Hello! It’s so lovely to meet you!! You’re probably wondering a bit about who I am, so let me tell you some about myself.
My name is Aaron N. Cutshall. I attended Ball State University (alma mater of Dave Letterman) and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a minor in Astrophysics. The computer industry has changed a lot since the mid-’80s! In 2001, I returned to school and completed a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (somewhat like an MBA for computers) in 2004.
I have almost 40 years of experience in systems design, databases, and architecture. For 20 years, I worked on pretty cool projects in the manufacturing, warehouse, and distribution industries. In 2006, I moved into the healthcare space and never looked back. I enjoyed it so much that I earned an additional Master of Science in Health Informatics in 2013. My primary focus has been clinical quality measures, and I specialize in performance architecture and tuning for very large data sets. It means so much to me that my work is helping to save lives! In August 2023, I completed a Doctor of Healthcare Administration degree.
I have been quite active in the SQL Server community since I was introduced to it in 2006. I previously served as the chapter leader of the local group of PASS (Professional Association for SQL Server) in Indianapolis (IndyPASS) from mid-2016 to the end of 2017. I began to give presentations to IndyPASS in early 2012, with my first SQL Saturday presentation in Salt Lake City later the same year. I presented many times for local database groups, SQL Saturday sessions, PASS Summit, and many other large and small conferences in cities nationwide (see My Presentations). I travel across the country in an RV to give these presentations with my wife and pets as traveling companions (hence the moniker SQLRV).
I have created rather unique solutions to some very complex problems. Not just satisfied with merely solving the problems of the moment. I plan for the long-term needs of the project. Many of the projects I created still exist in one form or another. I feel my greatest achievement was a Clinical Quality Measure calculation engine. It allowed the creation of new measures and the editing of existing ones without writing any programming code! Visit My Experience for more information. You can also view the badges that I have earned!
I have two great sons from my previous marriage, and I’m currently married to an outstanding woman who keeps me challenged and on my toes. Her name is Tonya, and she has three wonderful children from her previous marriage. I’m proud to say that between our two sets of kids, we have 12 grandchildren that I’m always very happy to see as often as possible! My wife and I are also active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Through our involvement in church, we have learned many essential lessons — many of which I’ve been able to apply directly to my career.
Although we traveled a bit, we spent most of it in Indiana, including Muncie, Fort Wayne, Hartford City, Elwood, Indianapolis, and Martinsville. We moved to North Augusta, South Carolina (just across the river from Augusta, Georgia) in November 2017. I accepted an opportunity to work for the Church for a 1-year stint in 2019, and we lived in the RV while in Salt Lake City, UT. In January 2020, I began working as an Enterprise Data Architect at Healthfirst, so we took the RV to the Orlando, FL area. We lived in the RV for four months until we bought a home in Orange City, FL (just north of Orlando). In April 2022, while still at Healthfirst, we sold that home and moved to Cedar City, UT to be closer to my mother-in-law.
You can also get more information about me on LinkedIn or Stack Exchange.