$ cat ~/about.md
Solomon Neas
Infrastructure Engineer · Security Architect · Agentic Engineer
From DOS commands in elementary school to designing enterprise SOC architectures. My path to technology wasn't a straight line, but every detour added depth to how I approach problems today.
$ cat /var/log/history.log
// A non-linear path to infrastructure and security
Grew up one of ten kids in a household where technology was second nature. My father, a chemical engineer and software developer, had me understanding the significance of C and C++ before middle school. I became the family's de facto IT department, troubleshooting DOS while other kids were still figuring out Windows 95.
That foundation led to my first ventures: a web design business during the GeoCities and Angelfire era, building custom sites, migrating layouts to PHP, and helping clients claim their corner of the early web. I also ran a side operation building and repairing PCs, learning hardware from the ground up.
Life took an unexpected fork. For 17 years, I worked as a cook and chef. A career that seems worlds apart from network engineering. But kitchens and server rooms share more than you'd think: both demand precision under pressure, systematic thinking, and the ability to troubleshoot on the fly when everything's on fire (sometimes literally).
Managing kitchen operations taught me workflow optimization, resource allocation, and leading teams through high-stakes situations. Skills that translate directly to incident response and infrastructure management.
In 2021, I made the decision to return to my original calling. Enrolled at Polk State College for Network Systems Engineering, then continued to a B.A.S. in Business Information Technology. Now pursuing an M.S. in Cybersecurity Intelligence at the University of South Florida.
Currently working as a Network and Systems Engineer at Polk State, where I design lab environments, manage virtualization infrastructure, and build the tools my team needs to operate. The goal: bridge the gap between hands-on engineering and strategic security.
$ cat ~/skills.json
Infrastructure
Security
Development
AI & Automation
// Continue exploring