The Good List

This is a partial list of good companies and people I believe to be ethical, smart, and hard-working—doing it the right way, for the right reasons.

How to think of this list

If you needed a job, and I could afford it, I would hire you if:

1. Your name is on this list.
2. You worked for a company on this list.
3. You were introduced to me by someone whose name is in bold.

Legend

Names in bold are people of exceptional quality—typically people I have worked with or know well enough to go so far as to risk my personal reputation to vouch for them. Names in italics are intensely strong-willed people with me on the A* list.

Industry Legends are people who have been around for a very long time, are very well known, have been involved in so many things that there's no easy way to describe them, or are generally considered to have made such tremendous contributions to the industry in the past that nothing further is expected from them.

Disclaimer

This list should not be considered complete, nor does non-inclusion imply anything. For more information, read the WAT.

Please file issues to suggest changes, and fork this list to create your own.

Good Companies

• Apple
• Atlassian
• Big Nerd Ranch
• Black Pixel
• Double Encore
• Empirical Development
• Fingertips
• Glimworm
• Iconfactory
• MartianCraft
• Omni Group
• Pacific Helm
• Panic
• PushIO
• Realmac Software
• Rogue Amoeba

Good People

• Aaron Hillegass {@}, Big Nerd Ranch, Industry Legend
• Aaron Tuller {@} {f} {LI}
• Adam Betts {W3} {@}
• Adam Swift {f}, Apple
• Adrian Kosmaczewski {W3} {@} {LI}
• Alan Francis {W3} {a} {@} {LI} {GH}, LivingSocial
• Alastair Houghton {@}
• Alex Blewitt {W3} {@} {LI}
• Alex Cone {@}, CodeFab
• Alex Lagutin, Rogue Amoeba
• Alexander Griekspoor {@} {LI}
• Alexander Klöpping {@}
• Alexander Repty {@} {f}
• Allan Schaffer {@} {f}, Apple
• Amanda Wixted {f}
• Amber Castaldo {@}
• Amber Conville {LI}, Detroit Labs
• Amy Hoy {W3} {@}
• Amy Jane Gruber {@}, "Just The Tip"
• Amy Worrall {W3} {a} {@} {GH}
• André LaBranche {W3} {@} {LI}, Apple
• Andrew Stone {@}, Stone Design, Industry Legend
• Andria Jensen {@}, Appsolute Genius
• Andy Finnell {@}
• Andy Ihnatko {W3} {@}, Chicago Sun-Times
• Andy Matuschak {f}, Apple
• Anne Halsall {@} {f}
• Anthony Agius {W3} {@}
• Aral Balkan {W3} {@}, [Codename Prometheus}(http://codename-prometheus.eu)
• Ariel Michaeli {a} {@} {LI}, appFigures
• Ash Furrow {W3} {@} {GH}
• August Joki {f}
• August "Gus" Mueller {@} {f}, Flying Meat
• Ben Hogan {W3} {@} {LI}
• Ben Jackson
• Ben Scheirman
• Ben Trumbull
• Beth Massa, Microsoft
• Bill Bumgarner {W3} {@} {f}, Apple, Industry Legend
• Bill Dudney {@}
• Bill Kunz {a} {@}
• Birgit Reizevoort {f}
• Blake Chaffin
• Bob Ippolito {f}
• Bolot Kerimbaev {@} {f}, Big Nerd Ranch
• Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, The Next Web
• Bradley Ellis {f}, Pacific Helm
• Brandon Walkin {f}
• Brent Simmons {@}, Industry Legend
• Brian Henderson {me} {@}
• Brian LeRoux {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
• Brianna Wu {a} {@}, Giant Spacekat
• Bruno Koga {@} {LI} {GH}
• Bryan Bell {W3} {@}
• Buzz Andersen {f}
• Cabel Sasser {@}, Panic, Industry Legend
• Cameron Barrie {@}, Bilue
• Carl Brown {@}, King of Demos
• Carolien Gehrels {W3}, City of Amsterdam
• Casey Fleser {W3} {@}
• Casper Koomen {@}
• Cesare Rocchi {@}
• Cathy Shive {f}
• Charles Perry {@}, Leaf Hut Software
• Chris Adamson {W3} {@}, "Learning Core Audio"
• Chris Barajas, Rogue Amoeba
• Chris "Clarko" Clark {f}
• Chris Espinosa {@} {f}, Apple, Industry Legend
• Chris Foresman {@}
• Chris Hansen {@} {f}, Apple
• Chris Le Petit {@}
• Chris "Kansas" McMichael {f}, Apple
• Chris Nebel {@} {f}, Apple
• Chris Parrish {@} {f}, Aged and Distilled
• Chris Parker {W3} {@}, President and Co-Founder of the Hair Club for Engineers
• Chris Walters {@}
• Christa Mrgan {@}, Rogue Amoeba
• Christine Palmieri-Bumgarner {f}
• Christopher Bowns {f}
• Christopher Phin {@}
• Chuck Toporek {f}
• Cindy Morris
• Colin Barrett {f}
• Collin Donnell {f}
• Corbin Dunn {@} {f}, Apple, Industry Legend
• Cory Wiles {W3} {@}, Salesforce
• Craig Hockenberry, Iconfactory
• Craig Stanford {@}
• Dallas Brown {G+}
• Damian (O'Suilleabhain) Sullivan {W3} {@}
• Dan Burcaw {@} {f} {LI}, Double Encore
• Dan Counsell {W3} {@}, Realmac Software
• Dan Frakes
• Dan North
• Dan Weeks {a} {@}
• Dan Wood
• Daniel Jalkut {f}, Industry Legend
• Daniel Jilg {W3} {a} {@} {bb} {so}
• Daniel Pasco {@} {f}, Black Pixel
• Dave Addey
• Dave DeLong {W3} {@}, Apple
• Dave Dribin {W3} {@}
• Dave Hayden {W3} {@}, Puzzllotto Champion
• Dave Thomas {W3}, Bedarra Research Labs
• Dave Verwer
• Dave Wiskus {@} {f}
• David Ballard
• David Barnard {@}, Contrast (Formerly App Cubby)
• David Chartier {W3} {@}
• David Duncan {@} {f}, Apple
• David Lanham {W3} {@} {f}
• David Smith {W3} {@}
• Deric Horn {f}, Apple
• Diederik Hoogenboom {f}, Obvious Matter
• Dieter Oude Kotte {LI}, City of Amsterdam
• Dirk Stoop {f}, Facebook
• Don Ritzen {@}, Rockstart
• Doug Russell {W3} {a} {GH}
• Drew McCormack, Mental Faculty
• Duncan Davidson
• Duncan Wilcox {@}
• Ed Wynne, Rogue Amoeba
• Edward Marczak
• Elger van der Avoird {@}
• Eli Hodapp {@}
• Elliot Harris {f}, Apple
• Elon Musk, SpaceX, Tesla
• Eloy Durán
• Eric Sabban {f}
• Erik Lammerding
• Erik Meijer {LI}
• Erik Rietveld
• Erik Romijn {f}
• Evadne Wu {@}
• Evan Davis
• Ezra Siegel {@}, Apptentive
• Faisal Jawdat {f}
• Faruk Ates
• Federico Viticci {@}, MacStories
• Felix Lepoutre
• Florian Brueckner
• Floris van Alkemade, New Lemurs
• Fraser Speirs {W3} {@}
• Gavin Morris {@} {f}
• Gedeon Maheux {W3} {@}, Iconfactory
• George Dick {@} {f}, Black Pixel
• George Warner {f}, Apple
• Gerald Hensel {@}
• Gertjan Rösken, {@} {LI}, Rabobank
• Gijs van Klooster {@}
• Giovanni Maggini {@}
• Glen Aspeslagh {@}
• Graham Lee {@} {f}
• Grant Farr, Rogue Amoeba
• Greg Parker {W3} {@}
• Guy English {W3} {@} {f}, Aged and Distilled
• Guy Kawasaki {@}, [Industry Legend]
• Halle Winkler {@}
• Hans verschooten {@}
• Hansen Hsu {f}, Big Nerd Ranch
• Dr. Helge Staedtler {W3} {@} {GH}
• Henry Balanon {W3} {@}
• Hernan Pelassini {@}
• Ian Baird {@} {f}, Apple
• Ian McDougall {f}, Apple
• Igor Sutton {f}
• Ivo Jansch, Egeniq
• Jack Brewster
• Jacob Gorban {f}
• Jacqui Cheng {me} {@}
• Jaimee Newberry {me} {@}
• Jake Behrens {W3} {@}, Apple
• James Bryan Graves
• James Cox {@}
• James Dempsey {@}, Industry Legend
• James Thomson, PCalc
• Jana Boruta
• Jane Lee {W3} {@} {f} {G+}
• Janene Pappas, Black Pixel
• Jared Wyles
• Jason Beaver {f}, Apple
• Jason Harris {@} {f}
• Jason Snell {W3} {me} {@}
• Jason Yeo {f}, Apple
• Jasper Hauser {f}, Facebook
• Jay Freeman
• Jay Thrash {a} {@}
• Jed Wesley-Smith
• Jeff Atwood
• Jeff Johnson, Rogue Amoeba
• Jeff LaMarche {@} {f}, MartianCraft
• Jeff McLeman {me} {@}, Black Pixel
• Jeffrey Czerniak {@}
• Jennifer Newell
• Jeremy Bierbach, Avocado Legal
• Jeremy Tanner {@}
• Jerica Lurve
• Jerrol Spier
• Jessi Chartier {@}
• Jessica Char {f}, Pacific Helm
• Jim Dalrymple, The Loop, Industry Legend
• Jim Dovey {f}
• Jim Puls {@}
• Jiva DeVoe
• Joe Heck {f}
• Joe Pezzillo {@} {f}, PushIO, Industry Legend
• Joe Ricioppo
• Joey Hagedorn {f}, Apple
• John Fox
• John Geleynse, Apple
• John Gruber {@}
• John Moltz {W3} {@}
• John Randolph {@} {f}, Industry Legend
• John Siracusa {W3} {@}
• John Welch
• John Wilker {@}, 360 Conferences, Industry Legend
• Jon Woodroof {@}, Big Nerd Ranch
• Jonah Neugass
• Jonathan Carter, Glimworm
• Jonathan Dann {f}, Facebook
• Jonathan Deutsch {f}, Tumult
• Jonathan Penn
• Jonathan Rhyne, Smith Debnam Attorneys at Law
• Jonathan "Wolf" Rentzsch {W3} {@} {f} {g}, Industry Legend
• Jonathan Wight {@} {f}
• Jordan Breeding {@} {f}, Apple
• Joris Kluivers {W3} {@}
• Jørn Larsen, Trifork Software
• Jorn van Dijk
• Jorn van Dijk {f}
• Jose Vazquez {@}, NSCoderNightDC, Rogue Amoeba
• Josh Clark, "Tapworthy"
• Josh Graham {@}
• Josh Johnson
• Josh Michaels {@} Jetson Creative
• Joshua McKenty {me} {@}
• Joy-Vincent Niemantsverdriet {f}, Instagram
• Judy Chen {@}, Appsterdam
• Judy Hoctor
• Justin Williams
• Kai Cherry
• Keith Duncan {@} {GH}, GitHub
• Keith Mortensen {f}, Apple
• Keith Stattenfield {f}, Apple
• Kelly Somers {W3} {@} {GH}
• Ken Aspeslagh {@}
• Ken Case {@}, Omni Group
• Kenneth Ballenegger {f}
• Kevin Avila {@} {f}, "Learning Core Audio"
• Kevin Ballard {f}
• Kevin Elliott {f}, Apple
• Kevin Hoctor {f}
• Kevin Kim {@}
• Kirby Turner {W3} {@} {GH}
• Klaas Pieter Annema {f}
• Klaas Speller {@} {f}, New Lemurs
• Krzysztof Zabłocki {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
• Kyle Kinkade
• Kyle Richter {f}, Empirical Development
• Lassi Kurkijärvi {@}, Sanoma
• Laurens Bon {f}
• Lauwrens Metz
• Layton Duncan
• Lee Falin, Rogue Amoeba
• Lemont Washington {f}
• Len Case
• Lex Friedman
• Lili Sang {f}, Apple
• Linda Ouandji {f}
• Lindsay Giachetti {@} {d}, Double Encore
• Loren Brichter {@} {LI} {GH}, atebits
• Louie Mantia {@} {d}, Pacific Helm
• Lucius Kwok {@}, felt tip
• Lyndia Ives Zarra {f}
• Magnus Dahl
• Malcolm Crawford, Industry Legend
• Marcel Speller, Big Nerd Ranch
• Marcus Alkemade {f}
• Marcus Zarra {f}, Empirical Development
• Marga Keuvelaar {@} {f}, Obvious Matter
• Mark Aufflick {W3} {@}
• Mark Boszko {@} {f}
• Mark Johns {W3} {@} {f}
• Mark Malone {a} {@} {LI}, Apple
• Mark Pauley
• Mark Pospesel
• Mark Voermans {W3} {@}, Microsoft
• Markus Nigrin
• Martin Adoue
• Martinus Meiborg {f}, Appsterdam
• Mary Brunson
• Mathys van Abbe {@}, Mobypicture
• Matt Drance {W3} {@} {f}, Bookhouse Software, Industry Legend
• Matt Feigal
• Matt Johnson {W3} {@}
• Matt Gemmell {W3} {@}
• Matt Long {W3} {@}
• Matt Pennig {@}, Space150
• Matt Thompson {W3} {@}, Heroku
• Matteo Manferdini {@}
• Matthew "Trent" Trentacoste
• Maxie Ketschau-Repty
• Mercedes Portales
• Merel Ivens {f}
• Michael Fey {me} {@}
• Michael Gorbach {f}, Black Pixel
• Dr. Michael Johnson, [Pixar], Industry Legend
• Michael Margolis {W3} {@}
• Michael Rose, TUAW
• Michael Simmons
• Michael Jurewitz {@} {f}, Industry Legend
• Michael Lowdermilk {f}
• Michele Titolo
• Michelle Yaiser
• Michiel de Graaf {W3} {@} {f} {d}
• Michiel van Meeteren {f}
• Midas Kwant {f}
• Milly Pagán-Dunaway {f}, Apple
• Mike Ash {W3} {@}
• Mike Berg {@} We Heart Games
• Mike Cohen {@} {f}
• Mike Glass {@}
• Mike Matas {f}, Facebook
• Mike Monteiro {W3} {@}
• Mikey Ward {@}, Big Nerd Ranch
• Mischa McLaclan
• Moshen Chan
• Nate True {W3} {@} {f}
• Nathan De Vries
• Nathan Eror {@}, Empirical Development, Free Time Studios
• Neil Inglis {W3} {@}
• Nevan King {@}
• Neven Mrgan, Panic
• Nicole Wilker
• Nick Pellow {@}, Atlassian
• Pam Lefkowitz
• Pamela Fox
• Pat Costaldo
• Patrick Burleson
• Patrick de Laive, The Next Web
• Patrick Gibson {W3} {@}, Pacific Helm
• Paul Darcey {@}
• Paul de Medeiros
• Paul Goracke {@}
• Paul Kafasis {W3} {@} {f}, Rogue Amoeba
• Paul Manwaring, Glimworm
• Paul Schreiber {f}
• Paul van Dijk
• Peter Bierman {W3} {@} {f}
• Peter Cohen {@}, iMore, The Loop
• Peter Hosey {@}
• Peter Mitchell
• Peter Robinett {f}
• Peter Steinberger {W3} {@}
• Peter Tuszynski
• Phillip Bowden
• Quentin Carnicelli, Rogue Amoeba
• Rachel Kinkade
• Raul Portales
• Ray Wenderlich {W3} {@}
• Renato Valdés Olmos {f}
• Rene Ritchie {me} {@}, iMore
• Rich Siegel {@} {f}, Bare Bones, Industry Legend
• Richard Branson {@}, Virgin, Industry Legend
• Richard Feldman
• Rick Ballard
• Rob Elkin {@}
• Rob Longridge
• Rob Rhyne {@}, MartianCraft
• Robb Albright
• Robert Andersen {f}
• Robert Gaal {f}
• Robert McGovern
• Robert-Jan Mersch {a}
• Robi Ganguly, Apptentive
• Ron Jones
• Ronald Rietveld
• Ros (Hodgekiss) De Vries
• Rudy Richter
• Ryan Nielsen {@} {f}, Tumult
• Sal Conigliaro {@}, {a}, e design
• Sam Noble
• Samuel Goodwin {@} {f}, Roundwall Software
• Saul Mora {@} {f}, Magical Panda__
• Scott Lopatin {f}, Apple
• Scott McAlister
• Scott Maier {@} {f}, Apple
• Scott Perry {W3} {@}
• Scott Richie {f}, Big Nerd Ranch
• Scott Stevenson {f}
• Sean Fannan {f}
• Sean Heber
• Sebastiaan Capel {W3}, City of Amsterdam
• Sebastiaan de With {f}
• Shaan Pruden, Apple
• Shawn Grimes
• Sidney de Koning {W3} {@}
• Simon Wolf
• Soesanto Arp
• Sophia Teutschler {f}, Apple
• Stephanie Grimes
• Stephen Ives {f}, Smirk Design
• Stephen Martin {f}
• Steve "Scotty" Scott {@}, NSConference, Industry Legend
• Steve Sorbo {@} {f} {LI}, MacS.O.S.
• Steve Weller {W3} {@}
• Steven Frank, Panic
• Stoney Gamble {f}
• Tara Ross {@} {f}, Appsterdam
• Terry Cabeen
• Thad McDowell
• Thijs van der Vossen {W3} {@} {d} {GH}, Fingertips
• Thomas Muldowney {@} {LI}
• Tim Burks {W3} {@} {LI} {GH}
• Tim Titus {f}
• Tim Wood {@} {LI}, Omni Group
• Timo de Winter {W3} {@} {LI}
• Tom Clark, Apple
• Tom Harrington
• Tom Maes {@}
• Tom Ortega {@}, Omega Ortega
• Tom Santero {@}
• Tony Arnold {@}
• Tristan O'Tierney {W3} {me} {@} {f} {LI}
• Tyler Morrison, Haiku Software {a} {@}
• Uli Kusterer {@} {f}
• Vicki Murley {@}, Apple
• Vicki Tourtouras {@}
• Vicki Wenderlich {@}
• Victor Agreda, Jr. {@}, TUAW
• Victoria Wang {@}
• Vinay Gupta {W3} {@}
• Volker Mohr {W3} {@}
• Werner Vogels {f}, Amazon
• Whitney Deatherage
• Wil Shipley {W3} {@} {f}, Delicious Monster, Industry Legend
• William Mottl
• William Scarvie
• Yuan-Ping Wu
• Zbigniew Sobiecki
• Zee Kane, The Next Web