by Morgan Feddes, '10
Unlike most college seniors, who must worry about finding jobs after graduation, Josh Hug was working full time as an engineer at RealNetworks by January of his senior year. After graduating from Whitworth as a double major in computer science and mathematics, Hug continued to work at RealNetworks, a company that offers online real-streaming products and media services, where he became director of devices.
In 2006, Hug left RealNetworks to launch a business with Kevin Beukelman and Mark Williamson, fellow technophiles and bibliophiles who recognized a need for an online book resource. In October 2006, the team launched Shelfari.com, the first social-media website dedicated specifically to books.
Headquartered in Seattle, Shelfari features a powerful-yet-simple interface that enables users to build virtual bookshelves and establish social interactions based on the books they care about. The site also features online book groups and allows members to rate books. Amazon.com acquired the site in August and retained Hug as the leader of the Shelfari team.
Hug says the "soft skills," such as interpersonal communication and collaboration, that he learned at Whitworth have helped him in his career just as much as the computer-science and mathematics skills he acquired. He credits his Whitworth education as being instrumental in his swift advancement at RealNetworks and in his success with Shelfari. "Whitworth taught me more than just engineering," he says. "I learned how to lead and relate to others, including business leaders who are not engineers."
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