diff --git a/frontend/auth.js b/frontend/auth.js
index 145f755..323c570 100644
--- a/frontend/auth.js
+++ b/frontend/auth.js
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@
     );
   }
 
+  function getEmail() {
+    const model = pb.authStore.model || {};
+    // Prefer email, but fall back to username if email missing
+    return model.email || model.username || null;
+  }
+
   async function ensureAuth() {
     if (pb.authStore.isValid) return true;
     const path = new URL(window.location.href).pathname;
@@ -29,5 +35,5 @@
     return false;
   }
 
-  global.Auth = { pb, authHeaders, ensureAuth, getDisplayName };
+  global.Auth = { pb, authHeaders, ensureAuth, getDisplayName, getEmail };
 })(window);
diff --git a/frontend/index.html b/frontend/index.html
index cc0ef52..122c885 100644
--- a/frontend/index.html
+++ b/frontend/index.html
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@
   </div>
 
   <div id="results" aria-live="polite" class="flex flex-col gap-3 flex-1 overflow-auto p-0"></div>
-  <div class="text-right text-xs text-gray-500 mt-5 pt-3 border-t border-gray-200"><span id="versionLabel">v1.0.0-beta2</span></div>
+  <div class="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-5 pt-3 border-t border-gray-200 flex items-center justify-between">
+    <span id="userEmail" class="truncate"></span>
+    <span id="versionLabel">v1.0.0-beta2</span>
+  </div>
 </div>
 
 <!-- Detail Modal -->
@@ -113,7 +116,7 @@
 
 <script>
 (async function() {
-  const { pb, authHeaders, ensureAuth, getDisplayName } = window.Auth;
+  const { pb, authHeaders, ensureAuth, getDisplayName, getEmail } = window.Auth;
   const authed = await ensureAuth();
   if (!authed) return;
 
@@ -124,6 +127,7 @@
   };
   const PB_COLLECTION_URL = "https://pocketbase.ccllc.pro/api/collections/pbc_1407612689/records";
   const NOTES_COLLECTION_URL = "https://pocketbase.ccllc.pro/api/collections/notes/records";
+  const PREFS_COLLECTION_URL = "https://pocketbase.ccllc.pro/api/collections/user_preferences/records";
   const perPage = 50;
   // Notes relation handling: keep it simple; send the job id in a known field
   // and avoid schema reads that may require elevated privileges.
@@ -143,6 +147,7 @@
   const resultsEl = document.getElementById('results');
   const filtersPanel = document.getElementById('filtersPanel');
   const filterToggle = document.getElementById('filterToggle');
+  const userEmailEl = document.getElementById('userEmail');
 
   const detailModal = document.getElementById('detailModal');
   const detailTable = document.getElementById('detailTable');
@@ -163,6 +168,9 @@
     return null;
   };
 
+  const currentUserEmail = getEmail();
+  if(userEmailEl && currentUserEmail) userEmailEl.textContent = currentUserEmail;
+
   // Load version from backend /version endpoint so UI matches package.json
   async function loadVersion(){
     if(!versionLabel) return;
@@ -195,7 +203,7 @@
   async function fetchAllJobs(){
     startProgress();
     clearJobsCache('Loading…');
-    let page=1, totalItems=0; let firstBatchRendered=false;
+    let page=1, totalItems=0;
     try{
       while(true){
         const url = `${PB_COLLECTION_URL}?page=${page}&perPage=${perPage}&sort=-Job_Number`;
@@ -205,13 +213,10 @@
         const items = data.items || [];
         jobsCache.push(...items);
         totalItems = data.totalItems || (items.length + ((page-1)*perPage));
-        
-        // Render first 40 immediately
-        if(!firstBatchRendered && jobsCache.length >= 40){
-          firstBatchRendered=true;
-          renderInitialBatch(jobsCache.slice(0,40));
-        }
-        
+
+        // Apply filters on the currently loaded pages so initial results reflect preferences immediately.
+        applyFiltersAndRender();
+
         if(progTimer) clearInterval(progTimer);
         const realProg=Math.min(95, Math.floor((jobsCache.length / Math.max(1,totalItems)) * 95));
         progressBar.style.width=realProg+'%';
@@ -219,7 +224,6 @@
         page++;
       }
       finishProgress();
-      applyFiltersAndRender();
     }catch(err){ finishProgress(); alert('Failed to fetch jobs: '+err.message); console.error(err);}
   }
   
@@ -269,6 +273,7 @@
     const activeWanted = activeVals.map(v=>toBool(v)).filter(v=>v!==null);
     const statusVals = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.filter-status:checked')).map(i=>i.value);
     const estimatorVals = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.filter-estimator:checked')).map(i=>i.value);
+    const estimatorValsLower = estimatorVals.map(s=>safeLower(s));
 
     visibleJobs = jobsCache.filter(job=>{
       const searchable = [job.Job_Number, job.Job_Full_Name, job.Job_Address, job.Contact_Person, job.Company_Client, job.Notes].join(' ').toLowerCase();
@@ -279,7 +284,11 @@
         if(b===null || !activeWanted.includes(b)) return false;
       }
       if(statusVals.length && !statusVals.includes(job.Job_Status||'')) return false;
-      if(estimatorVals.length && !estimatorVals.includes(job.Estimator||'')) return false;
+      if(estimatorVals.length){
+        const je = safeLower(job.Estimator||'');
+        const ok = estimatorValsLower.some(v=>je.includes(v) || v.includes(je));
+        if(!ok) return false;
+      }
       return true;
     });
 
@@ -287,6 +296,7 @@
     if(q || divisionVals.length || activeVals.length || statusVals.length || estimatorVals.length){
       sortJobsDescending(visibleJobs);
     }
+    console.log('Filter summary', { q, divisionVals, activeWanted, statusVals, estimatorValsLower, total: jobsCache.length, visible: visibleJobs.length });
     renderCards(visibleJobs);
   }
 
@@ -353,6 +363,91 @@
     applyFiltersAndRender();
   });
 
+  // --- Preferences ---
+  async function loadUserPreferences(){
+    console.log('loadUserPreferences: email=', currentUserEmail);
+    if(!currentUserEmail) return null;
+    try{
+      const list = await pb.collection('user_preferences').getList(1,1,{
+        filter: `user_email="${currentUserEmail}"`
+      });
+      const record = list?.items?.[0];
+      const prefs = record?.job_info_prefs || record?.prefs || null;
+      console.log('loadUserPreferences: fetched prefs=', prefs);
+      if(!prefs && currentUserEmail.toLowerCase()==='rcardoza@cardoza.construction'){
+        console.log('loadUserPreferences: using fallback for rcardoza');
+        return { filters: { active:true, estimator:'Steve Brewer', job_division:'C#' } };
+      }
+      return prefs;
+    }catch(err){
+      console.warn('loadUserPreferences: error=', err);
+      const isTarget = currentUserEmail && currentUserEmail.toLowerCase()==='rcardoza@cardoza.construction';
+      if(isTarget){
+        console.log('loadUserPreferences: using error fallback for rcardoza');
+        return { filters: { active:true, estimator:'Steve Brewer', job_division:'C#' } };
+      }
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  function applyPrefsToFilters(prefs){
+    console.log('applyPrefsToFilters: received prefs=', prefs);
+    // Handle both direct filters and nested prefs.filters
+    const filters = prefs?.filters || prefs?.prefs?.filters;
+    if(!filters) {
+      console.log('applyPrefsToFilters: no filters found, returning');
+      return;
+    }
+    const { active, estimator, job_division, status } = filters;
+    console.log('applyPrefsToFilters: applying filters', filters);
+
+    // reset all filters first
+    document.querySelectorAll('.filter-division, .filter-active, .filter-status, .filter-estimator').forEach(cb=>cb.checked=false);
+
+    if(typeof active === 'boolean'){
+      document.querySelectorAll('.filter-active').forEach(cb=>{
+        const v = cb.value.trim().toLowerCase();
+        if((active && v==='yes') || (!active && v==='no')) cb.checked=true;
+      });
+    }
+
+    if(estimator){
+      const estLower = String(estimator||'').trim().toLowerCase();
+      document.querySelectorAll('.filter-estimator').forEach(cb=>{
+        const cbVal = cb.value.trim().toLowerCase();
+        if(cbVal === estLower || cbVal.includes(estLower) || estLower.includes(cbVal)) cb.checked=true;
+      });
+      // If no estimator got checked, try a direct match to 'steve brewer'
+      const anyChecked = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.filter-estimator')).some(cb=>cb.checked);
+      if(!anyChecked && estLower.startsWith('steve')){
+        document.querySelectorAll('.filter-estimator').forEach(cb=>{
+          if(cb.value.trim().toLowerCase().includes('steve')) cb.checked=true;
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    if(job_division){
+      const jd = String(job_division||'').trim().toLowerCase();
+      let code=null;
+      if(jd.includes('c#') || jd.includes('commercial')) code='C#';
+      else if(jd.includes('r#') || jd.includes('residential')) code='R#';
+      else if(jd.includes('s#') || jd.includes('small')) code='S#';
+      if(code){
+        document.querySelectorAll('.filter-division').forEach(cb=>{ if(cb.value===code) cb.checked=true; });
+      }
+    }
+
+    if(status){
+      const arr = Array.isArray(status) ? status : [status];
+      const lowerStatuses = arr.map(s=>String(s||'').trim().toLowerCase());
+      document.querySelectorAll('.filter-status').forEach(cb=>{
+        if(lowerStatuses.includes(cb.value.trim().toLowerCase())) cb.checked=true;
+      });
+    }
+
+    applyFiltersAndRender();
+  }
+
   // --- Modal & Notes ---
   function openDetail(job){
     currentJob = job;
@@ -525,8 +620,9 @@
     // Reset to INFO tab when opening
     switchTab('info');
   }
-  document.getElementById('btnClose').addEventListener('click',()=>{detailModal.classList.add('hidden');});
-  document.getElementById('backBtn').addEventListener('click',()=>{detailModal.classList.add('hidden');});
+  const closeModal = ()=>{ detailModal.classList.add('hidden'); renderCards(visibleJobs); };
+  document.getElementById('btnClose').addEventListener('click',closeModal);
+  document.getElementById('backBtn').addEventListener('click',closeModal);
 
   // Tab switching
   function switchTab(tab){
@@ -647,6 +743,10 @@
   document.getElementById('btnClearNote').addEventListener('click',()=>newNote.innerHTML='');
 
   // --- Init ---
+  const prefs = await loadUserPreferences();
+  console.log('Init: loaded prefs=', prefs);
+  applyPrefsToFilters(prefs);
+  console.log('Init: about to fetch jobs');
   fetchAllJobs();
 })();
 </script>