Technology Alliance Group NW (TAG NW) Featured Members

Questions with Andy Brown of Delta Latitude, L.C.C.

Anastasia Kirsch — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:59:44 GMT

Q: What is your name and job title?
Andy Brown. President and CTO of Delta Latitude, L.L.C.

Q: What does your company do?
We are a product design company. We help clients define, design and market their product ideas. We have a strong background in embedded hardware design (including semi-conductor), software & web design. In addition, we have a couple of small start-up web based concepts of our own that we are testing. Our passion is to take a concept, develop it, market it, and then, hopefully, sell it or assist the client in selling it. Then we move on. My wife says I have an addiction to start-ups.

Q: How did your company get started?
Someone contacted me that had an idea for an electronic device that could be used to keep track of expensive items. We built the device and helped with patenting it. That was the first device that Delta Latitude developed; it won a finalist award on an inventor reality show.

Q: Who are your typical customers?
The great thing about the Internet is that it greatly expands your list of potential customers. We have had customers from all over the US, Japan, South America and Tanzania Africa. Delta Latitude even landed a contract to develop a "cloak and dagger" device, but of course, I can't tell you about that. Needless to say, our clientele tends to look for unique solutions to unique problems.

Q: What are some interesting trends in your industry?
Micro-manufacturing & Crowd Funding. Micro-manufacturing allows a small group of people to quickly build custom electronic "gadgets" for niche markets. Crowd funding allows you to quickly identify a need for those niche markets before you actually build something.

Q: What are some reasons for locating your business in Whatcom County?
My wife, Kathy, and I moved out here from Fort Collins, Colorado (another top place to live). We chose Whatcom versus King County because we could actually afford a house with a view of beautiful Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands. Also, where else can you go skiing in the mountains and then head out for a sunset sail? Besides, who wants to spend half the day stuck in traffic?

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?
Two things: First, I really appreciate how TAG is the voice for technology issues in Whatcom county. Without TAG, local government decisions that affect our industry would not receive the attention they need and deserve. Secondly, I appreciate being connected with such a broad spectrum of interesting business professionals, technology geeks (such as myself) and entrepreneurs. We all have so much to learn and share with each other. TAG has great synergy.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device, what would it be and why?
An EPIRB (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_radiobeacon). Life is short. I've got too much that I want to do to be stuck on an Island. My wife would bring a fully loaded e-reader with re-chargeable solar batteries.

Questions with Katy Reid of ViTech Business Group, Inc

Anastasia Kirsch — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:46:48 GMT

Q: What is your name and job title?

My Name is Kati Reid and I am the Marketing Manager at Vitech Business Group, Inc.

Q: What does your company do?

Vitech is a Supply Chain Solutions company that focuses on helping customers move product more efficiently and accurately through the four walls of their distribution center or warehouse. More specifically, we specialize in warehouse management systems (WMS) and Vocollect Voice installations. The solutions that we provide to our customers carry them through the sales process to installation, customization, and all of the ongoing services and support that they might require. We are able to do this because our in-house team includes sales people, project managers, programmers and a dedicated support staff.

Q: How did your company get started?

Our company was founded by Keith Batt and William (Bill) Ryan in 1994. Before moving to Bellingham, both worked in the WMS and data collection world with a company called HighJump out of Minnesota. For several years Vitech focused on HighJump projects around the country and continued to incrementally add staff. In 2004 the company made a decision to invest in Vocollect Voice technology, and we haven’t looked back since. Vitech is recognized by Vocollect as a Total Solutions Provider (TSP) which insures our place as one of their premier partners.

Q: Who are your typical customers?

Our typical customers are companies with manufacturing and/or distribution operations. Their facilities can range from 30,000 sq. ft. to well over one million sq. ft. From an industry standpoint, our customer footprint is quite extensive. We are not necessarily limited by the type of business that our customers operate, although we have had great success in years past with retail distribution, consumer packaged goods, and produce manufacturing and distribution. Our customers are scattered around the US and Canada and we now have a small office operating out of Raleigh, NC to offer better sales coverage in the Eastern Region.

Q: What are some interesting trends in your industry?

In the last several years as the economy has stalled, companies have been forced, perhaps more than ever, to find ways to exist on smaller budgets and with fewer resources. While the technology packages that we focus on do require a significant investment, we have been fortunate in that they provide fairly short ROI terms, and they allow companies to focus on finding long lasting efficiencies within their operations. Vocollect Voice technology, for example, has proven time and time again to increase worker productivity, decrease employee training time and improve order picking accuracy. All of these factors are easily quantifiable for most warehouse operations teams, and fortunately, they have kept our solutions in high demand despite the downturn in the economy.

Q: What are some reasons for locating your business in Whatcom County?

It sounds cliché, but like many business located in this area, we appreciate the lifestyle that it affords our employees (affordable housing, manageable commute times, and access to the outdoors). From a hiring perspective, we are also very fortunate to have top-notch university talent at our fingertips coming from Western, Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Tech. In fact, I think about three quarters of our employees are Western graduates (myself included). While the work that we do spans from New Jersey to California and many points in between, we are proud to call Whatcom County home.

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

The opportunities for networking at the luncheons have been the most fruitful for us so far. Going forward we would like to find better synergies with TAG in terms of employee recruiting.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device, what would it be and why?

Definitely a satellite phone. As nice as a desert island sounds in March in Washington, I would definitely look forward to calling for help and heading home.

Contact Information:

Kati Reid

Vitech Business Group

360-647-1622 x118

kati.reid@vitechgroup.com

www.vitechgroup.com

Black Rock Cable, Q&A with Fred Miller

Heidi Haslip — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:49:46 GMT

Q: What is your name and job title?

Fred Miller, sales guy

Q: What does your company do?

It’s about fiber connections and incredibly good customer service. Black Rock Cable “disrupts the dominant paradigm” in telecom; we think customers should like, even rave about, their telecom provider. With our network of 900 miles of fiber optic cable in NW Washington, we provide private dark fiber connections for customers who need high capacity, reliable Internet; connect to remote offices and ollocation sites, and/or need better connectivity for their corporate communications.

Q: How did your company get started?

While our founder was securing franchise rights for all the communities in NW Washington, our President was adding to his collection of Hawaiian shirts (suitable for all those business meetings, of course) and honing a very simple business model: let customers have complete use of fiber connectivity and they'll go wild with great uses. From converting the first few T1 users back in '02 and '03 to private fiber, our network grew quickly from a few dozen customers in Bellingham to hundreds of customers scattered from Blaine to Bothell. Yes, Google, you can get Gigabit service in Fairhaven.

Q: Who are your typical customers?

Descendents of the legendary self-reliant inhabitants and pioneers of the Great Northwest, those who appreciate simplicity, robust resources, great connections, etc, and a few very geeky people who wear socks with sandals.

Q: Tell us about some interesting trends in your industry?

It's about bandwidth and reliable networks. T1s are now wimpy. Many of our customers are moving to 10Gbps networking. Cellular companies are beefing up their networks bringing fiber to cell towers. And the clarion call to cloud computing can't be achieved without a careful look at how reliable providers' networks are.

Q: What are some reasons for locating your business in Whatcom County?

Black Rock didn't really "locate" here, it evolved from the needs of all the tech savvy businesses we have in the area. We saw what the other guys were too slow to recognize: there is a tech buzz here in Whatcom County, a great set of local service providers, and a lot of creative IT professionals who appreciate what they can do with their own private fiber connections. And then there's the water, the mountains, and a strong local community.

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

Comraderie. Clearinghouse. Connections.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?

A Fitel Handheld Fusion Splicer. With all the submarine fiber optic cables out there, I'd simply dive down, grab some cable, splice in, and bring state-of-the-art connectivity to all my fellow and future island inhabitants.

Questions for Jenny Klinskidorn, Cascade Dafo Inc.

Heidi Haslip — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:50:04 GMT

Q: What is your name, job title and company?

Jenny Klinskidorn, Sales Representative for Cascade Dafo, Inc.

Q: What does your company do?

Cascade Dafo manufactures foot and ankle braces (called DAFOs – Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthoses) that help children walk and stand. Our products are primarily geared toward pediatric patients, most of whom have neuromuscular challenges, but many adults also benefit from our innovative design concepts. We believe that better mobility gives all children and adults a wider range of experiences, more success in the activities they choose, and ultimately more control over their lives. At Cascade, product design, technical support, educational programs for practitioners, and research and development are all focused on improving the effectiveness of our braces and the patient experience.

Q: How did your company get started?

Our company was founded in 1980 when Don Buethorn, CO started Cascade Prosthetics and Orthotics here in Bellingham. It was a small Prosthetics and Orthotics facility with his wife, Candace, at the front desk. A few years later in 1985, Don was approached by Nancy Hylton, PT, LO, who asked him if he could fabricate a thin, flexible, wrap-around, plastic AFO that would function in the same manner as the temporary plaster SMO she was fabricating for her patients to use during therapy. Through subsequent testing, trials, and development, the original DAFO brace was born. Requests began to arrive from all parts of the United States and soon Don needed to hire technicians and additional staff to keep up with the demand. After relocating twice to larger facilities, Cascade Dafo is now located in Ferndale with more than 200 employees serving practitioners and patients worldwide.

Q: Who are your typical customers?

Our typical customers are orthotists and members of the patient’s clinical team (physical therapists and doctors) who rely on us as a central fabrication facility for their pediatric AFOs. Our customers are located mostly across the United States but also internationally in areas such as Europe, New Zealand and even Dubai.

Q: Tell us about some interesting trends in your industry?

We are definitely seeing technology being used in amazing ways with both prosthetic and orthotic devices to improve patient outcomes. At Cascade Dafo, we have spent the last 5 years focusing on digital scanning capabilities to reduce the time and expense of shipping casts of the patient’s limb to us for fabrication. Using CAD/CAM technology, we are now able to accept digital scans of the patient’s limb (either of a fiberglass positive or the actual patient), modify the digital file, carve out a mold and build the plastic custom brace resulting in excellent fit for the patient.

Q: What are some reasons for locating your business in Whatcom County?

Don and Candace love the Pacific Northwest and were able to reach practitioners and patients in all areas of the US from early on in the company’s history. We were able to meet demand right where the company started with the combination of an enthusiastic group of employees and access to shipping along with the innovation and quality that made our products stand out against competition.

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

As a technology-driven company, we like the support, events and networking opportunities that TAG provides businesses in Whatcom County.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?

Well, if a phone is out of the question to call for help, I’d have to say an iPad2 loaded up with books, music, and movies to help pass the time. I’d also use the camera features to record and document my experience on the island.

For more information on Cascade Dafo, please visit their site by clicking here.

Questions for Becca Shew, Shew Design

Michael Suzuki — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:41:04 GMT

Q: What does your company do?

Shew Design is a marketing communications company specializing in graphic design. Most of our projects can be considered brand development and messaging campaigns, both using a combination of old and new media.

Q: How did your company get started?

Shew Design began in 2002. Eric and I met on the job – Eric as a graphic designer and writer, and me as a production manager. Starting our business was a natural continuation of a positive personal and professional relationship. An initial focus in design has since expanded into marketing strategy, copywriting, illustration, radio production, letterpress printing, and web development.

Q: What are some reasons for locating your business in Whatcom County?

Both Eric and I came to Bellingham to go to Western and fell in love with this city and stayed. Starting a business in Bellingham so we could keep practicing what we love to do in a place we love was a natural choice. Whatcom County has an amazing variety of businesses and non-profit organizations, and that always keeps our work interesting. Recently locating our office downtown has made us feel even more connected to this community.

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG membership?

The lunch lectures are always terrific - informative and interesting and I always walk away with some new knowledge I can apply to my business. Working with Anna on the Tech Stomp graphics and publicity this year was a treat, and hearing George Dyson speak was a definite highlight.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device, what would it be and why?

I feel I should be saying our iPad2 or another fancy gadget, but honestly if my iPod Classic was loaded with my favorite music, audiobooks, and updated podcasts I think I would be happy [as happy as one could be on a desert island]. I am still in awe of this product that is several years old but continues to do one thing very well, and very elegantly.

To find out more about Shew Design, visit their website at shew-design.com

Questions for Jason Alexander, Lucid Consulting

Justin M. Woodum — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:40:40 GMT

Tell me a little bit about Lucid Consulting.

My name is Jason Alexander and I am the principal of Lucid Consulting. Lucid Consulting has been in business in Bellingham for over six years and we currently have a staff of six consultants. Many of our consultants have an extensive background in software, programming, and database management, while others have an extensive background in accounting. One of our consultants is currently testing for the CPA exam. I have found this combination of technical and accounting skills to be especially valuable when it comes supporting our clients and I believe this is what makes us successful.

What does your company do?

Our primary focus is solving problems related to information technology. This can be accomplished through a variety of means. We are a VAR for Sage Software products, focusing mainly on accounting, human resource, and payroll programs. These include MAS 90, MAS 200, MAS 500, and Sage Abra HRMS. Many times our clients have unique problems that cannot be solved through software out of the box. In those cases, we consult with the client to determine best practices when it comes to internal processes and then we work with the client to develop programs to solve their problems. Some clients simply want our help and expertise in evaluating software to meet their needs or in defining internal processes.

Who are your typical clients/customers?

A typical client is a mid-size company that has advanced manufacturing, accounting, and integration needs. For example, a typical customer may need advanced financial reporting capabilities or improved integration with other systems. A customer could simply be struggling with tying multiple systems together. It all centers around their accounting, HR, payroll, sales, and operations activities.

Tell us about some interesting trends in your industry?

A growing trend right now is virtualization. What seemed like a trickle less than two years ago is now a standard with almost every client we work with. Added to that I see more and more clients using devices like the iPad to run applications previously dominated by a desktop PC.

What makes Whatcom County a great place to do business?

I think most of us live here for the lifestyle. The great thing about being in the technology business is that for the most part you can really be anywhere. When you combine that with a great place to live; it’s like having your cake and eating it too.

There is relatively good technology infrastructure here and our proximity to Vancouver and Seattle helps. It sure beats driving in Seattle traffic 3 hours a day.

What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

I would have to say the networking opportunities and not necessarily from a ‘new business’ perspective. I have found the peer connections as well as the recent employment fair to be extremely valuable.

If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?

As long as the island has a 4G connection and power, I would take my Droid X2. I could surf the web, watch TV, check my e-mail, connect to my clients, and most importantly… try to beat my 10-year-old son at Angry Birds!

Questions for Micah Bobbink of Applied Digital Imaging

Justin M. Woodum — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:49:55 GMT

What is your name, job title and company?

Micah Bobbink, Director of Sales and Estimating at Applied Digital Imaging

What does your company do?

We are a digital printer and we specialize in print on demand scenarios. Our motto has always been print what you need when you need it. Beyond the standard products you would find in any print shop we produce perfect bound books and large format POP/POS signage. We have been producing perfect bound books mainly for the scientific and technology fields since the late 80’s and we are seeing a growing interest in self publishing and short run book printing. We have invested heavily in our large format color department and we are having great success with large format POP/POS signage for the food and recreation industries. Both these products have also allowed us to expand our client base outside of Whatcom County and produce work for national companies right here in Bellingham.

Who are your typical clients/customers?

We offer a wide variety of products and services which leads to a wide variety of clients. We proudly count many small and large businesses in Bellingham as clients and also have expanded out footprint to include some larger businesses in our state as well as clients up and down the West Coast and Canada. A normal day will include walk in clients picking up their brochures and flyers as well as shipping conference proceeding books both internationally and domestically or POP signage for tradeshows around the country. We also are reaching clients who desire to print less by staying current and including printing solutions aside from paper such as USB Drives, CD and DVD’s.

Tell us about some interesting trends in your industry?

My favorite trend right now is the QR Code. They are one of the few new trends that actually increases print instead of eliminating it since you can’t enjoy the benefits of the code without having it printed. QR Codes are mostly being used in the marketing and point of purchase arenas at the moment and I love the idea of layering technology and social media with a clear and direct print piece. QR Codes allow for a general print concept coupled with a QR Code hyperlinked to detailed and specific information or the other way around, with a specific and detailed print piece hyperlinked to a home page or general content. Trends in our industry tend to have a short life span but I believe this one is here to stay and will make its way into other fields of the print industry.

What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

Applied Digital Imaging has enjoyed a strong and lengthy relationship with TAG through the leadership of Rob Takemura. I am new to the group but I am looking forward to the knowledge and information shared by the speakers and other members. In industry like the printing industry I believe it is critical to remain current with the trends and advances in technologies.

Find out more about ObDOE by visiting their website.

Questions for Beth Heffernan, Vice President and COO, ObDOE

Justin M. Woodum — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:16:27 GMT

Q: What is your name, job title and company?
My name is Beth Heffernan, Vice President and COO, ObDOE.

Q: What does your company do?
ObDOE helps our customers nurture innovation. The results? Increased revenue, better earnings margins, and greater efficiency and effectiveness of mission critical staff. We do this by teaching data-driven product and process design and optimization.

Every company has unique strengths and weaknesses in its development process. We help each company take advantage of its strengths and improve its weaknesses. We tailor training and consulting to each company's unique, specific needs.

Q: And where does the name ObDOE come from?
Our corporate name is Math Options Inc. We meant that we offer customers options to doing math. Unfortunately, with “math” first – few made it to the options! We decided to do business as “Objective Design of Experiments,” a name which describes our services. This is a mouthful though, so, in the tradition of IBM, HP, and our customer RFMD, we shortened it to ObDOE.

Q: Who was your first customer?
Our first customer was the Phillips Petroleum Research Center in Bartlesville, OK. They actually fronted us payment to start the business. They have been an excellent customer. Thirteen years later, the Bartlesville Technology Center of ConocoPhillips is still our customer.

By the way, Lexmark International was our second customer. They, too, are still using our training services.

Q: Who are your typical clients/customers?
We have customers in both Research & Development and Manufacturing. Because our techniques are so versatile, we serve a broad range of industries. These include chemicals, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer products, and computer peripherals. Our customers even include the Air Force Research Lab and the US Navy.

One of our customers, US Synthetic, just won the Shingo award. This is like winning a Nobel Prize for manufacturing. Congratulations USS!

Q: Tell us about some interesting trends in your industry?
The training industry always faces challenges in hard economic times. Right now customers are seeking flexibility. In the spirit of Lean, they want their employees to “pull” training when they need it, rather than having management “push” it to them. This doesn't fit well with traditional classroom training. Online training is a better option, but the lack of a human teacher makes learning more difficult.

ObDOE has introduced a new paradigm – we offer online training with a live Coach. A student can contact his or her Coach any time with questions about the material to get real, pertinent answers.

We currently offer two eCourses, “Basic Statistics for Industry” and “Common Statistical Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.” We are working hard to expand these offerings as quickly as possible.

“Common Statistical Mistakes and How to Avoid Them” is being offered for free until August, so any TAG member who would like to take this class or is just curious is welcome to call or go to our website and get started.

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

The lunch presentations are great! I learn a lot, meet interesting people, and keep in touch with my TAG member friends. Anna is a thoughtful, dynamic facilitator and we have had several invaluable conversations.

Find out more about ObDOE by visiting their website.

Questions for Todd A. Sherman, President / Project Manager at Smart Box Design

Anna Ehnmark — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:07:50 GMT

Q: What is your name, job title and company?
My name is Todd A. Sherman, President / Project Manager at Smart Box Design

Q: What does your company do?
We design, develop, and publish high quality games that make thinking fun. Our recent game, Farkle Dice just passed the 500,000 download milestone. Since 2003 we have concentrated on the exciting and fast growing mobile market. Our first games were for the Palm OS. We are now concentrating on iOS and Android, releasing games for iPhones, iPads, and Tablets.

We also leverage our expertise to help other companies create their own applications. Some clients hire us as a complete solution, providing all the design, coding, art, and quality assurance while others hire us to Project Manage their team through the software development or web site creation process. Many of our clients are creating educational products, such as iPad story books or web based study tools.

Q: Who are your typical customers?
Our casual games are in the puzzle and problem solving genre which attracts the over 35 audience. They are intelligent, motivated, and mobile. They like games that can challenge but also relax them. They also like to include their family when playing, which is why many of our games have two player modes.

Q: Tell us about some interesting trends in the 'educational software' industry?
The industry is divided into the home consumer and schools. The home consumer is buying iPads as fast as they can be produced. They are eager to consume knowledge either through reading iBooks, launching apps or visiting online learning portals. Apps provide a new way for students to learn through the tap and gesture interface. Students are more engaged in the content through the interaction. Imagine exploring the Mars using Google maps http://www.google.com/mars/ or trying geology experiments based upon data from the Mars rovers. This partly explains why there are over 500,000 apps in the iTunes stores.

Schools have reduced budgets, so they are trying to stretch every dollar. The trend gaining the most traction is open and free textbook. Why pay for a history or science textbook that is constantly outdated? Schools and Districts are starting to visit sites, such as www.curriki.org which offers free online resources organized by units. Publishers are very concerned about this movement. The smart ones are embracing it and moving towards a service revenue model. They provide the free textbooks, but charge to customize it based upon the school district's goals and to train teachers how to best integrate the technology into the classroom.

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?
I love the lunch lectures. Not only do I get to meet the most interesting people in technology but I always walk away from the presentations with a ton of notes to follow-up on. The web site suggestions and tools recommendations have been fantastic.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?
My game design puzzle solving brain first blurted out – A satellite phone with GPS so I can call for help! If a phone was out of the question, then I would like an iPad2 fully stocked with books (to learn how to survive, build a boat, etc.), pictures of my family and friends (to lift my spirit), games, and movies (to help pass the time). But no reruns of Gilligan's Island, the irony would be too much.

Find out more about Smart Box Design by visiting their website.

Questions for Carl Symons of VAULTechnology

Anna Ehnmark — Wed, 04 May 2011 18:23:48 GMT

Q: What is your name and job title?
My name is Carl Symons. I am one of the founders and partners of VAULTechnology. My title is General Manager, mostly for people outside the Company. Internally, titles don't carry much weight; the team is interested in what needs to be done, and who is best suited for the task at hand.

Q: What is VAULTechnology?
VAULT is a small team of experienced technology people with associated people and companies. John Blanford leads technology, bringing many years of work with Unix and Linux, free and open source software (F/OSS). He cut his teeth on collaborative software development at the University of California working with counterparts in Australia. Tight budgets prompted their actions, but they soon discovered that sharing technology was superior to independent, stove-piped efforts. John is a certified Red Hat Engineer (the highest Linux certification available), and is proficient with PHP, Drupal, virtualization and other technologies related to VAULT's products and services.

My background is in sales, marketing, project management and general management. I've worked in telephony, large scale software development projects and video content delivery. I was President of a high profile fully optical fiber optic switch manufacturer, leading a large private funding effort and putting together strategic relationships with much larger companies. I'm VAULT's public face.

VAULT has a community focus and specializes in free and open source software. We have found that these products--generally available free of charge--give us the ability to concentrate on serving customer needs. The downside of these high quality products for most people is that they require more skill for deployment and maintenance than other products...as Robert Heinlein wrote, "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". We provide those skills for our customers.

We offer web development using Drupal, Linux system administration, mobile integration with company web strategies, full service local hosting. We also have considerable experience with high performing teams and provide tools for collaboration. Unless a customer specifically requests otherwise, all software is free of charge and comparable in quality to anything else.

Q: Why did you start the company?
I came to Bellingham by accident...lost on an excursion out of Seattle, we ended up on Chuckanut Drive. With the "Entering Bellingham" sign in the middle of a forest and a stop at the Community Food Co-op, it was pretty clear we'd found a special place, and decided to stay. Soon after, I discovered the Bellingham Linux Users Group and was invited to a planning meeting for LinuxFest Northwest (LFNW). The Fest is a project that both John and I think is important--sharing great technology with the community. We formed VAULT to build something locally using F/OSS technology that could be shared with communities elsewhere.

Q: What about Whatcom County made you want to base your business here?
LinuxFest Northwest was the catalyst for everything that followed. It was through Fest planning and implementation that John and I (and other associates) had the opportunity to work closely together. In this way, we discovered shared commitments and complementary skills. LFNW is a celebration of community accomplishment. Linux itself is the largest volunteer & teamwork project in history, a barnraising or quilting bee on a global scale.

LFNW is a natural fit for the sense of community that is so much a part of life in Whatcom County. The natural beauty and other psychic benefits far exceed any other place I've lived. Also raspberries and Saturday afternoon ice cream cones at Edaleen Dairy.

Q: What excites you about 2011?
Community is in full bloom in Whatcom County. People working together to make this a better place to live is a stark contrast with the national divisiveness and acrimony. In 2011, local focus will continue to grow in importance and value. Bellingham and Whatcom County are ahead of the curve on this. It's exciting.

Q: What benefits do you enjoy most about TAG?
Meeting and working with people in the tech industry. TAG is a bunch of talented folks committed to making NW Washington a great place to live and work.

Q: PC or Mac?
Well, to a Linux fanboy that's a good question. Macs are great hardware, and, underneath the eye candy, there's a great operating system similar to Linux. On the other hand, decent PC hardware is inexpensive, and it's a simple matter to load it with a rock solid Linux system. Most of my work is email, word processing, web-based applications. My PC running Linux works fine.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?
A portable music player loaded with faves, especially the complete Beethoven. Good music is divine.

You can find out more about VAULTechnology through this link.

Questions for Kathy Varner of Varner Sytsma Herndon

Anna Ehnmark — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:16:57 GMT

What is your name, job title and company?
Kathy Varner, CPA, Partner, Varner Sytsma Herndon

What makes your organization unique?
We consider our firm different than a CPA firm. We are dynamic, transparent, and our 30 person team is accessible to our clients. We use our skills and experience to understand and advise our clients about many business matters beyond preparation of their compliance work.

Who are your typical clients?
We work with small and larger businesses and their owners throughout Canada and the U.S. We have high expertise in Canada-U.S. and international tax and consulting, State and Local taxes and business valuations. We also enjoy working with several technology company startups.

What are some important changes in tax legislation for 2011 that most businesses do not know about?
A few things. Capital gains rates remain at 15%. Investors can invest in certain C corporation, hold the stock for 5 years and sell the stock with zero capital gains. The new depreciation rules allow businesses to buy very large amounts of equipment, certain leasehold improvements and write the majority of the assets off during 2011. Also the estate tax exemption and gift tax exemptions were surprisingly increased to $5,000,000 for 2010 and 2011. This is an opportunity for high wealth owners to do some simple planning to avoid estate taxes.

What attracted you to the field of accounting?
I enjoy analyzing the financial information and then using forecasts to strategize with businesses so they can grow fast and remain very strong.

What are you excited about for 2011?
The ever changing world of new technologies and how that substantially changes all of the lives in the world for the better.

What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?
The ability to associate with other members in the various areas of technology and growing that base within Whatcom County.

You can find out more about Varner Sytsma Herndon through this link.

Questions for Jason Glover of Baron & Company

Anna Ehnmark — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:45:22 GMT

Q: What is your name, job title and company?

A: Jason Glover, Principal at Baron & Company a marketing and advertising firm based in Bellingham, WA.

Q: What makes your organization unique?

A: I hesitate to call us unique because it suggests that we do something that nobody
else really does. There are a lot of creative firms that do the things we do. I do
think we have a great combination of skills and experience in our staff that makes
us really good at managing a wide variety of challenges. The most important skill is
our ability to develop long-lasting relationships with our clients. When we know and
understand our clients, we are much better at serving them. We also have the right
balance of creativity and practical problem solving to make us a great value for our
clients. We can do a lot of things, and if we can't do something we find someone who
can. Blending those things into a seamless approach for our clients is where our
value is.

Q: Who are your typical clients/customers?

A: One of the things that I like about the work we do is that it's not routine. That is
in large part due to the fact that most of our clients are very different from one
another. We can go from developing a television commercial for PeaceHealth St.
Joseph Medical Center to building a website for a small niche manufacturer like
Dave's Donuts for Delicate Derrieres, to designing a logo for an agricultural group
like Whidbey Island Grown. That's where creativity and flexibility of our team is
critical.

Q: Next year you are celebrating 30 years in business. Over the years the marketing and media landscape has changed dramatically. Living in this world of constant change can you tell us about something in your work that remain unchanged?

A: Customer service and responsiveness are the constants. You can be super creative and use the latest technology, but if you can't keep the personal relationships with
your clients at the forefront, you will ultimately fail.

Q: Tell us about some trends in the marketing and creative industry that excites you?

A: I get excited about what works. You can spend a lot of time and energy trying to
utilize something like Facebook to communicate your message, but the latest is not
always the greatest. The trick is developing an effective message and using the
right combination of mediums to deliver it. It might be social media, and it might
be a billboard, and it might not be either. You have to know where your audience is
most likely to pay attention to what you have to say, then you have the say it well,
and finally determine if you've been heard.

You can find out more about Baron & Company through this link.

Questions for Bill Forney of Visible Reality

Adrianne Czebator — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:32:04 GMT

Q: What is your name and job title?

My name is William Forney (Bill), and I am the owner of Visible Reality, and a founding member of improvGroup. Both are LLC’s.

Q: What is improvGroup/Visible Reality?

improvGroup was founded in 2005 by Steve Padgett, a local tech savvy CPA, and I. It generally took over where our other business, NoFiles, Inc. left off. NoFiles was founded in 1999 as a document management software company and evolved over the years to do web hosting, multimedia (CD/DVD design/development for local businesses and some bands, flash/director stuff, etc.), web design/development, a bit of print design, and computer support/networking. improvGroup has been more focused on the web/software side of things than NoFiles was.

In 2008 I formed Visible Reality with another partner who left back in September. Visible Reality is a web design and development company. We specialize in doing ASP.NET/Silverlight work on the Microsoft stack. Our web site has some project information on it, including tourmsn.com which was a project done last spring in about 3 weeks that was featured on the MSN homepage for about 6 weeks. Our latest completed project is Vorsite.com. Vorsite was done through improvGroup. We are looking at combining the two companies into one around the end of this year.

Q: What made you decide to start the companies?

For improvGroup, it was simply a natural extension of my skills. I honestly didn’t even think about it, hence the name. It just happened. For Visible Reality (VR) it was a little different. We had come to a point with improv where we needed to bring in a fresh perspective and my former partner in VR provided that at the time. Now we’re building things differently, focused more on bringing teams of professionals together for bigger projects rather than the old model of the monolithic design shop where everything is in-house.

Q: What about the area made you want to base your business here?

Well, for starters, the location is conveniently between Seattle and Vancouver, has proximity to Microsoft, and is a very nice place to live as long as you don’t mind the rain. I’m a Pennsylvania transplant (1999).

Q: What excites you in the coming year?

We’re always keeping an eye on new technologies and there are a lot of interesting things happening. I’m getting involved more with the community lately and attended the last Big Idea Lab event last week. There are a lot of possibilities for bringing together technology people and local jobs.

Q: What benefits do you enjoy most about TAG?

The events of course.

Q: PC or Mac?

Mostly PC, but part of doing a professional job building web sites requires Mac testing and Steve has an iPhone too.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?

Same answer as Adrian actually.

Questions for Adrian Mintz of Emergency Reporting

Anna Ehnmark — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:47:47 GMT

Q: What is your name and job title

A: Adrian Mintz, COO at Emergency Reporting

Q: What is Emergency Reporting?

A: Emergency Reporting provides web based records management services to first response customers in 46 states plus the department of defense. Our web based solution is one of the largest SaaS (Software as a Service) companies in the Fire / EMS industry.

Q: What made you decided to start/join Emergency Reporting?

A: Emergency reporting was founded to provide quality web based software, at a reasonable cost, to fire departments nationwide. In 2003 there was an opening in the market place to provide this service, and we were in the right place at the right time.

Q: What about Whatcom County made you want to base your business here?

A: proximity to technical talent, local datacenter, and the location of both of the founders previous businesses.

Q: What are you excited about for 2011?

A: the economic downturn has provided a boon to our company, as fire departments across the country are looking for cost effective solutions. Even without the economic downturn our software is increasing in popularity, meaning 2011 looks bright either way!

Q: What benefits do you most enjoy from your TAG Membership?

A: networking, hearing about other business experiences, assistance with filling open positions.

Q: PC or Mac?

A: Browser based software, supporting Firefox, IE 7 and 8, Chrome, and Safari (both PC and Mac flavor). Personally I use both PC and iPad and iPhone.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one electronic device what would it be and why?

A: satellite phone so I could call for some pizza and beer.

Q: What was the one thing on your holiday wish list that you didn’t receive?

Editorial note: Adrian just had his first child (a little girl) so he can say he got everything he wanted. Find picture to the right.

See Emergency Reporting's member profile.