Drew Ritter is a Software Engineer. Colleagues describe him as "I had the privilege of working with Drew at Higher Ground, where he served as our Director of Software Engineering. Drew’s expertise in infrastructure, backend engineering, and broad software principles significantly contributed to the success of our projects. His leadership style uniquely blends giving autonomy with precise and timely product guidance, which helped in setting clear priorities and achieving our goals efficiently. Drew was more than just a manager; he was a mentor and a sounding board, always encouraging a culture of learning and growth. His commitment to mentoring young engineers and fostering an environment where everyone could excel and enhance their skills is truly commendable. I wholeheartedly appreciate the impact Drew had on my professional journey and our team's success. His leadership and mentorship have left a lasting impression, and I am confident that he will bring the same energy and vision to any future role he takes on." and "Drew was, quite simply, the best boss I've ever had. He is not only knowledgeable about technology, he's knowledgeable about his people. He has a good handle on what motivates them, what they're interested in, and what projects and people they would be good fits to work with. He has the good sense to know when to say No to a request, as well as when to agree to it, and when to defer to other engineers. He also has a good handle on when and to whom to defer to. He's not the sort of person that's going to give you a quick or easy answer, but he always demonstrated a strong desire to provide the right answer, even if it was unpopular (both up and down the chain). For me, personally, he did a very good job of staying out of my way to let me get my job done efficiently and understood the types of problems I like solving. He encouraged and supported me to do high quality work. He applied the same techniques to everyone else on the team, being keenly aware of no two people being the same and adapting technique to each of them. On top of that, he is not merely a pointy haired manager, as he has serious technical chops and skills - he was always willing and enthusiastic to share his expertise in any way he could, and he absolutely knows his stuff cold. In general, he's a creative person who is going to know how to solve a problem, or be self-aware enough to know the proper person to speak with to ensure it gets solved. I highly recommend him in either an engineering or managerial capacity. He is an excellent person to work with/for."