About Fred

Four decades of building software, leading engineering teams, and turning complex problems into elegant solutions. From early DOS utilities to modern AI-integrated platforms.

The Short Version

Fred Lackey has been writing code since the mid-1980s. What started as curiosity about how computers work became a lifelong career spanning backup software, government cybersecurity, enterprise insurance modernization, and everything in between.

Today, Fred focuses on the intersection of AI and practical engineering -- helping teams adopt AI tools without losing sight of fundamentals like clean architecture, maintainable code, and pragmatic decision-making. He believes AI amplifies good developers rather than replacing them.

Philosophy

"The best code isn't clever. It's clear, maintainable, and solves the right problem."

-- Fred Lackey

40

Years in Software

And still learning every day

Career Timeline

Software Engineer

CISA / Department of Homeland Security

2021 - Present

Government cybersecurity platforms supporting national critical infrastructure protection. Ongoing engagement with DHS/CISA, including a project with Travelers Insurance focused on enterprise insurance platform modernization and integrating modern development practices across legacy systems.

Founder & Lead Engineer

Spotless

2006 - 2018

Built and scaled a cleaning services platform from concept to production over twelve years of iterative development.

Software Engineer

Arcada / Backup Exec

1994 - 1996

Early career building enterprise backup and recovery solutions -- foundational experience in systems-level engineering.

Core Expertise

AI Integration Leadership Architecture Full-Stack Development Legacy Modernization Node.js .NET Spring Boot Cloud Platforms DevOps

Approach

Pragmatic, Not Dogmatic

Fred's approach to engineering is rooted in pragmatism. The right tool depends on the problem, the team, and the constraints. He values working software over theoretical purity, clear communication over documentation theater, and sustainable pace over heroic sprints.

After leading teams of all sizes and working across industries from startups to government agencies, Fred's perspective is shaped by one truth: technology serves people, not the other way around.

AI + Engineering

Current Focus

Building Knowledge Builder and Career Coach -- AI-powered tools that augment human capabilities without pretending to replace human judgment.