Bailey Jellison is a rising controls specialist at Cornerstone Automation. His curiosity, steady approach, and technical growth make him a valued part of the team.
A Steady Presence in a Fast-Moving Industry
Since joining Cornerstone Automation just over a year ago, Bailey Jellison has quietly built a reputation as someone who takes on challenges with focus, patience, and an eagerness to learn. “There’s always something new,” he says. “That’s what I like most about this job. You’re never done learning.”
Bailey came to Cornerstone with a background in mechatronics engineering and a personal love of technology that goes back to childhood. Growing up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he was drawn to robotics, sci-fi, and anything that sparked the question: how does this work? That natural curiosity led him to pursue his degree at Pennsylvania Western University California and eventually to his first job in manufacturing. But it didn’t take long for him to feel boxed in.
“At my last job, I worked at a single plant with the same machines, same issues, same routines every day,” he says. “It got boring. I wanted more variety—and something that would push me to grow.”
He found it at Cornerstone.
Learning by Doing: Bailey’s First Year
In his first year as a controls specialist at Cornerstone Automation, Bailey jumped into some of the team’s most demanding projects—from programming a user-friendly HMI for a coal train car unloading system to helping modernize a pretzel oven line with schematics dating back to the 1980s.
“That project really stretched me,” he says. “Reverse engineering old systems, figuring out how everything worked—it forced me to slow down and think things through.”
His methodical mindset fits well with Cornerstone’s plant-floor-focused approach. Bailey takes time to understand each system from the inside out and aims to leave every project more usable for operators and easier to maintain in the long run.
“Bailey brings a good attitude and determination,” says Alan Ferrin, Founder of Cornerstone Automation. “He’s humble, dedicated, and willing to take on complex challenges, even when they push him outside his comfort zone. He’s still early in his journey, but he’s already shown us that he’s dependable and committed to growing. That matters a lot here.”
A Focused Approach—and a Bright Future
Clients have already come to rely on Bailey’s problem-solving skills, especially in high-pressure moments. He’s often called in to help troubleshoot issues that have been stumping plant teams for days. “It feels good when I can help someone get their line running again,” he says. “Sometimes it’s something simple. Sometimes it takes time. But either way, I like being useful.”
Outside of work, Bailey lives in southeastern Pennsylvania with his fiancée and their two cats. He spends his time running, lifting weights, reading, gaming, and joining friends for creative projects and photoshoots. His love of sci-fi is still going strong—and probably always will.
Looking ahead, Bailey’s not making grand plans. He just wants to keep getting better. “There’s a lot I’ve learned in just one year,” he says. “And there’s still so much more I want to learn.”
