hunter matuse

Hello! If we have not met, I am Hunter Matuse. I currently work at Global Process Automation, based out of Wilmington, NC. At GPA, I build software solutions for the manufacturing space. This ranges from developing tools that help engineers capture PLC data to implementing full Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). I also design custom data pipelines that modernize legacy systems by connecting them to local or cloud-based historians and data lakes. When I'm not working, you can find me watching Formula 1, learning something new, or on a long run. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. It was nice to meet you!

a bit more..

At Global Process Automation (GPA), I build tools that help modernize manufacturing environments. As a systems integrator, we work across different manufacturing verticals, which means every customer brings unique challenges. This diversity has led me to work on interesting and challenging projects that demand innovative thinking and requiring novel solutions. One of my driving principles is sustainability - my goal is to design solutions that will serve our clients well beyond our engagement, often years into the future. This long-term thinking drives my results-oriented approach, ensuring I deliver high-quality work that truly meets customer needs.

My educational foundation comes from UNC Wilmington, where I earned a BS in Business Administration, concentrating in Information Systems with a minor in Cyber Security. This unique combination allowed me to bridge business fundamentals with technical expertise. While the computer science courses focused on C# and .NET, they gave me the foundation to self-teach other technologies. My passion for security led me to compete in national Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions and Blue Teaming events, experiences that sharpened my problem-solving skills and security mindset, but it was just cool to ‘hack’ legally.

Learning is a constant in my life, whether I'm working or not. You'll often find me reading a white paper, listening to technical lectures or engaging podcasts during my runs. My biggest passion outside of tech is motorsports, particularly Formula 1, where engineering meets strategy. The technical complexity and long-term strategic planning in endurance racing series like IMSA and WEC particularly interest me - it's not just about speed or the sound of a Cadillac V-LMDh, but about efficiency, reliability, and adaptability. When I'm not watching races, I love playing Art of Rally, a truly stunning indie game focused on the old school rallying of yesteryear.

my resume from my time at GPA

Global Process Automation, Software Developer II December 2024 - Present

• MES work around Ignition, Docker, MSSQL and Windows Server

• Maintain and innovate Ignition 8.1+ development and deployment pipelines

• Built and manage Jira board for Product Development Team

Global Process Automation, MI Specialist | December 2023 - December 2024

• Built backend systems and applications, using Docker for streamlined development and production deployment workflows

• Developed custom migration tooling that has transferred 100 Billion+ datapoints from legacy historians and file systems to modern historian deployments

• Designed and implemented data pipelines connecting plant floor operations to ML applications, enabling real-time analytics and process optimization

• Created intuitive data visualization platforms and reporting tools, empowering analysts to generate actionable insights from manufacturing data

Global Process Automation, OT Solutions Specialist I | May 2023 — December 2023

• Led end-to-end network infrastructure deployment, successfully configuring and implementing 125+ network switches across 27 industrial cabinets, serving 8 customer sites while ensuring zero downtime during transition

• Conducted network assessments and optimization studies for 3 enterprise customers, delivering actionable recommendations that improved network performance by identifying bottlenecks and security vulnerabilities

• Spearheaded the development of custom network automation tools when traditional solutions proved inadequate. These tools resulted in improvements for system configuration, factory acceptance testing and deployment from the start of a project through deployment at customer sites

• Architected and executed server deployment strategies across multiple customer environments, ensuring high availability and optimal performance through systematic configuration management

• Designed and implemented full-stack solutions utilizing Python and Java backends integrated with MariaDB, MSSQL, and MySQL databases, while creating intuitive frontends using Python (flask) and Ignition 8.1+, resulting in streamlined operational workflows

technical dive

Since you're still reading, let me share some technical details about my work and personal projects!

One of my favorite projects was building tooling that facilitated the transfer of over 100 billion data points and counting from legacy systems to new historian and data lake deployments. This project evolved through several iterations with multiple customers, each more efficient than the last. The initial implementation used Python scripts following the Extract Transform Load (ETL) method. It started with a basic (albeit awful) "SELECT ALL" approach, where Python handled the transformation logic and output JSON files. A separate script then managed the ordered transmission to the new system. As the projects matured, I optimized by pushing the transformation logic into SQL Server, significantly reducing processing overhead. The final version was a hybrid solution: a C# application handling the Extract and Transform phases, paired with a Rust service managing validation and data transmission. While I would have preferred using Rust for the entire stack, the limited MSSQL support at the time made this hybrid approach the most practical solution.

"Why build custom ETL tools when so many exist?"

Great question! The original legacy system ran on a sensitive Windows Server 2008 installation where stability was important - in fact, system crashes were what brought us into the project initially. This environment required an extremely careful approach since it was still being used by the site. By developing tools, starting with Python scripts compiled to windows binaries, we could extensively test each component internally before deployment. I did try some ETL tools but most require a program just to manage the workflow, and where we were hardware limited, that additional overhead was not an option. Controlling everything very specifically allowed me to minimize risk and ensure the data migration would be reliable.

While I tend to get obsessive about my work, I do manage to program in my spare time. Most of this time is spent learning to write better code or tinker with projects that might relate to work in some way. You can see some of the public repos that I have on my GitHub. While not all of these are complete, it will give you a better idea of what I am currently working on.

Here is a direct link to my public repos on GitHub.

interesting things i wrote about a long time ago

A while ago I worked my way through the Arduino Cookbook by Michael Margolis, as well as the book that comes in the Arduino starter kit. That taught me more about embedded systems as an intern at GPA.

I am highly interested in Raspberry Pis and the projects that can be done with such small computers, from servers to full desktop environments. My favorite use for a Raspberry Pi is running Kali Linux and using a VNC client to connect to it from my iPad Pro. This gives me a Linux box on my iPad. A long forgotten about project was figuring out how to run Windows 11 ARM on a Raspberry Pi and connecting to it from my iPad. During that project, I learned what goes into making drivers and even made a very poor driver for the Raspberry Pi!

I was, and I still am, highly interested in CTFs and Cyber Competitions. I used to play Hack the Box and TryHackMe king of the hill matches with my friends. This competitive game gave me the chance not only to play the red team but also the blue team while trying to defend my server from attack and push those already on my computer out. I also worked through picoCTF, which is a collection of 271 Jeopardy Style CTF challenges hosted by Carnegie Mellon University as Jeopardy Style CTF when I have time or feel like solving a puzzle. I have found working through these is a great way to learn a wide set of skills. 2025 me talking; I still stand by this, CTFs are such a good way to learn things.

TryHackMe is a platform that teaches interested students the tools used within the cybersecurity industry and gives them the skills for real challenges.

I have also completed the Nand2Tetris course on Coursera.

In this project-centered course you will build a modern computer system, from the ground up. We’ll divide this fascinating journey into six hands-on projects that will take you from constructing elementary logic gates all the way through creating a fully functioning general purpose computer. In the process, you will learn - in the most direct and constructive way - how computers work, and how they are designed.

You can find out more about Nand2Tetris here or here.

Another item of interest for me was SalesForce. SalesForce is used in almost every industry it felt like something important to know. I have a general understanding of the platform. Here is a link to my trailhead.

Education:

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

• BS in Business Administration, minor in Cyber Security // August 2020 - May 2023

Cape Fear Community College — Wilmington, NC // August 2018 – May 2020 

My doings at UNCW

UNCW Cyber Defense Club

• Team Captain for CyberForce in | November 2022

• Windows Admin for SECCDC Qualifier | February 2023

• Participated in Tracer Fire 11 | February 2023

• Technical Lead for SCDC 2023

• Participated in National Cyber League, individual game and team game

Phi Sigma Pi Honors Fraternity

Information Systems Association

Internships while at UNCW

Global Process Automation, IT/OT Intern | July 2022 — Present

• Cyber Security inside of OT environments

• Configuring Systems for deployment for internal and customer use

• Helping solve problems for internal IT problems

• Setup servers, switches and firewalls

• Help maintain servers deployed to customers

• Creating scripting tools using Python and Powershell

Port City Community Church, Worship Service Programming Intern | August 2021 — May 2022

• Designed programming for services

• Onboard and Train new volunteers

• Ongoing train for volunteers

If you are interested in some of the technical classes at took in college:

• MIS 315 (Management of Database Systems)

  • MySQL

• MIS 316 (Business Application Development)

  • C# Programming

  • ASP.Net Web Development

• MIS 324 (Network Security)

  • Security+ Prep Class

  • Included Hands on Labs using tools such as Metasploit, Burp Suite, SolarWinds

• MIS 352 (Windows Systems Administration)

  • Windows Server Class

  • Learned how to set up and maintain Windows Server

• MIS 365 (Ethical Hacking)

  • Prep classes for the Certified Ethical Hacking Exam

  • You can view this class here

• MIS 366 (Digital Forensics)

  • Learning about Chain of Custody

  • How to extract data from computers

• CYBR 495 (Competitive Cybersecurity Defense)

  • Competed in Collegiate Cyber Defense Competitions