It was a warm day as I carried my tripod, some lights, and a HD camera over to the Worktank office on the waterfront in downtown Seattle. I was there to interview the CEO, Melinda Partin, for a part in our new documentary "CEOs of Seattle."
Melinda was great. She gave me a terrific interview. Melinda comes from a long heritage of family entrepreneurs. She started her company about ten years ago, specializing in creative advertising for small or big organizations. Melinda talked about her management philosophy of collaboration. She talked about her belief in total integrity and how she really cares for her people. Melinda talked about her proud moments as a leader and her true enthusiasm for the future. I was very impressed with meeting Melinda. She really cares about people.
Sharon Mooers - Olive Crest Homes & Services for Abused Children
It was a great experience meeting Sharon Mooers. She came over to our studio to be interviewed for a testimonial about her positive experience working with Andrea Heuston and Artitudes Design. Sharon is a director for the Olive Crest Homes & Services for Abused Children. Olive Crest is a non profit who is dedicated to saving abused children. I could not believe it when Sharon said that every nine seconds there is a child abuse report filed in America. This is a truly shocking statistic. To learn more about Olive Crest, go to www.olivecrest.org
Andrea Heuston - CEO and Founder of Artitudes Design Inc.
I really enjoyed my interview with Andrea Heuston, the CEO and founder of Artitudes Design.
She is a fantastic leader who is breaking all records for referral business. I have interviewed some of her clients and they cannot stop talking about Andrea and her team. The Artitudes Design office seems like such a fun and creative place to work. Everyone there was having a great time and they were laughing, too.
My team and I drove over to the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle to record a Gordy Graham speech and a Cathy Crosslin workshop. We shot using three HD cameras. Two were stationery cameras and one was moving around throughout the crowd. After Gordy’s speech ended, everyone headed across the hall to the Cathy Crosslin workshop. We shot that workshop too. My son Jason was manning one of the cameras and he got very involved with the topic Cathy was talking about that day. In fact he suggested to me that I should go through and follow Cathy’s advice about being a better parent. He told me to fill out the workbook immediately.
Cathy Crosslin is one of the most inspirational persons I have ever met. She has dedicated her life to helping others achieve greatness and to fulfill their potential. She works all around the country with all kinds of organizations to help them get along better. To get along with others is a most important characteristic. Cathy has just announced the formation of her new company, InStar Performance.
Thanks, Cathy, for inspiring my son to want me to be a better parent.
It was great to interview George Schaeffer, the new CEO of Puget Sound Security, for their YouTube video. George has a tremendous record in the security industry and he did a super interview. I was very impressed with his philosophy of education, training, and treating people right. George came over to our Green Screen Studio for his interview.
The minute I met Bob Cremin I knew I was in for a great interview. Bob is the CEO of Esterline in Bellevue. Esterline is a hugely successful billion dollar business that hardly anyone has heard of, even in the local community. My goal was to interview Bob for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for their Eastside Business Awards. Esterline was nominated as a finalist for the Eastside Business of the Year. Located in downtown Bellevue, Esterline is a leading manufacturer in the aerospace, defense, and medical industries. Everything from electronics to casings for weapons, Esterline is involved in thousands of unique products. Bob has been with the company for over 30 years. He is a sought after speaker and a mentor to many. I was impressed with Bob's enthusiasm for Esterline and his focus and philosophy on always doing your best and always doing the right thing. Great fundamentals achieve great results. I think the future will be very bright for Bob Cremin and Esterline Technologies.
It was raining in Bellevue that day when I interviewed Naveen Jain, CEO of Intellius. I was there to interview Naveen for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for their Eastside Business Awards. Intellius was a finalist for two separate awards. One for Eastside Business of the Year and one for their philanthropic work. Naveen was very enthusiastic and powerful during our interview. I was impressed with the scope of the donations and charity work that Naveen has established with Intellius. To learn more about Naveen Jain and Intellius, go to www.intellius.com
I first was introduced to Talyst a couple of years ago when we were hired by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for the Eastside Business Awards video. Talyst was a finalist and did win an award that year. Over the past couple of years we also were fortunate to do a couple of Case Study video productions for Casey Cram, the VP of Marketing for Talyst. This month the Bellevue Chamber asked us to do the new Eastside Business Awards video again for our third year. On the list of finalists again was Talyst. I drove over to Bellevue to capture some video footage and to interview the CEO of Talyst, Carla Corkern. I cannot tell you how much I was impressed with Carla. She is a bundle of enthusiastic energy about her company, her team, and her vision for the future. I always thought Talyst was onto something big with their work in automating pharmacies to eliminate mistakes in the delivery of prescriptions to people.
Carla recently was promoted from the COO of Talyst to their CEO. To learn more about Talyst, go to www.talyst.com
Dara Khosrowshahi - CEO of Expedia
I drove over to downtown Bellevue to the new tall black building with the Expedia sign on it. I was there to take some video coverage of Expedia and to interview Expedia's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. Expedia was a finalist for the Eastside Business of the Year Award. I was very impressed by Dara and his team at Expedia. Dara was very strong and confident during our interview. The Expedia team was incredible and hospitable as we went floor by floor interviewing people and capturing spontaneous moments. Everyone we met was genuine and seemed to be very happy to be there. I think I can sense why Expedia is so successful. It has very strong leadership and very strong people who really care about their work. Everyone was having a good time and they liked their work a lot. I think all American companies should model the positive success at Expedia and do what works: Happy People!
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
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
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.
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.
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!
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
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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 -- 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
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 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
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."
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
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.
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.
Eric Overton - "CEOs of Seattle" documentary project.
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.
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.
