EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Araz Shahinian
Senior Developer
Meet Araz – an amazing member of our talented Development team for seven (7) years running! 🙌 A seasoned IT professional, Araz’s advanced programming knowledge helps maintain and enhance FastTrack’s claims decision-readiness technology solutions for our carrier-partners. On a personal note, Araz enjoys console gaming 🎮, breaking in his boots on hiking trails 🥾, and spending quality time with his wife and kids as much as possible ❤️. He also cares for two adorable guinea pigs, Lenny & Squiggy. 😆
Keep reading to get to know more about our friend, Araz!
What is your current position with FastTrack?
My current position is Senior Developer and I have been with FastTrack for 7 years.
What is your typical workday like?
I work with the Development Department to maintain, enhance, and expand our Technology Products and Services.
Do you work with any specific customers?
I have mostly worked with Symetra, Reliance, The Standard Inc., and Ameritas. I have also worked with others like Protective and Dearborn.
Describe your career path within FastTrack. Have you held any other position(s)?
I have always been a Senior Developer, but have aided in many other ways. I was Deployment Manager for 2 years, wrote technical documents, and helped write policies, as well as created presentations and manuals to train other developers on various practices and procedures. 😊
How has FastTrack helped your personal and professional development?
During my time here at FastTrack I have worked with new technologies including but not limited to .NET, C#, and SQL Server. I have also learned insurance industry standards and practices related to Life Waiver, Short and Long Term Disability, and other types of insurance products.
What is something you love about working for FastTrack?
I love working with a wide array of people in and out of the Development Department. FastTrack has an open door policy, so have been able to give insight to other parts of the company. My thoughts and experiences were welcome during times of collaboration.
Do you have any accomplishments within the organization you’re particularly proud of?
I enjoyed and am still proud of our integration between Symetra and a third-party vendor. I am also proud of our current work with Ameritas and Life Insurance.
What is your favorite book, movie, or show?
I like Star Trek and science fiction. I am currently enjoying a series called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Do you have any pets?
My family has two pets, Lenny and Squiggy, our guinea pigs. 😆
Do you have any hobbies or special interests?
I enjoy retro video games from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Puzzle games like Tetris and action platformers like Super Mario Brothers are what I play the most.
What type of activities are you most likely to be up to on the weekends?
Hiking and spending time with my family.
What is your favorite vacation destination?
Cape May, NJ is my favorite. I have never been to Yellowstone National Park and want to go some day.
What person would you most like to switch places with for a day?
I always wondered what it would be like to be a famous comedian like Jim Gaffigan.
What’s the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
Set up a rescue for rabbits. We used to own rabbits and not to many people understand rabbits. They get returned to shelters often. I would set up a farm where rabbits could live happy lives whether they were able to be adopted or just had stay with us.
What’s your favorite 21st century innovation?
Gummy vitamins because they are easier to take and delicious. 😝
What is something you loved doing as a kid? Do you still do it now?
I loved video games and still do play them now.
Do you have any unique or hidden talents?
I like to dance, act, and draw. I have always loved the arts.
Who is one of your personal heroes?
Thomas Edison. I admire his persistence and drive to keep working a problem until it is solved.
Have you ever had an encounter with anyone famous?
I went to Contropolis in Northern Jersey, a pop culture convention, and met Gigi Edgley. I got her to sign a head shot for my wife. She was raising money for charity and is a lovely person inside and out.
What is your motto for life?
“Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming…”
What are your top most overused words or phrases?
“I need some coffee”, “OK”, and “will do.”
What’s a surprising fact about yourself?
I had a US Patent. It was an exercise device.
If there was a movie about your life made, who would you want the narrator to be?
Tom Hanks.
Is there anything not mentioned that you would want folks to know about you?
My most recent achievement was graduating from the NJIT Software Development Boot Camp.
Connect with Araz on LinkedIn
