Aaron T. Grogg
Web Developer
Performance Optimization Specialist

Summary of Qualifications

A web developer with nearly 30 years of experience building fast, resilient, and user-centered websites.

My passion is helping organizations deliver websites that load quickly, perform reliably under real-world conditions, and provide users with excellent experiences.

Experience

1. Senior Performance Architect / UX Advocate

   Estée Lauder Companies

   New York, NY, USA

   January 2022 - October 2025

   • Increased stakeholder awareness of web performance concepts and issues by creating, updating and sharing internal documentation, and via internal presentations and regular one-on-one conversations.
   • Improved issue awareness and response time by implementing automated Real User Monitoring (RUM) and Synthetic tests and reports.
   • Ensured rapid issue response by monitoring daily performance reports for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that were not within the performance budget, including Core Web Vitals.
   • Investigated KPI anomalies using RUM and Synthetic tools, DevTools and WebPageTest.
   • Optimized First Contentful Paint (FCP), LCP, CLS and Interaction to Next Paint (INP) by updating PHP/Mustache templates, CSS/SCSS and JS files.
   • Briefed stakeholders quarterly with brand- and regional-focused site audits, including prioritized performance enhancement opportunities.
   • Proactively researched, documented and presented best practices and innovations to engineering team.
   • Reduced average LCP (from 3.26s to 1.78s globally, and from 2.94s to 1.81s in key markets (CA, UK, US)) by automating media lazy load settings, adding preload link for LCP candidate asset, and increasing priority for LCP asset.
   • Lowered average CLS (from 0.41 to less than 0.10 globally, and from 0.44s to nearly 0.04 in key markets (CA, UK, US)) by automating the addition of media asset width and height attributes during file upload.
   • Improved CLS by adding preload links and increasing priority for custom font files.
   • Reduced INP by adding preconnect links for render-blocking third-party assets.

2. Chief Technology Officer, Co-Owner

   AdvantiPro GmbH

   Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany

   April 2016 - January 2022

   • Optimized and automated business efficiency by identifying, evaluating, and integrating third-party services, leveraging solutions such as Freshdesk, Freshsales, Google Drive, Mailchimp, PandaDoc, Redbooth, Slack, and Zapier.
   • Designed and implemented custom in-house solutions when off-the-shelf tools were insufficient, including API integrations between internal systems and external services.
   • Improved operational efficiency through workflow automation, using event-driven and scheduled (cron-based) processes, custom APIs, and integrations such as Zapier.
   • Built and maintained mobile-first, responsive customer websites and applications, using WordPress, PHP, MySQL, CSS, and JavaScript.
   • Analyzed and optimized customer website performance and conversion by using tools such as Chrome DevTools, WebPageTest, Google Analytics, and SEO to identify and implement targeted improvements.
   • Ensure timely issue resolution by maintaining clear communication with teams and customers through support ticketing and project management systems.
   • Maintained reliable internal technical support across hardware, networking, communications, and remote office setups, including VPN and remote desktop solutions.
   • Supported and maintained all company products, including proprietary frameworks and legacy websites.
   • Minimized downtime and operational disruption by promptly diagnosing and resolving internal and customer-facing issues.

3. Senior Developer

   Netbiscuits GmbH

   Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany

   March 2012 - April 2016

   • Delivered numerous features on schedule as a core member of an international Agile team, collaborating across time zones via Jira and Slack.
   • Led front-end development of an analytics dashboard, delivering interactive data visualizations using Bootstrap, jQuery, Ajax, JSON, jQuery DatePicker, Highcharts, Highstock, and dynamic SVG charts.
   • Led front-end development of a customer account management system, building reliable, validated user flows using the Thymeleaf framework, Bootstrap, jQuery, Ajax, and jQuery Validate.
   • Owned development of the company website, implementing a custom WordPress theme with server-side adaptive design and client-side responsive design, integrating both third-party and in-house plugins.
   • Drove cross-device performance optimization efforts, improving load speed and responsiveness through file optimization, minification, concatenation, caching strategies, custom builds, and device-specific markup.

4. Web Developer (freelance)

   Time Inc. (People.com)

   Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany

   November 2011 - March 2012

   • Hand-crafted front-end implementations using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, including jQuery and JSON-driven interactions.
   • Defined and enforced project scope, preventing scope creep and ensuring alignment with requirements.
   • Produced accurate project estimates for timelines, requirements, and costs to support planning and client expectations.
   • Prepared and managed proposals, contracts, and invoices, supporting clear agreements and timely payment.
   • Maintained clear, responsive client communication across Skype, email, and phone throughout project lifecycles.
   • Consistently delivered projects on schedule, meeting agreed-upon requirements and deadlines.

5. Tech Lead

   Time Inc. (People.com)

   New York, NY, USA

   June 2007 - November 2011

   • Simultaneously delivered multiple HTML, CSS, and JavaScript projects, balancing priorities and deadlines.
   • Optimized site-wide performance via numerous initiatives, including:
     • Evaluated and recommended targeted server- and client-side performance improvements.
     • Refactored and reduced CSS across the site, cutting the home page by 23 requests, 52 KB, and 1.3 seconds; applied the same techniques site-wide with consistent cascading gains.
     • Rewrote core JavaScript files to improve execution speed, reliability, and portability.
     • Introduced jQuery as a global dependency, selectively rewriting functionality to reduce file size and improve runtime performance and reliability.
     • Integrated HTML5 Boilerplate practices, including a customized Modernizr build, progressive CSS3 enhancements, and reliable fallbacks.
   • Developed a tablet-optimized, responsive version of the website, incorporating dynamic data retrieval, in-browser data storage, and multi-section swipe-based navigation.
   • Delivered a second-screen experience for the 2011 Academy Awards, enabling synchronized, branded interactivity aligned with live broadcast events.
   • Built and maintained reusable JavaScript solutions adopted across multiple brands, including:
     • Google Maps implementations with custom markers and overlays powered by multiple JSON data feeds.
     • Ajax-based galleries using JSON and JSONP.
     • Custom hotspot tagging tools and gallery stitching solutions.
     • Custom Twitter integration modules.
     • Reusable carousel implementations across multiple projects.
     • Adapted an Ajax photo gallery into an iPad in-app hotspot experience, enabling timely, date-specific magazine content updates.
   • Served as a departmental mentor and team lead, supporting knowledge sharing and technical consistency.
   • Coordinated and presented frequently at engineering team lunch-and-learn and company-wide presentations.

6. Web Developer

   Bank of America (Prime Brokerage)

   New York, NY, USA

   June 2005 - June 2007

   • Automated monthly performance page updates, saving up to 20 man-hours per month while improving data import processing time and data reliability.
   • Built, maintained, and hosted secure client websites, including authenticated areas and fund-specific data access.
   • Developed dynamic investor statement pages, enhancing clarity and client communication.
   • Modernized client websites by implementing advanced CSS and JavaScript techniques, migrating layouts from table-based to CSS-based designs, introducing progressive enhancement practices, improving page load times, and reducing ongoing maintenance effort.
   • Integrated server-side variables to control user access levels and drive page-specific CSS for layout and presentation, improving personalization and client experience.
   • Developed a conference registration website for the Capital Introduction team, improving data tracking accuracy and strengthening customer relationships.

7. Web & Software Specialist

   National Academies of Science (Transportation Research Board)

   Washington, DC, USA

   May 2002 - June 2006

   • Developed conference websites, including an interactive Annual Meeting site supporting 10,000+ attendees, improving attendee data availability, staff efficiency, reporting accuracy, and turnaround time
   • Replaced a third-party, form-driven registration system with customizable, template-based HTML registration sites, reducing site stand-up time by nearly 20% while ensuring cross-site consistency
   • Built a stand-alone ASP- and database-driven registration system for no-fee conferences, reducing per-conference costs by $500, cutting data conversion time by 50%, and ensuring data accuracy
   • Overhauled and streamlined the Annual Meeting VIP invitation and registration process, reducing manual effort by 25%, ensuring data integrity, and eliminating duplicate contacts to improve the VIP experience
   • Integrated web-based databases with Microsoft Office to streamline reporting and distribution of collected conference data

Education

1. Pace University

   New York, NY, USA

   • Graduated 2007.
   • Achieved Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Studies within three semesters with a 3.98 GPA while working 40 hours per week at Bank of America.
   • Graduated with Distinction.

2. Montgomery College

   Rockville, MD, USA

   • Graduated 2004.
   • Achieved two Associates degrees, Information Systems and Web Technologies, simultaneously with 3.84 and 3.89 GPAs, respectively, while working 20-30 hours per week at the National Academies of Science.
   • Member Phi Theta Kappa.

Activities

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