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Bill Garrison

Niagara Falls, Ontario Remote opportunities

Bill Garrison

Senior PHP / Laravel Developer

Backend-focused full-stack developer with nearly 20 years of PHP experience, including the last 8 years focused heavily on Laravel. I build clear, reliable applications, APIs, integrations, and reporting systems that support real business work.

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Core strengths

Built for the work behind the interface.

I bring a backend-first perspective to full-stack development, balancing sound technical decisions with the needs of users, maintainers, and the business.

Laravel architecture

Straightforward application structure, readable code, and conventions that help teams move confidently.

APIs & integrations

REST API development and dependable system integrations with clear boundaries and validation.

Database performance

MySQL, PostgreSQL, practical data modeling, and query optimization for business-critical systems.

Business applications

Internal tools and reporting systems shaped around real workflows and useful information.

Full-stack delivery

Backend-focused development with the frontend judgment needed to deliver coherent, accessible features.

Team quality

Mentoring developers, strengthening review practices, and improving code quality without unnecessary complexity.

Experience

Depth earned through delivery.

A concise career timeline spanning technical leadership, Laravel development, application modernization, and long-lived PHP systems.

  1. Technical Team Lead

    NRG Energy

    – Present

    Leads PHP and SQL development for business-critical systems, contributes Laravel application and database architecture, partners with stakeholders, and mentors developers through reviews and quality assurance.

  2. Senior PHP Developer

    JBM Computer Consultants

    –

    Developed Laravel APIs, supported codebase integrity and Git workflows, and helped train junior PHP developers.

  3. Software Engineer II

    Cognigen Corporation

    –

    Maintained internal applications and improved legacy code through focused refactoring and technical cleanup.

  4. PHP Developer

    LexisNexis

    –

    Built search functionality with Zend Framework and REST APIs while supporting secure and legacy application workflows.

  5. PHP Developer

    Synacor

    –

    Developed portal integrations, registration flows, migration tools, and backend APIs while coordinating cross-functional delivery.

Measured impact

Selected accomplishments

Improved processing efficiency by 30% on an internal system.

Mentored three junior developers who progressed to mid-level roles.

Reduced bug reports by 40% through legacy PHP and Laravel refactoring.

Improved reporting load times by up to 50% through MySQL query optimization.

Education & background

A foundation in technology and service.

Education

Associate’s Degree in Computer Science

SUNY Fredonia

Military background

United States Air Force

Technical training and military service.

Public projects

Working software that demonstrates how I build.

Live applications that demonstrate backend problem-solving, thoughtful user experience, privacy decisions, and production-minded delivery.

Live project 01

Available now

DataDiff

A live CSV comparison application demonstrating backend file processing, dataset comparison logic, validation, and clear reporting workflows. It applies privacy-conscious temporary storage, no database retention, streamed report delivery, explicit upload limits, and an accessible three-step experience.

  • File-processing workflows
  • Dataset diff logic
  • Privacy-conscious design
  • Accessible product UX
Try DataDiff

Professional project work

Integration work built for the long term.

Public-safe examples of internal platforms and reporting systems developed to connect applications, move data responsibly, and support ongoing business operations.

Multi-Channel Communications Integration Platform

A Laravel integration service connecting internal business applications with CRM and event-management systems while centralizing outbound email, SMS, and voice communication.

Primary contribution

Developed and maintained service and API layers, external integrations, and message-delivery workflows, with a focus on validation, reliability, debugging, maintainability, and developer documentation.

  • PHP
  • Laravel
  • REST APIs
  • Twilio
  • Mandrill
  • MySQL
  • Queued jobs

Energy Operations Reporting and Data Integration

Laravel-powered reporting and data-processing tools that combine operational data from PostgreSQL time-series storage, Oracle, and MySQL systems for repeatable internal reporting.

Primary contribution

Developed backend reporting logic, complex queries, and data transformations across multiple data sources while investigating discrepancies and improving the reliability and maintainability of long-running applications.

  • PHP
  • Laravel
  • PostgreSQL
  • Oracle
  • MySQL
  • SQL optimization
  • Scheduled jobs

Application Integration and Middleware Layer

A Laravel middleware platform providing a consistent API layer that translates and validates data between separate internal applications and CRM systems.

Primary contribution

Designed and maintained service-layer and API code, added integrations for new and existing consumers, supported legacy modernization, and diagnosed issues across application and database boundaries.

  • PHP
  • Laravel
  • REST APIs
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL
  • Queued processing
  • Legacy modernization

Behind this portfolio

Built with the same care I bring to production work.

This site is a focused Laravel application designed to stay readable, responsive, accessible, and easy to verify.

View source on GitHub
Foundation
Laravel 13, Blade, and straightforward framework conventions.
Interface
Tailwind CSS, mobile-first layouts, and semantic HTML.
Quality
PHPUnit coverage, Pint formatting, and production Vite builds.

AI-assisted development

Better leverage. The same accountability.

I use AI as a productivity tool for exploration, drafting, and accelerating routine work—not as a substitute for engineering judgment.

Architecture, requirements, validation, testing, security considerations, and final technical decisions remain human-directed. AI-assisted output is reviewed in context, tested against expected behavior, and refined to match the standards of the codebase and the people who will maintain it.

  • Human-directed architecture
  • Deliberate validation
  • Tests before confidence
  • Maintainability over novelty