Gary Piland is a seasoned web developer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He is the President and CEO of Umbrella, an advanced web development, graphic design, and video production firm based in Topeka, Kansas. Gary founded Umbrella in December 2003 after serving as CTO and Director of Interactive Services at Callahan Creek Advertising for 14 years. Over the past 20+ years, Umbrella has delivered hundreds of websites, design projects, video productions, and has served a diverse clientele—from national brands to local nonprofits and mom-and-pop shops.

Gary is also the founder of Roaring Rat Films, an indie company producing zombie-themed feature films and shorts, several of which are available on Amazon Prime. He originally hails from Enid, Oklahoma, and is a member of the Choctaw Nation. His early career included a stint as drummer, vocalist, and songwriter for the Midwest rock band Limousine.

A self-taught technologist and writer, Gary is widely respected for originality, service, and contributions to both the local arts and business community. He often employs and highlights local talent, and has been married to his wife, Martha, for more than 30 years.

Clients and colleagues alike praise Gary for his integrity, dedication, and creativity—qualities that have helped make Umbrella a leading firm in its field.

Chris Escalante is an accomplished full-stack developer and senior programmer based in Topeka, Kansas, with a robust career in web application development and digital solutions across prominent regional institutions.

At the University of Kansas, Chris plays a key role as Senior Programmer, working on complex software projects that underpin the university’s educational, research, and administrative initiatives.

Before joining KU, Chris was a programmer at Ogden Publications, a leading publisher of titles such as Mother Earth News, Mother Earth Living, Cappers, Grit, Farm Collector, and Steam Tractor. At Ogden, he contributed to building and maintaining numerous high-traffic magazine and content websites, developing enterprise web features and ensuring robust, scalable infrastructure for their digital properties.

Chris attended DeVry University and brings a broad technical toolkit with a particular proficiency in Symfony, PHP, Javascript, CSS, HTML, e-commerce solutions, and web performance optimization. Colleagues laud him for his reliability, collaborative spirit, and innovative problem-solving in environments that depend on secure, highly available digital platforms.

With his dedication to advancing the frontiers of digital technology, Chris continues to make a significant impact on the online landscape.