Bedford PA – Schneider National Trucking

Schneider National -- Bedford, PA

I drove up from Washington DC to Bedford, PA to interview some truckers who have been through the Excellent Cultures training programs. It was a beautiful morning. I was very impressed with the professionalism, energy, and hospitality of the team there at Schneider National. They gave testimonials about how the Excellent Cultures program had made a positive impact on their efficiencies, teamwork, and productivity. To learn more about the Excellent Cultures program, go to www.excellentcultures.com

Joe Denver - Veterans History Project - B-17 Pilot

B-17 "Flying Fortress"

I drove over to Ardmore, Pennsylvania to interview veteran Joe Denver. Joe was a B-17 pilot during World War II. I was met by his two sons. They were very excited to have me interview their father. The home was like a museum, with lots of great memorabilia from World War II. I also noticed they had a wall full of Civil War stuff. Since I had just visited the Gettysburg battleground, I was instantly moved to their Civil War area. The Denver family had a long tradition of serving in the US military. One of the Denvers served in the Civil War. They had his original gun, hat, and the bullet that killed him. I sat down with Joe with my HD video camera, set up a light and microphone, and then we talked. Joe was mostly blind, so I couldn't use my cue cards with my specialized 124 questions. So we just talked and I went through the questions one by one. Joe did a super job talking about the way things were during his lifetime, growing up in the Depression, serving as a B-17 pilot during WWII, and his life after the war. Joe is a super guy and a real character. He has strong values and as terrific memory for details. He has a great sense of humor, too.

Arlington National Cemetery -- Jimy's Parents

The main reason for the trip to Washington DC was to capture on video the internment of Mary and Byrd White into Arlington National Cemetery.

Mary and Byrd were the parents of a good friend, Jimy White. Both of his parents served during World War II. Mary was a nurse in the Navy and Byrd was a doctor and served in a MASH in the Army.

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center -- Air & Space Museum - Dulles International Airport

The Flying Wing

P-61 "Black Widow"

I drove over to Dulles International Airport to see the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a new part of the Smithsonian Institute's National Air & Space Museum. The Center was named for its major donor, Steven Udvar-Hazy.

I was there to get some pictures and video footage of the famous "Black Widow P-61" and the "Flying Wing." Both of these aircraft were first flown by test pilot Johnny Myers years ago for Northrop. I am producing and directing a new documentary about the life and times of the great aviator Johnny Myers. Johnny Myers was a mentor to so many pilots. He passed away last year.

The P-61 was the first aircraft to primarily use radar and to fly at night during WWII. It was used at both the Battle of the Bulge and at Guadacanal.

The Flying Wing was really the early prototype for what eventually became the stealth bombers. Johnny Myers was the test pilot for the Flying Wings at Northrop.

Thanks to everyone at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center for their hospitality.

RJ's Visit to Gettysburg

Gettysburg National Military Park

My friend Jimy White and my uncle Tom McHatton had Scrapple for breakfast, then loaded up in the rental car for a drive to see Gettysburg. I had seen the Gettysburg site almost 40 years ago when I was a kid. Jimy is a real history buff and he pushed us to make the two hour drive to see the battleground of Gettyburg. My memories as a kid told me that there wasn't much to see there, just open fields where once there was one of the worst battles in history. My uncle Tom told us that things had changed a bit over there in recent years.

We got more excited as we approached the signs to Gettysburg. It was a nice and warm day. We drove up to the main Gettysburg museum site where we went through some exhibits, the gift store, watched an IMAX video about Gettysburg, and then we watched an incredible multimedia presentation in a giant round room where we call one of the world's largest paintings come alive. I never knew about the giant round painting of Gettysburg. It is called the Gettysburg Cyclorama Painting. It was orginally painted in the late 1800s by French artist Paul Philippoteaux. It is almost 400 feet in length and in the round room, you feel you are actually in the middle of the Gettysburg battle. I really recommend you see and experience this if you ever get a chance. Its worth the time to see this incredible artifact come to life.

Then Jimy, Tom, and I jumped in our rental car to take the Car Tour of the actual Gettysburg battle. We had purchased a set of CDs which has stopping points marked along a driving route throughout the battleground. The CDs tell you the real story of what happened at each location. This was the best part of the day, and we were really sad to see the sun fall into darkness. I learned more about the Gettysburg battle and the real people who fought and died there. I recommend you take the audio tour, because you will never look at Gettysburg the same way ever. We drove back that night to my uncle's house and we could not stop talking about the great time we had at Gettysburg. We saw the spot where Abraham Lincoln gave that famous speech. We saw where the Picketts Charge happened. We saw Little Round Top and saw the view from where Robert E Lee watched the battle, and watched his forces fall.

General John Dailey -- Smithsonian Institute - Air & Space Museum

General John R. Dailey -- Director at the Smithsonian Institute - National Air & Space Museum.

I drove up to Washington DC from Baltimore. It was raining in Baltimore, but the sun was shining in DC. There must be something huge happening in DC because there are kids and buses everywhere. I circled around until my GPS took me to the entrance of the National Air & Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institute. I was there to interview the Director of the Museum, General John R. Dailey, for my new documentary "The Flying Man" about the legendary test pilot Johnny Myers. Johnny Myers once was a board member at the Smithsonian and General Dailey had become a close friend of Johnny.

My interview with General Dailey went very well. He talked about the wisdom and character of Johnny Myers and how each had a unique view on aviation history. Johnny Myers was a test pilot, and John Dailey was a four star general, a Marine pilot with over 6000 hours of flying experience including fighter planes and helicopters. General Dailey had flown over 400 combat missions in Vietnam. He earned numerous awards, including the Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Vietnam Gallantry Cross. After Vietnam, Dailey continued his dedication to his country by working his way up to General. He also worked in the top leader positions at NASA and the Marine Command. Now John Dailey is the Director of the Smithsonian Institute's National Air & Space Museum.

I was really moved and impressed by my interview with John. He is truly a nice guy, and he gave me a great interview about Johnny Myers. I would like to return soon to interview General Dailey about his own personal life story. When you meet some of these heroic people, its sometimes hard to believe that this person did all these incredible achievements. It makes you realize that we are all people and that anyone can be a hero if they dedicate themselves to others.

I learned a lot in my short interview with General John Dailey. I asked myself what can I do to serve others and sacrifice for others, the way General Dailey has done his entire life.

Karen Ridlon -- Founder of Eastside Baby Corner

Karen Ridlon--Founder of Eastside Baby Corner

Producer Bill Maxwell and I drove over to Issaquah to interview Karen Ridlon, founder of Eastside Baby Corner, for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce's annual Eastside Business Awards. The Eastside Baby Corner had been nominated under the Non-Profit category.

Bill and I were totally surprised and impressed with Karen and the wonderful team of volunteers working diligently there at Eastside Baby Corner. I had never heard of EBC before this meeting. EBC has been around over 18 years. The warehouse was full of volunteers and lots of clothing, toys, etc dedicated to the needy kids we don't think about sometimes. Karen told us that the EBC focuses on the needs of kids from birth to the age of 12. EBC works to organize and distribute materials to over 100 other non-profit agencies around the Puget Sound area. Some of the agencies benefiting from EBC's work is Hopelink and Head Start. Items distributed include things like baby formula, car seats, beds, cribs, bedding and diapers. My eyes grew big and started tearing up as I saw the incredible enthusiasm from the volunteers and how this EBC was really making a difference. I asked myself "How could I not have heard of EBC before?" You can learn more about the Eastside Baby Corner at www.babycorner.org

Ed Belleba -- Friends of Youth

Ed Belleba -- CEO of Friends of Youth

I drove over to Redmond to shoot an interview for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for their Eastside Business Awards. My subject was Ed Belleba, the CEO of Friends of Youth, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kids. I really knew nothing about Friends of Youth or their mission. Ed talked about how he got started at a volunteer with the organization after he retired from his career with Microsoft. I was really surprised at the vast size and scope of the Friends of Youth team. Over 20 locations in the state and thousands of volunteers are involved. From residence homes for runaways, to job opportunities, foster homes, to pregnancy and substance abuse counseling. Bob is a terrific leader of a terrific organization.

Scott Harrison -- CEO of Barclay Dean.

Scott Harrison -- CEO of Barclay Dean

Once in a while you run into someone who really inspires you. That happened for me during my interview with Scott Harrison, CEO of Barclay Dean. Scott and I both love history and we both love Thomas Jefferson. Scott is a rennassance man. He spends a lot of his time trying to help others and he believes in the concept of "give to others" and "do it because it is the right thing to do." Scott's company Barclay Dean is a pioneer in the new green technologies in interior office furniture and equipment. I visited the Barclay Dean showroom and offices in downtown Bellevue. I was interviewing Scott for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. His firm was nominated for the Eastside Business Awards for their work in community support. Barclay Dean works closely with several charities and community organizations including Junior Achievement and YES. Scott and I talked about our feelings about history. We talked about Thomas Jefferson and how he wrote the Declaration of Independence on a desk where you had to stand. He wrote it standing up. Scott told me how those kinds of desks are making a comeback these days. I really enjoyed meeting Scott and hope to focus more of my efforts to helping others like he does.

Paul Buckman - CEO of Pathway Medical Technologies

I was quite impressed and surprised by the incredible team at Pathway Medical Technologies.  I was there to shoot footage for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Eastside Business Awards.  Pathway is a pioneer in new technologies that could really have impact on blod clots in the veins of legs.  They showed me some demonstrations of the technology and it made me very optimistic about the future of their devices and technology.

Tony Cheng & Annie Cheng - Netstar Communications - Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards

Annie Cheng                                  Tony Cheng

I drove over to Bellevue's NetStar Communications to shoot footage for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce's Eastside Business Awards video production.  I was so grateful for the incredible hospitality of Annie Cheng, Tony Cheng, and the entire NetStar team.  They are so enthusiastic about their successful company and the future looks bright.

Christina Brandt - CEO of AtWork!

Christina Brandt -- CEO of AtWork!

We drove over to the new offices of AtWork! as part of our Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards video production.  We met with CEO Christina Brandt and took some great shots of their new facility and team.  

Kevin Goodwin - CEO of Sonosite - Eastside Business Awards

Kevin Goodwin

We drove to Bothell to shoot footage at Sonosite's headquarters for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce's Eastside Business Awards annual ceremony.  It was my first introduction to Sonosite and their array of products.  I was immediately in awe at the unbelievable potential of their work.  My grandmother died of a broken aorta about fifteen years ago.  At that time it took about six hours to get her to the type of ultrasound equipment that could have diagnosed her situation.   Today with Sonosite's handheld ultrasound equipment, a local EMT or emergency room person could have seen inside my grandmothers body within seconds.  I have tremendous enthusiasm for the potential to save many, many lives with the new Sonosite technology.  Kevin Goodwin and the team at Sonosite have been nominated for Eastside Business of the Year by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.  The winners will be announced at the annual ceremony at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue on April 29th.

Pedro Castro - Magellan Architects - Eastside Business Awards

Pedro Castro

It was a little bit rainy that day I visited Magellan Architects in Redmond.  I was there to shoot some footage of the CEO Pedro Castro and his team of architects.  I was immediately impressed with Mr. Castro.  Pedro is sort of a renaissance man.  His father was a well-known architect in Brazil.  Pedro has a love for art and freedom.  His Magellan Architects have worked on a wide variety of projects from many industries, including education, churches, banks, and high tech.  Pedro described his passion for doing good work and his loyalty to his team.  Pedro is a top notch leader during this challenging times.  His character is true to his team and to others.

David Zook - Tutoring Club - Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards

David Zook is a dedicated teacher.    I drove over to the Tutoring Club in Bellevue WA to shoot video footage for the Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards.  The Tutoring Club is a finalist for this year's Eastside Business Awards.  David Zook is the franchise owner of the Tutoring Club.  I was very impressed with David's committment to helping kids learn.  He told me about his background as an educator and about his hopes for the future.  He told me how he really tries to help kids, whether it be by helping out with the Lego Robotics Competitions or by planting a seed of the potential of being a Nobel Prize winner some day to a teenager.  David Zook is planting seeds in the minds of kids, that someday actually might produce a future Nobel Prize winner.  I really believe he is on to something with that idea. 

Carlos Veliz - PCSI Design - Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards

I really enjoyed my interview and meeting with Carlos Veliz and his team at PCSI Design in Bothell, Washington.  I was there to shoot footage of the PCSI Design team for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Eastside Business Awards.  PCSI Design is a finalist for the awards to be given out in a large ceremony at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue on April 29th.  I was very impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of Carlos and his team.  Carlos has built a strong business in designing all kinds of products including work for the aerospace, medical, and assorted other industries.  Carlos talked about the importance of being flexible and listening to your customers, especially in tough economic times.  I liked Carlos' committment to helping kids and mentoring, and his love for baseball.  He is a very active contributor of time and money to numerous kids organizations.    Recently Carlos was awarded the Washington State SBA Minority Small Business Champion of the Year.

Dr. Mark Dedomenico -- CEO of Pro Sports Club

Dr. Mark Dedomenico

I was very impressed during my interview with Dr. Mark Dedomenico.  Mark visited our Green Screen studio to be interviewed for my new documentary, "CEOs of Seattle."  Mark talked about his beginnings as a graduate of the St. Louis University Medical School and how a paper he once wrote helped trigger the evolution of the medical procedure known as the Coronary Bypass Surgery.  I could tell by meeting Mark that he is a visionary, a thinking-man, who is dedicated to changing the world.  Mark has dedicated his life to overcoming the challenge of obesity.  Mark is a former cardiovascular surgeon and the co-founder of the Hope Heart Institute in Seattle.  Then Mark talked about how he became the CEO of the worlds largest health club, Pro Sports Club, in Redmond, WA.   I learned alot during my interview with Mark.  He is a great role model about how a person's total focus can make a difference.   I remember how my father had a bypass back in the 1980s.   Maybe my father lived another day because of Mark Dedomenico.  Maybe a lot of people will live longer due to the due dilligence of Mark. Then we talked about his love of horses and his Pegasus Equine Rehabilitation Center.  Mark has started one of the world's premier centers for the rehabilitation and training of horses.  Mark definitely is a multi-faceted person.  He believes in excellence in everything he does.  Thanks Mark for letting me interview you for my documentary film.

Shari Marion-Hoff -- CEO of Hawkeye - Cohesion

Shari Marion-Hoff 

I was very pleased to meet Shari.  Shari is the CEO of Hawkeye - Cohesion, one of the nation's leading experts in high tech web and interactive marketing and advertising.  Shari was kind enough to drive over to our Inventive Productions studios to be interviewed for my new documentary "CEOs of Seattle."

I was very impressed with the strong leadership philosophies that Shari spoke about, including her focus on transparency in motivating her team.  She is a strong communicator, and she did a terrific interview about her leadership style and techniques.

Dan Greenshields -- CEO of Sharebuilder

Dan Greenshields -- CEO of Sharebuilder 

I was really impressed with the strong leadership philosophies of Dan Greenshields.  Dan came over to our Inventive Productions green screen studio to be interviewed for my documentary "CEOs of Seattle."  Dan talked about his career and his passion for the Sharebuilder concept.  He talked about his beliefs on how to motivate and inspire his team.  He discussed his strong dedication to integrity and values.    Dan really is a great leader and I am very grateful he took the time to help us with our documentary film.  

Alex Wasserman & Dave Johnson -- CEOs of Elite Fitness

Alex Wasserman & Dave Johnson -- Elite Fitness

I was deeply inspired by my interview with Alex and Dave from Elite Fitness.  They came over to our Inventive Productions studios to be interviewed on the Green Screen for my new documentary film, "CEOs of Seattle."  Alex and Dave are so confident, so strong in their leadership focus, that they were a perfect interview for our film.  They talked about the importance of attitude, teamwork, and integrity in creating a successful business.  Alex and Dave discussed the importance of being passionate about your vocation and it won't become work.  They love what they do, they get trememdous satisfaction from seeing the happy results from their clients.  These guys are a terrific example of what is best in the CEOs of Seattle. 

Tom Varga -- CEO of CFO Selections

Tom Varga -- CEO of CFO Selections

I really enjoyed my interview with Tom Varga with CFO Selections.  He was interviewed for my new documentary "CEOs of Seattle."  Tom is the leader of one of the fastest growing companies in the country, and I feel they have a bright future.  CFO Selections is sort of like a temp agency for CFOs.    Tom did a great job in the interview talking about the secrets to the success of his enterprise, and most importantly the values that have shaped his management style and philosophies.  He really believes in the concept of giving to others.  Give and you shall receive.  What a concept.  Thanks Tom for all your help with this documentary project.

Naomi Novotny & Mark Zoske -- "CEOs of Seattle"

   

Naomi Novotny & Mark Zoske from "SaltWorks"

I first met Naomi and Mark back about a year ago when we were doing the video for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for their Eastside Business Awards.  Naomi and Mark's company SaltWorks was nominated as a finalist for the EBA Awards.  Producer Mitchell Pickett and I had travelled to their facility to interview the owners and shoot the footage for the video to be shown on the big screen at the awards ceremony.  Both Mitchell and I were deeply impressed with the enthusiasm and success of SaltWorks.  We were inspired by their rags to riches story, of starting in their garage with an idea, and now looking to expand their business to a new 100,000 square foot facility.  This week Naomi and Mark visited our Inventive Productions studio in Redmond to be interviewed for my new documentary "CEOs of Seattle."   They decided we should interview Mark even though they really are a united leadership team.  Mark told some great stories about his childhood and his hopes and dreams of being a successful business owner ever since he was a kid.  He talked about the other five businesses he owned before finally hitting a winner with SaltWorks.  I was deeply moved by his management philosophies and his dedication and committment to excellence.  His interview will really help our movie.  Thanks Naomi and Mark for taking the time to help us with this documentary project.  We wish them the very best with the incredible growth of their company.   They are a terrific team.

Dan Blanchard -- "CEOs of Seattle" documentary

    Dan Blanchard

I had a great time interviewing Dan Blanchard CEO of American Safari Cruises, one of America's premier luxury cruise lines.   Dan told me his great story about how he got into the business and his philosophy of leadership, recruiting, and motivation.  Dan is a great guy.  I really appreciate his help with my documentary "CEOs of Seattle."

Carolyn Schwager

         

Carolyn & John Schwager

      

Carolyn Schwager   

(May 17, 1918 - February 24, 2009)

Carolyn Schwager was the kindest, most generous, positive person I have ever met.

I will never forget her enthusiasm for life and her funny laugh.

I first met Carolyn at Eagle Crest about 20 years ago. I will never forget how much energy she always had, her zest for life.

I remember her playing tennis and golf and skiing and riding her bicycle and her big smile.

I never saw Carolyn without a big smile, in twenty years.

She always went out of her way to help others. I remember she was always a wonderful host who would offer me a sandwich or crackers with a glass of milk or wine.

Carolyn and John were real role models for me. Their love for each other was inspirational to me.

I watched how Carolyn would take care of John and John would take care of her.

They really changed my life forever.

I will always be grateful for their friendship and warmth.

Ihave a hundred great memories, if not a thousand, with Carolyn and John.

She always would surprise me. She had so much energy. So much joy. She was a person I will miss terribly and will remember as a great person.

I remember how nice and kind Carolyn was with my children. She had a terrific sense of humor and always saw the best in people.

Carolyn Schwager always told me stories about how she knew John from way back and how he would always walk out of his way to go by her house. I think they've always had a crush on each other.

Thank you Lord for allowing me the priviledge to have known Carolyn. I am eternally grateful.

RJ McHatton

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After I heard about Carolyn's passing, I called over to John Schwager's home and set up an appointment to see him.  It has been a couple of years since I have seen John.  I feel terrible that I have let so much time go by.  Well I went over to John's home and spend some time with him.  He is doing great.  His is 98 years old now and he still has the strongest handshake I ever saw.  I plan to make it a habit to stop by and see John on a consistent basis.  He is a real friend, someone who alway went out of his way to be my friend and to help others.  He is a true role model of the type of person I aspire to be.    

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Sekou Page - Entirenet / Microsoft OCS Labcast

     Sekou Page

We just completed the shooting phase of the new Labcast video production for Entirenet /Microsoft.   It was another snowy day as we started shooting at our green screen studio in Redmond, Washington.  Our client, Entirenet, does a lot of educational training projects for Microsoft, including the new web-based video labcasts.  We have worked on several of these projects over the past year.  This time our guest speaker and instructor was Sekou Page from Santa Monica, CA.  Sekou did a fine job in leading the labcast training classes.  We shot him on the green screen so we could put a quality computer generated logo behind him when we do the editing.  

Bert Gregory -- "CEOs of Seattle" documentary

              Bert Gregory of Mithun

It was a little rainy that morning in downtown Seattle.  I drove down onto the waterfront and parked under the Alaskan Viaduct.    I had an appointment with Bert Gregory of Mithun.  Their offices are located right on the Pier on the waterfront.   Immediately I noticed the great architecture inside the offices, with very tall open ceilings.  I was there to interview Bert for my documentary, "CEOs of Seattle."  Mithun is one of the leading architecture firms in the nation focusing on the concepts predominantly known today as "GREEN" or sustainability.    The interview was a bit unusual because all the architects and employees in the office worked in one giant open room.  There were no private offices or conference rooms to shoot the interview.  So we set up a spot right in the middle of the room and did the interview.  Bert did a super job in the interview.  I learned a lot about his leadership philosophies and management style.  You can learn more about Bert and Mithun at http://www.mithun.com  

Kelly Noonan - CEO of Seattle Documentary

   Kelly Noonan

I really enjoyed my interview with Kelly Noonan for my documentary "CEOs of Seattle."  Kelly is a graduate of Notre Dame and University of Washington.  She is the Managing Shareholder of Stokes Lawrence PS, one of the leading law firms in the Seattle area.  I was immediately impressed with Kelly and her tremendous leadership skills and managment philosophies.  I think the interview went well.  We discovered that it is a small world because we have some mutual long time friends in Yakima.  

My Visit with Vince Lombardi

A while back we made a Case Study video for Excellent Cultures. The Case Study was about their success story at the Delphi Steering Plant 6 in Saginaw Michigan. Here is a clip from that case study video:

Now Steve Gandara from Excellent Cultures asked me to go with him to Green Bay, Wisconsin to interview several people at the Schneider National headquarters. These interviews are for a new Case Study video for Excellent Cultures.

Ever since I was a little kid, I loved Vince Lombardi and all the giant heroes from Green Bay. I loved the story of Titletown, USA and how Vince Lombardi took the team of losers and turned them into a dynasty of world champions.

I jumped at the chance to go to Green Bay.

My dad used to show me a video he had of Vince Lombardi called "Second Effort." In that video Vince Lombardi talked about his philosophies on Excellence and Second Efforts and Lombardi Time. He talked about if you were ten minutes early you were actually five minutes late on "Lombardi Time." I have been on Lombardi Time for about thirty years now. My wife and kids have all converted to Lombardi Time. In my mind, Lombardi and Teddy Roosevelt were just about the best heroes a guy could ever have.

As the plane flew into town, I could see the giant stadium from the window.

After checking into our hotel, Steve and I drove over to Lambeau Field to eat dinner at Curly's Pub. It was awesome to enter the stadium. Out front was a giant statue of Vince Lombardi.

We had a great day of interviews with the Schneider leadership team talking about the success of the Excellent Cultures program in helping Schneider break all sales and efficiency records. It was very inspiring to me to see people so confident and enthusiastic in today's negative world. After dropping off Steve at the airport, I drove back to Lambeau Field to catch the last couple of hours at the Packer Hall of Fame. I had heard of the large dedications and rooms directed at the Legacy of Vince Lombardi.

I really enjoyed my time at the Hall of Fame. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood fascination with the Packers and the early heroes of the NFL. It also reminded me of my interviews with sports legend Jim Zorn. Years ago after Jim was cut from the Seattle Seahawks he had spent some time at Green Bay. I remember his remarks about how impressed he was with the incredible legacy of success with the Packers. It was ironic that Coach Mike Holmgren is still so connected with both the Packers and the Seahawks. There seemed to me to be parallels between Holmgren and Lombardi.

The next morning I went to the Green Bay airport to catch the early flight. The news had told everyone that a big snow storm was headed our way, supposed to hit around 3 or 4pm. I stopped by the gift shop to pick up some cheeseheads for my daughter and some clients. We all boarded the Noon plane, glad to be getting out before the storm. As we made it out to the tarmac I thought about the happy memories of the nice folks over at Schneider National. People in small towns seem so nice to me.

Then as the plane was headed down the tarmac, the pilot said that they were told that Chicago had shut down and that we were going to have to wait for a while. After about an hour the pilot said that we were going back in to get more fuel. Then after about another hour we were told to de-plane. Then we waited for about three more hours. I could see out the window as a slowly moving giant white blanket of snow was heading right at us down the western runway. After a long time, we were told to re-board. Then we started out onto the tarmac, and the pilot again said, no we are going back in. By then the airport was socked in with about a foot of snow. I took a shuttle back to the hotel. The shuttle driver had a real hard time seeing in the blizzard.

Everyone in Green Bay was nice to me.

This all reminded me of the famous Ice Bowl Championship game from my childhood. I remembered so many games on TV with the Packers playing in the snow and the giant crowds supporting them in the storm.

Finally after another day of waiting, I made it back in the air, going through Minneapolis this time, and ended back in Seattle about Midnight.

Overall even thought I was stuck in a blizzard, I really enjoyed my trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin. When I was a little kid I had written down a hundred goals of what I wanted to do in my life. One of these goals was to go to Paris, and another was to go to Green Bay. Well, I can check off the one for Green Bay now. Next on my list is Paris. I hope I can get a project that will let me go to Paris this year.

Dataweb - Videos for New Software Launch

Dataweb Software Launch

A couple of years ago, I shot the video biography of Richard Locke's father for the Veterans History Project. Richard then hired us to shoot and edit a short You tube video for his company, Dataweb. Now Richard asked us to create a series of short videos to help launch their newest videos.

Pat & Jean Duffy -- Home Movies

It was great to see Pat Duffy again. I've had the pleasure of knowing Jean and Pat Duffy since 1988 when I started working over at Eagle Crest Resort in Central Oregon. Over the years they have become great friends and an inspiration to me. Pat told me he had some home movies that years ago he had transferred to VHS tapes, but now the sound was messed up and he wanted to get them all transferred to DVDs. My team and I enjoyed this project, and helping to preserve the Duffy Family home movies. We transferred the VHS video to digital tapes and then luckily Pat had the original audio tapes on cassettes. We transferred the cassette audio to digital files. Then we imported all the digital files into our Final Cut Pro system and synced everything all together. Then we created a nice DVD menu and started exporting and burning. Pat and Jean were on a trip and hoped we could get the videos to them in time for their trip. We did it!

Magda Newman Memorial

I was very sorry to hear about the passing of Magda Newman. Magda was a wonderful woman who had experienced the challenges of the Holocaust and the Hungarian Revolution. About two years ago I spent some quality time with Magda, creating her video biography. Here is a short sample from her video biography. The full documentary is about 45 minutes long.

Ashton Palmer - "CEOs of Seattle" documentary

                    Ashton Palmer

Ashton Palmer is the CEO and founder of Expedition Trips.

His company specializes in vacations and trips to places

like Antarctica.  I really enjoyed meeting Ashton and hearing

his remarkable stories about how he started his business

and his very smart philosophies about running his business.

Thanks Ashton for all our help with our "CEOs of SEattle"

documentary project.  You can learn more about Ashton

at www.expeditiontrips.com 

Pat and Roy Bates Movie Trailer

Pat and Roy Bates Movie Trailer

Here is a short sample from the Video Biography we are creating for Roy and Pat Bates.  They are the parents of Barbie and Mike Seifert of Seattle.

Puget Sound Security video

Puget Sound Security Video

We really enjoyed working with Jeff Kirby and the team over at Puget Sound Security to put together this video.  Thanks also goes to Patti Payne for doing the Voice over.

Here is the video:

Linda Kay Porlier - Author, Voice Over Talent, Speaker

                   Linda Kay Porlier

I first met Linda Kay Porlier a little over three years ago at a Breakfast meeting at the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.  Since then we have done several projects together and become great friends.  Linda Kay is one of the most inspiring and kind people I have met.  She always goes out of her way to help others.  She is an author, a very sought after speaker, and now she is going into the Voice Over business.  We helped produce her audio book last year, so we know that she has a soothing, very unique voice.    Today Linda Kay came to our Inventive Productions studios to do her interview for her video biography.   It was a great experience to hear her life story in her own words.   To learn more about Linda Kay, go to http://www.followyourheartproductions.com  

Kathryn Flynn - Cooking for Fertility DVD interview

                 Kathryn Flynn

Kathryn Flynn, the dynamic author of a new cookbook

about cooking for fertility, came over to Inventive Productions

studios to do some insert shots for her new Cooking for Fertility

DVD, which we are making for her and co-expert Tiffany Pollard.

Kathryn brought in several samples of her interesting and

cheerful teas.  We are in the final post-productions tasks for

the DVD project.  Kathryn did a super job today with the interviews

and insert shots and explaining the benefits of her teas.

Christian Chabot - "CEOs of Seattle" interview

    Christian Chabot

I was extremely impressed and energized by my interview Christian Chabot.  Christian was here to be interviewed for our "CEOs of Seattle" documentary.  He is the CEO and co-founder of Tableau Software.  Christian was educated in England, and then earned an MBA at Stanford University.  He is a pubished-author of a business bestseller, a very  sought-after keynote speaker,  and a true inspiration to me.  He has been involved with startups and venture capital companies and several high tech companies.  I think Christian gave one of the best interviews for our documentary so far.  Thank you Christian for all your help.

Chris Pappas Interview

                    Chris Pappas

We are finishing up the video biography of Bob and Jackie

Pappas and felt it would be very important to include their

children in the movie.  We got interviews with the other

two children a while back, but this past week  we finally

got our interview with Chris Pappas, and it was a great

experience.  You could tell that Chris was very proud of 

his parents and proud to be a Pappas.  I was extremely

impressed with all the kids of Bob and Jackie.  They are

such a positive, enthusiastic, and can-do attitude family.

Barbara and Bob Balkema Video Biography

        Bob and Barbara Balkema

We are proud to be producing the Video Biography of 

Bob and Barbara Balkema.  This is a the very inspiring

story of two people who really care for each other.

Bob and Barbara might seem young to make their video

biography, but in actuality they are the perfect age.

They can tell their story while they can remember it,

while they are still living it.  They plan to update their 

video biography every five years or so.

Rick Peterson Interview

                      Rick Peterson

We are making a video biography of the Life and Times of Michael O'Brien of Everett.  Not too long ago Michael O'Brien was the proprietor of one of the longest lasting Ford dealerships in the Northwest, in Downtown Seattle.  Commissed by his son Scott O'Brien, we did a great interview with Mike.  Now we are interviewing some of his long time friends and family.  Rick is Mike's good friend and brother-in-law.  Thanks Rick for letting us interview you for Mike's video biography.

Eastside Heritage Center shoot

                 Heather Trescases

Eastside Heritage Center - interview shoot

Intern Bond Debol met me over at Ross McIvor's office so we could shoot several interviews for the fundraising video for the Eastside Heritage Center.  I first met Ross over three years ago at one of our Inventive Productions open house parties.  Ross had told me all about his passion, the Eastside Heritage Center.  This is very interesting to me because the EHC is really a museum without a museum.  The EHC was formed upon the merger of the Bellevue Historical Society and the Marymoor Museum of Eastside History.  Due to budget cuts the Marymoor Museum was forced to leave its home at the Clise Mansion at Marymoor.  The big problem with this is that they have a collection of over 30,000 artifacts that had to find a home.  Today these artifacts are stuck in some storage facility until they can find a new museum location.  This breaks my heart to think of great artifacts locked up somewhere  where kids  and patrons cannot see them, where they could be getting hurt by the lack of proper storage.  We decided to create a fundraising video for their upcoming dinner this March.  I have been extremely impressed with the passion and dedication of the EHC team.  This includeds Ross who is the President of the Board of Trustees, and Heather Trescases, the Director of the EHC.  To learn more about the Eastside Heritage Center, go to www.eastsideheritagecenter.org 

Stan Selden - "CEOs of Seattle" documentary interview

                               Stan Selden

I first met Stan Selden over the telephone last fall.   I had read an article that said his family business Selden Furniture in Fife had been in business over 50 years, so I wrote Stan a letter to see if he would be interested in getting a video history made about his company.  Stan responded to my letter, saying that in fact he was working on a book about the history of his family business.

Last week we called Stan to see if he would let us interview him for the documentary "CEOs of Seattle" and he said "Sure!"

Stan is a great guy with tremendous vitality for life.  We talked about the secrets to his success, his mentors over the years, and his advice for young people.  Thanks, Stan, for taking the time to visit our Inventive Productions studios and to let me interview you for our documentary.

Interview with Eric Overton - "CEOs of Seattle" documentary

Eric Overton - "CEOs of Seattle" documentary project.

Feb 3, 2009--Interview with Eric Overton.

Eric is a great guy.  He is so enthusiastic.  His company, Sparling, is the nation's largest specialty engineering firm.  Eric was gracious to come over to our Redmond studios to be interviewed about his secrets to success.  Eric talked about his emphasis on values and culture and growing good people.   It was very inspiring to hear how much integrity and character are integral to success in today's business world.

Memories of Eileen Mintz

I first met Eileen Mintz last summer. I was making a documentary film about the Chefs of Seattle and Joe Kennedy said, "You have to interview Eileen for your movie!" So I gave Eileen a call and she was so nice to agree to be interviewed. Eileen came over to my video studio in Bellevue one afternoon. She was so beautiful and enthusiastic and instantly special to me. The best way to describe the moment is do you know how if you are at a party and someone really special like a Brad Pitt or Clark Gable or John Wayne or Marilyn Monroe enters the room? Well that is how this experience was for me. Eileen lit up the room. She was a celebrity to me. She had a glow about her. We went into the studio and started our interview. We talked about her career and how she became a food critic. She talked about the good old days and how she just loved chefs. She talked about how she tried so hard to help the Chefs of Seattle become the Rock Stars of today. Eileen had such a remarkable enthusiasm for life that it made me look at my own enthusiasm scale. On a scale of one to ten she was definitely a ten. I learned that day about the days when Eileen worked in the hotel industry and how she got into the PR business and also how much she loved chefs. I learned so much about the history of the Seattle area that day, too. Over the course of time, Eileen and I talked a little about her bout with Cancer, but you really had to pull it out of her. She loved life so much. She told me how much she loved her family, and how blessed she felt, that she had led a "wonderful" life. We kept in touch via email over the next few months. As we completed the documentary "Chefs of Seattle" I sent her a DVD for her review. She said she liked it a lot. I can tell you that she was a huge part of the positive feelings from the movie. Last fall Eileen invited me to a dinner opening event down in Tacoma. I had to bow out at the last minute because one of my clients had passed away and I needed to make a video for their family. Eileen emailed me back that she really, uniquely, understood. The other day I received an email from a friend that Eileen had gone, and it really made me sad and mad. I didn't hear about it until her memorial had already happened. I wished I could have honored her. The past few days I have told myself that I wished I had an opportunity to know Eileen better. But I feel grateful that I had a chance to spend one afternoon, one on one with her, listening to her laugh and the joy of her stories talking about the good old days in Seattle when chefs weren't rock stars yet, where a young woman named Eileen helped make a difference in so many lives. This morning I watched her video interview once again and I laughed and felt great to have been blessed to have met, even for just a moment, Eileen Mintz.

RJ's Birthday Party - Super Bowl Party

RJ's Birthday Party at Paul Ortega's Super Bowl Party

Feb 1, 2009--RJ's Birthday Party at Paula Ortega's Super Bowl party

It was looking like it would be the worst birthday of all time.

No phone calls.

No cards.

No presents.

No cake.

No hugs.

Then I got a call from Paula.  She said "Where are you, RJ?"

Now I knew there were lots of reasons for the situation.  Kids out of town.  Kids working.  Once you hit fifty things are different.  

"Birthdays are for kids"  I told myself.

Well I decided to go to the Super Bowl party over at Paula's house.

It turned out to be a really fun, cool day.   Paula and Gracie and Kim and everyone over there were very generous, kind, and hospitable to me.  

I really had a good time.  Then Pittsburgh won the game.

Relay for Life - Bellevue - Kickoff Party - Lincoln Square Cinemas

Jan 31, 2009--Relay for Life Kickoff Party--Lincoln Square Cinemas

I was invited to the kickoff party by the most enthusiastic person I have ever met, Mary Martin from the American Cancer Society.   Our Inventive Productions team had created a short fundraising video for the event and I wanted to see how it looked on the big screens of the beautiful Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue, WA.  

I showed up a little early on Saturday morning and was totally impressed by the incredible warm hospitality and generosity of everyone I met at the event.  There were lots of young people and a few old people, but everyone had the same reason for being there.  We all want to try to help stop cancer.  I cannot stress how remarkable these people at this event were.  These kids were so fun and happy and inspiring because they all were there for no reason but to try to help others.   

Because of technical problems with the video projector, they couldn't get our video up on the bigscreen but I did not care, because I ran into Linda Linderman, a long time friend.  

Linda is a remarkable person.  She the wife of one of the most important person I have ever met in my life.  I first met Rob Linderman in 2001 when I took the job as Project Director at the Resort at Seaside located in Seaside, Oregon.  Rob was the Resort Manager.  I had never met Rob before, but everyone told me that he was the greatest resort manager in the world.  It didn't take me long to find this out.  Rob Linderman was this giant, tall man, who went out of his way every day to go around and try to make you smile and give you a bear hug.  How many people do you know whose total mission is to make you smile and give you a bear hug?  There is only one Rob Linderman.  Unfortunately we lost Rob to cancer and I miss those smiles and bear hugs every day.  I wish I could remember to emulate Rob every day.  I wish everyone could emulate Rob every day.  The world would be a better place I know.   

It was great talking with Linda Linderman at this event.  She is such a beautiful, fantastic person.  Linda has been a true inspiration to so many people.  Last year she led a team at the Relay for Life that raised the most money for cancer for the Bellevue event.   Linda is always so kind and happy and helpful to others.  Linda told me how excited she was about the possibility of becoming a grandparent any day now.  She was so energized by the possibility, the unbelievable miracle of becoming a grandparent, she had a glow about her.   

I guess the emotion grabbed me that day, because before I knew it I had volunteered to start an Inventive Productions team for this year's Relay for Life, and I volunteered to be the team captain, and I pledged that our team would raise $10,000 during this Relay.

I thought of my Dad who had died of cancer back almost twenty years ago.  I remember when he went from a big guy like me down to 67 pounds, where I drove three hours each week to visit him during his fight.   I thought of my Mom in Oregon who had fought and beat lung cancer only two years ago.  I thought of my uncle Doug who is fighting and beating cancer down in San Diego.  I thought of my good friend Dave Divelbiss who had lost his bout with cancer last year.  I thought of my good friend Darrell Cross who had lost his bout with cancer five years ago.  I thought of my friend Del Broome who was fighting cancer down in Bend, Oregon right now.  I thought of my friend Connie Peare who had fought and lost her bout with Cancer three years ago.  I also thought of my hero John Wayne and how he fought cancer for over ten year when I was a kid.

As you can tell, I guess I am passionate about this cancer thing and I hope that someday they will find a cure.  I am totally impressed by the Relay for Life concept.  People walking and running around a track overnight, experiencing a group effort to raise money to kill this disease.  

I recommend you think about joining our Relay for Life team this year.  We are scheduled to do the relay this June in Bellevue.  Let me know if you would like to join the team.   If you can't make it, please do not hesitate to donate some money or to sponsor some funds for our team.  You can donate a flat amount, or per lap or whatever way you feel most comfortable.

Call me if you have any questions  425-284-1900.  Thanks.....RJ.

An Interview with Angie Lepley - Tangerine Travel

Angie Lepley - Tangerine Travel

Jan 30, 2009--"CEO's of Seattle Documentary" Interview

I really was impressed with the incredible interview with Angie Lepley from Tangerine Travel.  Angie was kind enough to allow us to interview her for our new documentary "CEO's of Seattle."  Angie is super enthusiastic and a great optimist about her company and the future of travel.  Her company has had tremendous success because of her talented team and the leadership of Angie.  Angie has been in the travel business for a long time, and she has learned the importance of creating an awesome experience for her clients.  She really inspired me with her honest talk about integrity and the importance of treating people right.  Angie and her Tangerine Travel has been chosen as one of only a handful of official representatives for Richard Branson's Virgin Gallactica, where you can actually buy a ticket to go on a space ship.    I plan to start using Angie and her team for all our travel needs in the future.  She talked about the great new offices her company has, with a spa atmosphere.  I can't wait to see it in person.