Inventive Productions mentioned in Puget Sound Business Journal article

RJ McHatton and Inventive Productions were mentioned in an article by writer Patti Payne in this week’s Puget Sound Business Journal.

Here is a link to the article:

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/26/tidbits1.html

Casey Sheldon interview - Weber Shandwick

Casey Sheldon with Director RJ McHatton

 I drove down to the Union Station area of downtown Seattle to the offices of Weber Shandwick.  I was there to interview President-NW Casey Sheldon for the video we are creating for the Puget Sound Business Journal about the “Best Workplaces in Washington” award.   It only took five seconds to realize why Casey Sheldon is so successful.  She is energetic, enthusiastic, charming, and extremely confident.  Casey is so passionate about her team and her love for her work.  Casey loved to talk about her great team and how her goal is to do whatever she can to help them succeed.  She talked about the tremendous pressure of her industry and how her team has risen to the occasion.   We discussed the core values and the culture and the character of her team.  Casey talked about the first time she ever managed other people.  It was back in Ohio when she was young and leading a team of auto workers.  She talked about how her team had worked together to overcome adversity.  Casey Sheldon is a remarkable leader and a tremendous positive force.  I spoke to some members of her team and they were very proud to be a finalist for the Best Workplace Award.  They said that they love the flexibility that Casey and the leadership allow for the team members.  I am very lucky to be able to interview these Best Workplaces companies and their leaders.  You learn so much from each interview.  Its rewarding to hear that so many leaders like Casey still have focus on values and integrity and character.  Everyone is going back to basics of the way they treat each other.

Charlie Liekweg interview AAA Washington

Charlie Liekweg with Director RJ McHatton

 I knew I would like Charlie Liekweg immediately when I saw the giant photos of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and Ulysses S. Grant on the wall of his office.  I had recently returned from a trip to Gettysburg so the Civil War stories were still fresh in my memory.  We were there to interview Charlie Liekweg for the Puget Sound Business Journal “Best Workplaces” Award.  His company, AAA of Washington had reached the finalist stage.  Several of the AAA employees came up to me to tell me how much they loved working at AAA.  They were amazing.  I met Charlie in his office at the Bellevue headquarters.  Charlie told me that he really doesn’t use his office that much because he is usually out in the field visiting all of his offices.  We sat down and talked about his philosophy of management, the company culture, the core values of his team, and the specific things his organization does to get such a happy workplace recognition.  I was very impressed with Charlie and his understanding of his employees.  He talked a lot about the character and integrity of his team.  He talked about they proved themselves so many times, like during the heavy snows last Christmas and during the heatwave this summer.  He said his team always surprises him with positive surprises.  Charlie talked about how his team started a competition to be more healthy and how proud he was that they have accomplished so much in a short time.  He said that his company has actually earned reduction in health costs because the team became more healthy.  I was deeply moved by meeting Charlie Liekweg.   He is a great leader and the AAA Washington team is definitely one of the most positive, enthusiastic, sincere teams I have ever seen.