes than actual work clothes.” 
As for hiking, Ron and his wife left their jobs in 2007 to spend six months navigating the Appalachian Trail. After this long test of endurance, Ron returned to work and began new career opportunities. He transitioned to the digital world after previously working in print design and production. Even though nothing beats building cardboard forts with his kids, Ron also enjoys building real-life, tech-driven solutions for his clients at Union. 
Here are Ron’s responses to our ten questions, where he offers valuable insight into everything technology: 
How would you explain Union’s technology department to a client? 
Our technology department is rooted in very strong web design fundamentals, but it goes much deeper than that. We’re an asset to the client regarding whatever they need, whether it’s a marketing site, landing page, or so on. Our team looks at the full life cycle, from tracking specific metrics to building web applications that solve clients’ problems. We’re essentially building tools for clients that drive results over a lifetime – not just a launch. 
 
Tell me a little bit more about your role. What are some of your responsibilities?
As Executive Technology Director, I’m in charge of making sure we utilize modern tech stacks, best practices around security and innovative technology including AI machine learning. Another major responsibility of mine is scaling the department as needed. We’re always busy, so I need to flex our resources based on current demands. 
What are some common challenges you help solve for clients? 
While we focus on each client's unique challenges and business needs, one common challenge we engage with is integration, whether it's different CRMs or custom APIs across disparate systems. Our experience here allows us to build up a great knowledge base to draw from when architecting optimal solutions.
Why are data-backed strategies so important for web and mobile development? 
The majority of web and mobile solutions are built around catering to a large volume of users, with a goal of increasing that volume. There are so many ways to do that, from media and organic search to UX and technology optimization. However, we must also focus on the quality of those users, not just volume. In that regard, data gives us tangible metrics to hone in on our strategies. Fortunately for our clients, our data department is world-class.
What’s one thing that makes your team stand out? 
Union’s technology department is well integrated with our other departments like strategy, creative, production, data, etc. At Union, the teams collaborate and tackle problems together, which yields faster and more elegant solutions. That’s a place where I think Union shines; by working cross-departmentally, we’re more thoughtful about how we serve our clients. For example, recently our UX team put together a solution and asked, “What if we could transcribe audio input from our customers?” Now, that what if is a reality. We utilize voice transcription as a valuable tool for some of our clients. 
What's the biggest thing you think clients should know when starting a web development project?
I would say to have an open mind on what needs to be solved. When you allocate for discussion, Union can be a better partner in helping find those pain points and steer towards the right solution that lasts longer and gives better results.

Get to know Ron as he answers our 10 questions from mountain biking to technology solutions

What do you hope clients can get out of the development work that Union does? 
Custom experiences built for performance. We help clients earn strong returns by putting their users first. Today’s discerning customers expect engaging, friction-less solutions that work across many devices and platforms, and we’re able to provide that. What’s your favorite part of the job? 
It’s always been the people... I get to work with so many passionate folks from different walks of life. Each individual brings real value and comradery to the company. Being able to call them my teammates is a privilege. What drives your mission of learning and educating others about diversity and inclusion, and how does it show up in your leadership at Union? 
I grew up in a mixed household. My mom is Chinese and my dad is white, so I’ve always been sensitive to moments of judgment or hate. Having neurodivergent kids, I realized there is more to diversity than what’s visible. There’s much more to learn than what I was prepared for through my own experiences. At Union, I try to empower individuals by providing a workplace where they can feel safe and heard. Work consumes a large percentage of our day, so I try to make it a good place for everyone. What’s your brand? 
I’m basically a big kid in an adult body. While I have the responsibilities of an adult, I try to have as much fun as possible at all times. If it doesn't seem fun in some sort of measure, then we’re doing it wrong.

Valtech + Union is a creative &amp; performance marketing agency that creates omni-channel campaigns, unleashing creativity on a data-driven world, helping brands produce memorable, measurable and repeatable results. Obsessed with data-driven performance, we believe every marketing dollar should be viewed as an investment. Our clients expect a meaningful return and we prove the ROI of our work with quantifiable data.

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