Fifteen years ago, Shawn Jones joined the Fishhook team. A lot has changed since 2011, especially in Shawn's world.
Over the last 15 years, websites have become more complex, they've needed to become mobile friendly, have better accessibility and deeper security. Browsers and hosting environments have changed. Social media changed how we interact with websites. Video became a normal part of the site designs. Cloud-based tools became part of everyday work. And now AI has entered the scene.
Through all of that change, Shawn has been learning, adapting and solving problems in the most steady way.
If you know Shawn, you know one of the phrases we have heard from him many times over the years is "We’ll figure it out."
That spirit has become one of the things we appreciate most about him. It is not that Shawn always has every answer right away. It is that he is willing to dig in, ask questions, research, troubleshoot and keep working until there is a path forward. There is a cool, calm and collected way he approaches a challenge that has served our clients and our team incredibly well over the years. And there have certainly been plenty of challenges to figure out.
Shawn has helped build and launch countless websites, worked through complicated technology changes. He has solved problems behind the scenes that most people never knew were happening and helped churches make thoughtful decisions about how they show up online. That kind of work requires technical skill, but it also requires patience, persistence and a genuine desire to help people. Shawn has all of those things!
What we love most about Shawn goes far beyond the websites he builds or the technical expertise he brings to the team. He is steady and loyal. He cares deeply about people. He loves his family fiercely. He shows up for our clients and teammates with humility and patience, and he has never needed the spotlight to make a meaningful impact.
Over 15 years, Fishhook has changed too. We have welcomed new team members, said goodbye to others, served hundreds of churches, tried new things, learned from mistakes and walked through all kinds of seasons together. Shawn has been a steady presence through so much of that history, and his loyalty to this team is something we do not take for granted. And while he may prefer to stay a little more low-key, his influence on who we are and how we work is significant. And we think that is worth celebrating.
Shawn, we are so grateful for the way you have invested in Fishhook for the last 15 years. Thank you for your loyalty, your friendship, your wisdom and your sense of humor. Thank you for caring about the quality of the work and, even more importantly, caring about the people on the other side of it.
Happy 15 years, Shawn. We love you, we appreciate you and we are cheering BIG for you!