SUMMIT PROJECTS HOOD FOR THOUGHT

Victorinox Swiss Army Celebrates 125th and Hits the Ground Runnin'!

2009-05-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

Whelp! We've done it again....The Swiss Army team has hatched another micro-experience and sent it off into the world to live a life on it's own....

Check her out: 125years.swissarmy.com

A quick bio on the proud parents:

Abe: Poured a ton of love into this kid...some might say she's stunning...

Michael/Sheryl: Had joint custody of this kiddo and helped to entertain and dress her under scheduled visitation rights from Abe.....They both shed a tear at her graduation as they reflected back on the "special" moments they were able to share during her development

Earl: Stepped in to give her words of encouragement and coaxed her into the beautiful swan that she's now become. She'll never forget your efforts, Uncle Earl.

Dr. Dave: Gave parental advice on what to feed her, what medicine might work for scraped knees and colds, documented her growth.

Daniel: The guidance counselor - collected information and set structures in place for our chica bonita....and set her on the right course - she doesn't realize it...but she couldn't have made this journey with out you and she has a better head on her shoulders because of you.

Jackson: The College Campus Tour director - showing her what life can be like when people start noticing her....your HTML-love has created a whole new audience, ready to embrace her and carry her along into the next phase of her life......ROAD TRIP BABY!

It truly takes a village!

And, incase you missed your first opportunity to see her, here's a second chance: 125years.swissarmy.com

HAIR NET. FACE NET?

2008-10-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sacrificing fashion for the creative process, Tom strikes a pose. Nice jacket.

NEW FRIENDS

2008-09-17T15:03:00.001-07:00

New friends, new client. Abe makes the most of a recent trip to Southern Oregon for Discovery with Massif, a new addition to the Summit line-up. Keep an eye out for their sweet new website, set to launch late 2008!

SALES + CREAVITE ALIGNED = YOGI ZEN

2008-09-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

It's the little things that make all the difference. Hand made, well thought and oh-so-creative, Summit pulled it together as a team and landed us our newest client: Yogi Tea. So, align your chi and pour yourself a cup. . .

FOUR!

2008-08-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

Oh the joys of having a client in the golf business! A lucky chosen few took advantage of a sunny Tuesday afternoon last week and spent some time on the course brushing up on their golf skills.

CAKE & FLOWERS?! - MUST BE BIRTHDAY TIME

2008-08-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dave! Taking a little lunch break (cake is the entree of choice, of course) with an office full of on-lookers, Dave admires his flowers. Someone must think you're pretty special.

A side note: Many Summit-ites have become quite savvy, including Beth, who shot this lovely photo with her new iphone. Other iphone owner include Jenn, John and Eddie - to name a few. Those of us stuck in the stone ages with our numeric key pads are secretly envious!

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

2008-08-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Congrats to April and Tom, who found time in their busy work shedules to tie the knot last month. The two creative types partied with friends and family, including a host of other Summit empoyees, at the Crag Rat Hut to celebrate.

Next up on the Summit wedding roster: Erin and Jim . . .stay tuned.

GORGE GAMES 2008

2008-07-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Gorge Games took over Hood River this month and Summit's very own were there to represent. Among the fiercely competitive were Dave Russel, pictured above, who's team took 2ND place in the 24 hour Adventure Race; Creative Director Tom Lehmann killed it in the Men's Mountain Bike comp; and Dru Kepple who placed in the better half of the pack in the Half Marathon. Nice work!

SUMMER BBQ

2008-07-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Work party, minus the work. Summit's annual summer bash at Craig's house was a blast. Great food, an unbelievable view, lawn games, and of course - a few cocktails. We all had a chance to relax and mingle. The cowboy pictured above - well, he never did show. Who is that guy anyway?

ROB FEELS LIKE A MAN TODAY.

2008-07-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hood River just added Motorcycles Only Parking. Convenient for Rob, it's located smack-dab in front of Summit's front door.

FRESH TROUT ON NEAL'S DESK

2008-07-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

No thanks to the bowl of Lifesaver mints on Steph's desk. Neal brought trout for an afternoon snack today.
Who brings fresh smoked fish to the office for an afternoon snack?
From the man himself -->
where: Kingsley Reservoir
how: mad fishing skills
why: for fun!
when: last weekend and every night this week
Laura and I have been fishing in the evenings lately in our new backyard, Kingsley Reservoir! Pleasantly surprised with the quality of the fishing and the great tasting fish.

UH OH...

2008-07-03T11:43:00.001-07:00

1.2 mile swim. 56 mile bike. 1/2 marathon. "Sure, I'm fit enough to give it a shot. "Umm, training? I'll be fine". Famous last words before Kate attempted last weekend's Pacific Crest Half Ironman triathlon in Bend. The 100 deg weather + altitude + "climbs from hell" on the bike left her crawling on the run (literally) with a big phat zero in the gas tank. "I knew it was bad with only 200 meters to go and I was laying down on the course to let the nausea and dizziness pass. Old people were passing me saying 'you got it girl!' Damnit!".

Her eyes were on the prize indeed after crossing the finish line - straight into the medical tent that is. 45 min of oxygen through the nostrils and 1.5 hours of med attention and she was released. Hows that for a relaxing weekend.

DAMN HER

2008-05-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

It's April's birthday and she gets to slam down a Polly's cake this afternoon.

Not bad when the office wants to buy you a treat for your big day and they head down the street Polly's. No they're not just cakes. Insane works of art.

24 HOURS ROUND THE CLOCK

2008-05-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day 2008. 3 days of pure relaxation and:

(1) Hell yeah my Blackberry won't turn on.

(2) None of that weak office drip *&#. French Press please.

(3) Feet up.
(4) Etc.

What did you do? Bryan and Dave did something. Something kind of epic if you ask me.

The power duo decided to tackle a 24 hour relay mountain bike race up in Spokane. 24 hours of racing round and round a 15 mile off-road course. 24 hours of sleepless, painfull grinding. 24 hours of passing the baton (mind you, relay teams are generally composed of 5 people, so B + D did double time). Whoa. Nice work boys.

PORTLAND'S TOP MARKETING FIRMS- SUMMIT PROJECTS MAKES THE LIST

2008-05-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Looks like Summit made Portland Business Journal's list of Top Marketing Firms. You know what else is pretty cool...we were 16th to be exact, up 2 spots from last year.

SHOT OF THE DAY.

2008-05-20T09:14:00.001-07:00

WELCOME TO THE WORLD.

2008-05-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

Ethan Sanner Kepple was was born on May 12th, 8.31. 8 pounds, 6 ounces, 21 inches. We're thrilled for you Dru!.

MT. HOOD CYCLING CLASSIC

2008-05-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

Top professional cycling teams from the U.S. and Canada arrived in town last week for the 6th annual Mt. Hood Cycling Classic. Recognized as one of the top professional bike races in the United States, the event features 6 grueling stages in 6 days and 35,000 vertical ft of climbing. Combine that with near record highs in the mid 90's this year...let's just say we're all pretty pumped to work in the web industry and not the pro cycling circuit.

Ask any local what their favorite stage is they'll undoubtedly say the 6th and final Sunday criterium in downtown Hood River, where cyclists battle for an hour round a 1 kilo lap with sickly sharp corners that make you cringe when the peloton flies by.

The scene is really something else. Thousands of roudy spectators, music, food, Full Sail brewery and Double Mountain pulling pint after pint for the crowds. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

FREAK OF NATURE

2008-05-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

Our one and only endurance freak machine (Dave) striked again and kicked some serious butt in last weekend's Desert Winds 26 hour expedition race in Nevada. How does he do it? We have absolutely no idea. He's one serious animal.

HOOD RIVER- PADDLER'S PARADISE

2008-05-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

On my way into the office this morning, I walked right through a photo shoot for Paddler magazine. Apparently they're doing a spread on Hood River as the ultimate paddler town. Pretty cool to see dozens of hard core local water enthusiasts (including Tao Berman, one of the world's best-known extreme kyakers) lining the entire main drag, all geared out and enthused to be taking over town. And the quitessential Hood River family on top? Yes, that's Jen, Summit Project's email marketing director, posing with her two sweathearts.

Winn Grips

2008-05-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

How do you take a seemingly boring, benign product like golf grips (no offense to all you golfers out there) and make them come to life with a kick-ass brand and product experience? Hand the project over to Summit. Check out Winn Grip's new site.

LUCASARTS LEGO INDIANA JONES LAUNCHED

2008-05-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

LucasArts' new Lego Indiana Jones site is live. It's not everyday that you get to collaborate with the brilliant video game masterminds of LucasArts, dream up the ultimate interactive experience for the launch of their HOT new video game and jam to the Indiana theme song (officially ingrained in our brains). It's been quite the journey and we're psyched with the final execution. Sure didn't take long for people to start talking:
--> JOYSTIQ.COM
--> KOKATU.COM

HYATT NORTHSTAR

2008-04-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

A luxury destination resort, the Northstar Lodge-Hyatt Residence Club is a unique new gem in the heart of North Lake Tahoe. We were proud to join forces with Tahoe Mountain Resorts in the concepting and delivery of a rich online experience that would engage prospects and convey the exquisite amenities offered by this new development. Interested in the result? Check out hyattnorthstar.com (launched this week!)

Webby's

2008-04-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's Webby season again. Looks like Nike Golf's apparel site made the cut in the Marketplace Retail category. As the People's Voice Award winners are determined by the online voting community, time to explore the candidates and shout out your favorite nominee here.

BANFF FILM FESTIVAL IN HOOD RIVER LAST WEEKEND

2008-04-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

Aimed at promoting understanding and appreciation of the world's mountain places, the Banff Mountain Film Festival provides a collection of awe-inspiring adventure films from around the globe. Lucky for us, Hood River fell on the map of World Tour stops this year.
Impressive and thoroughly amazing to say the least was this year's selection of films. Jens Hoffmann's 20 Seconds of Fame was arguably one of the most exhilerating and moving. The feature length documentary film offers incredible insight into the life, the fears, and the career of Base-Jumper Karina Hollekim. It depicts many emotional moments and explores the complex psychology of extreme sports, namely why someone would risk their entire life for a brief moment of adrenaline.

TWO PEAS IN A POD.

2008-04-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Loud. Witty and hilarious. Hockey junkies (yes, one wears a Flyers jersey to the office on game day). Sickly creative. Sickly good mountain bikers (have to close your eyes when he commits to a jump). Adventure-seeking (with more knowledge about the area than any guidebook despite their recent western migration from Philly just over a year ago). They are quite the team and they're making it official this summer. Tom and April (Summit's creative director and designer) are tying the knot in July!

TINY TOONES FUNDRAISER AT THE GREENWOOD COLLECTIVE

2008-04-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

photos courtesy of Charles Peterson

I headed North to Seattle this weekend to attend a pretty unique fundraiser event at the Greenwood Collective. Inspiring, entertaining and educational, the event featured performances by World B Boy champs, the Massive Monkees, and showcased work by legendary Seattle photographers, Charles Peterson and Stuart Isett. Stuart has been documenting the Tiny Toones movement since their infancy, and his imagery truly celebrates the strength, hope and vibrant spirit of an incredible group of Cambodian children. Check out some of his photography here.

Tiny Toones was born in the Bassac slum area of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and provides free HIV/AIDS, health, drug awareness, performing arts and language education to underprivileged youth. It also serves as a community center where hundreds of children have a positive environment to channel their energy into learning and performing arts. The group, 600+ strong, was founded by Tuy Sobil, originally from Long Beach, who brought his b boy dance talents to the streets of Cambodia to help the country struggling to rebuild after 30 years of war.

All in all, it was a spectacular evening. Met interesting people. Checked out exceptional art. Witnessed mind-blowing break dancing and dedicated speakers. Heck, I even exposed my breakdancing talents (or attempts) to the crowd. The energy was consuming and contagious, and it was exhilarating to see such a diverse group of people being brought together via art and dance with a common mission and goal to raise funds for such an inspiring cause.

-Kate

Nike Team launches new Custom Fitting microsite.

2008-04-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

Interested in a digital tour of Nike Golf's innovative custom fitting technology? Check out the most recent addition to their innovative microsite collection. Summit designed and shot video components in Florida, edited footage in Avid suites on the Nike campus, worked with a 3rd party animator for the flash movie files and architected the rest in-house (oh, and don't let us forget the rich photography assets provided by Nike Golf's image design group). The result is pretty sweet interactive representation of Nike's program offerings.

Neal attends Papervision3D workshop in Vegas

2008-04-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, Tim and myself where lucky enough (literary, we drew straws with the rest of the flash team) to attend a Papervision3D workshop in Vegas hosted by John Grden, one of the developers of Papervision3D. Papervision3D is an open source 3D engine for the Flash platform, and in my opinion one of the most exciting things happening in the flash world today.

While John was not the man behind most of the code (Carlos Ulloa is the lead developer), he was a super friendly guy who was probably more appropriate for giving presentations. You could just feel his child-like excitement as he revealed his Papervision3D creations, the first one being an Xwing fighter game, of course! While Tim and I commented later that we wished he would have been more thorough about the details of the code, John doesn’t consider himself to be a hardcore programmer – but that didn’t suppress his passion for Papervision3D, and in some ways made his explanations more approachable for non-programmers, or those just new to 3D.

At the end of the 2 day workshop we both left very inspired. I believe that using Papervision3D tastefully in our future projects will really push our work to the next level. Flash has come a LONG way since the days of mainly vector sites and splash pages. With the combination of the AS3 code base, video, bitmap effects, filters, blending modes, and now 3D we can pretty much do anything we want!... within reason.

A couple of my favorite interface examples:

www.nike.com/nikeacg/index-en.html
www.whitevoid.com/application
http://www.nitrogroup.com/

- Neal

SUMMIT BANNERS FEATURED IN AVENUE A'S NEWSLETTER

2008-03-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Nike Golf's recent rich media banners were featured in the creative showcase for Atlas's newsletter.

CRAIG FEATURED IN PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL

2008-03-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

Check out our head hauncho in Portland Business Journal's Executive Profile last month.

COFFEE MODELS

2008-03-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

If you happen to walk into Hood River's Ground Espresso for your morning java anytime soon, you'll probably stumble across this advertising postcard...featuring a ton of Summit Projects folks.

NEW SITE FOR BUCK KNIVES-LET'ER BUCK!

2008-03-11T14:44:00.001-07:00

Arguably the most famous name in sports cutlery, family-owned Buck Knives designs and manufactures knife products for a variety of outdoor, hunting and fishing, everyday and tactical uses. Almost more impressive than the worldwide recognition and respect for their high quality knives is the family history, with infancy dating back four generations of Bucks that truly makes this company unique.

In 2007, we were tasked with the challenge to create an engaging and sophisticated site that would effectively communicate the Buck brand and improve the overall online user experience. Today, after months of close collaboration between Summit Projects and Buck Knives, we can proudly say "Let'er Buck!" as we launch the newly redesigned http://www.buckknives.com/.

A VISIT TO SLINGSHOT

2008-03-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

We paid a visit to Slingshot's shaping studio this morning and got acquainted with the mastermind behind board/kite design, Tony Logosz. In a simple shoot aimed at capturing some visuals to get a better feel for their style, we photographed the details and inner workings of the shop and walked away with hundreds of images to fuel our brainstorm.

INSPIRATION + ENTERTAINMENT AT TELLURIDE'S MOUNTAIN FILM ON TOUR

2008-03-10T12:04:00.001-07:00

It's a pretty sweet setup when your offices are conveniently located in the heart of downtown Hood River above the vibrant and unique pizza/beer movie house- Andrew's Skylight Theatre. It's especially sweet when events such as yesterday's Telluride Mountain Film on Tour (a benefit for our local Mosier Community School) roll through. We were thoroughly entertained by the creative, inspiring and thought provoking content offered by each film.

Some of our favorites? Roam- an adrenaline-pumping, innovative mountain bike film with mind-blowing cable cam points of view and Felt Soul Media's Running Down a Man- a hilarious exploration of one man's determined quest to chase the elusive Baja Rooster fish.

SUMMIT PROJECTS LAUNCHES NEW CAMELBAK BOTTLES SITE

2008-03-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

Didn't think it was possible to get excited about a water bottle? Think again. Summit Projects recently launched CamelBak's rich new bottles website dedicated to their full line of innovative water bottle products.

BACK IN THE OFFICE MANANA

2008-03-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

Kate's kissing her sweet vacation goodbye and passing the final hours in style with a sunny Tuesday a.m. surf session in Sayulita, Mexico. "Boarding the plane in a few hours...due to arrive in chilly Hood River at 2:30 a.m. manana...100% recharged, rejuvenated and pumped to jump back into the swing of things!"

NIKE GOLF AND SUMMIT PROJECTS UPDATE

2008-03-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

We're beginning to dive head first into custom content creation for a good portion of our Nike Golf microsites. You'll see lots of video interspersed through the sites - proposed, shot, edited and integrated by our team.

Most recently, Summit's Nike team collaborated with traditional partners Weiden + Kennedy and Nike Golf's Image Design group to crank out FOUR unique microsites (ONE ball, SUMO, Women's Initiative and Apparel) all slated for a same-day live launch. It's pretty darn exhilarating to throw passionate creatives against the clock and see what happens.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND FOR TOM

2008-02-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Tom's birthday, much of the crew escaped east to the Wallowa National Forest this weekend for some fresh untracked turns...

SMARTWOOL USER RATINGS

2008-02-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

SmartWool keeps getting smarter online. Summit Projects recently added "User Ratings" functionality, giving consumers the ability to experience real time audience feedback and engage more closely with products online.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY SUMMIT

2008-02-14T15:27:00.001-08:00

STOP BY VICKI'S DESK FOR A LITTLE TREAT.

NOT TOO SHABBY FOR AN OLD GUY, OR TWO

2008-01-30T10:24:00.000-08:00

Check out the old dudes in tights. Summit's COO and IP were in action last weekend at the White River 8k Snowshoe race. With over 100 competitors, they both kicked some serious %#@ and won their age groups (according to Dave, "the one where they allow canes").

TEAM SUMMIT HARD AT WORK AT CES

2008-01-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

Can you say Formula 1 racing? Here's Greg hard at work in the BMW pit lane park at CES.

BUCK PHOTO SHOOT ROUND II

2008-01-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

This is called takin' one for the team! Here are a few shots from the Buck Knives photo shoot a few weeks ago. 31 degree air, 33 degree water, trying to snow, perfect. And then, Lance says "so, ya willing to get a little wet?" April and Neal, you guys are Buck Naturals! Check out the rest of Lance's shoot...

BURLEY SITE LAUNCH

2007-12-27T12:12:00.001-08:00

The NEW Burley website launched today! Burley designs, manufactures and sells bike trailers, joggers, strollers and accessories. As a leader in child and cargo bicycle trailer design for nearly 30 years, earning a strong reputation for high quality, superior design, safety and trailer strength, Burley needed a strong web presence to communicate their powerful brand and align with offline marketing initiatives...enter Summit Projects and Voila...we're pretty excited about the result. The new site effectively engages customers via rich imagery and messaging that supports Outdoor Family Fun while presenting a consistent brand look, feel and voice that mirrors all other marketing collateral. Intuitive navigation, improved product visibility and technical information, an on-line dealer locator, on-line warranty registration and email sign-up are just a few of the many new features. A big thank you to everyone involved!

A dark cold December day in Hood River

2007-12-12T12:07:00.001-08:00

AND THE WINNER IS...

2007-12-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

JIM-BO!

FIRST ANNUAL SUMMIT BEARD GROWING CONTEST

2007-12-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

BUCK PHOTO SHOOT

2007-11-21T12:27:00.000-08:00

With our Creative Director running the show, the Buck Knives photo shoot went pretty smooth this week.

LEGO STAR WARS GOES LIVE

2007-11-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is live!

SMARTWOOL SITE ENHANCEMENTS

2007-11-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

SmartWool's quirky, energetic, fresh and fun brand always yields an enthused and entertained Summit design team. It’s been two years since we redesigned their site, however, we’ve been throwing in lots of extra love and attention lately to address some key visual and architectural elements on the homepage, key product pages and shopping cart to offer both a dramatically improved user experience as well as increased support for SmartWool’s ecommerce model.

FIELD TRIP TO THE ROSEY AWARDS

2007-11-09T11:16:00.000-08:00

The Summit gang headed to Portland this week to attend Portland Advertising Federation's annual Rosey Awards, celebrating "world class" work in communication arts. Summit had a handful of entries up for awards...We went home smiling. Curious? Here's a recent press release highlighting our wins.

ROLLIN DOWN OAK STREET...FOR REAL?

2007-11-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

This was sitting outside our office this morning. What is this doing in HR?! It is a McLaren F1. Yeah, it's the world's most expensive and powerful driving machine.

IT'S A BIRD... IT'S THE SUMMIT PLANE...

2007-11-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

I came across this neat shot of Craig's Piper Malibu Jetprop this morning. It immediately won the pilot a few style points in my book despite his comment about looking a little "light in the loafers" in that floral print shirt.
This sparked my curiosity concerning the "best of" and "worst of" Craig's flights so I grabbed the Head Hauncho/Grand Master Pilot himself for the quick inside scoop.

Best Moments?
-Definitely the most memorable and rewarding flights so far have been the many trips for Angel Flight, an incredible organization that arranges free transportation for sick folks (mostly children) to and from various healthcare institutions.
Other highs:
-Flying Russ, Lance and a couple guys from local outdoor company Shockles to Salt Lake in August 2006. Beautiful day. Great photos. Down in the morning and back the same night.
- Picking up Amy's daughter in Nanaimo, BC in August 2006.
-Solo trip to APDF conference in Memphis, TN in September 2007. There was a lighting storm a safe distance away over western Kansas. Lightning was coming so rapidly it was like Machine Gun fire. Never seen anything like it!
-Solo trip to see Swiss Army Brands in Shelton, CT in summer 2003 (in the Piston Malibu that I had prior to this airplane). It was my first cross country trip.

Worst Moments?
Oh, boy!
-Last year in spring Amy and I were flying into Burbank for a meeting. There was mixed weather so we were flying an instrument approach with the Autopilot on. I was flying an ILS approach that uses ground-based equipment to present steady descending approach to the runway. As we intercepted the glide slope and the autopilot locked on, the plane began to climb rather rapidly instead of descend. It was a wiring issue after some new equipment had been installed. I disconnected the autopilot and hand flew the approach without incident. No big deal really.
- Perhaps it was the time that Amy, Eddie, Lucas and I were visiting Lucas Entertainment for the first time. We were vectored for the approach into Oakland at an altitude that was way too high (in the clouds again). We tried to dive down to the ILS glide slope but couldn't quite get there. Had to "go missed" as they say in the business when the approach isn't going well and you don't see the ground. We came around for another lap without incident...again, no big deal of course."

-Kate

Halloween Carving Competition 2007

2007-11-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

The seeds were flying throughout the Summit floor on Halloween. Note: I think this movie was made by a first grader.

Psssst....

2007-10-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

The chili back on our farm? The best gal-darn chili this side of China! Where do we get the ingredients? ...Let's just say that back on the farm we believe in survival of the fittest.

ba-BAM!

2007-10-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

During a recent video shoot in Las Vegas, Tom and Abe took advantage of some down time to get down with the roulette wheel. Their creative minds made short work of the complicated grid of numbers, creating a true rags-to-riches Vegas story. After winning one quadzillion dollars, they quit their jobs at Summit and are now underground waiting to strike again. Time will only tell when these high rollers will rise again.

FLASH BOYS BACK FROM AN INSPIRING SAN FRANCISCO WEEKEND

2007-10-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

The flash team headed south this weekend for Adobe's ActionScript 3.0 From the Ground Up Tour event, led by Internationally renowned flash expert Colin Moock:
Neal:
The tour is tagged “from the ground up” for good reason, Colin did an excellent job of explaining what kind of changes occur in the code and the player itself with the new AS3 code base. A good chunk of the presentation was review for me of techniques/syntax that I had read about/already used, but it’s always inspiring to see how Colin approaches the tools available to flash developers and in my opinion, he’s the best in the industry at explaining actionscript in detail in a way that a regular Joe could understand. At the end of the day I learned a few new tricks and I’m inspired to push myself to the next level, try out some new software (Flex) and I’m just excited and feel very lucky to be a part of this industry!
Dru:
Personally, it was most valuable for me to pick up some tips and tricks as opposed to learning “here’s how programming works.” Watching Colin code, and explain the reasons why he’s coding the way he’s coding, was definitely the best part and got many wheels in my head turning. We’re going to reconvene as a team and discuss a few possible changes to our standard techniques and workflow. Adobe is definitely pushing Flex, and one thing we’re going to do is all give the Flex Builder 3 beta a trial run as our ActionScript coding tool, which is what Colin was doing — it has never occurred to us that we could use it for that purpose without building a whole Flex project. So, this might be our entry ticket to the world of Flex. Aside from the abundance of ActionScript knowledge floating around the room, it was great to also talk with Lee Brimelow, whom Neal and I had met at Flash Forward in Seattle in 2006. He talked to us as a team for several minutes and, if nothing else, it was pretty sweet to be able to talk personally to an Adobe employee. Plus, I got a free book for knowing a Paula Abdul song. It was awesome. And then, Colin thereafter knew me as “Pedro.”
Lucas:
Watching an expert do what they do is always exciting. Watching Colin Moock, one of the most talented Flash Developers out there, do what he does, was fascinating. He’s a very good speaker and took a lot of time to explain the theory behind why he makes certain decisions while building a project which had the four of us questioning some of our practices. We learned a lot while being entertained and would recommend any Flash developer go see Colin Moock if they ever have the opportunity. You won’t be sorry, even if you have to get up at four in the morning to fly out to see him. Larry and I hung out in San Francisco through Sunday. Larry got a new hoody with a unicorn molesting a sad panda, we found bunches of unique stores and ate some of the best food I’ve had in a while. Quite the weekend!
Larry:
Colin Moock is a fantastic teacher. I especially found the second half of the conference very helpful and inspiring. Once he had gotten past the basics of object-oriented programming and started delving more into the changes that AS3 brings, the veil was lifted for me, so-to-speak, as several concepts that I had been struggling with became not only clear but down-right uplifting. I too am a believer now and am ready to join the AS3 ministry! I now feel empowered to begin experimenting with the expanded developing environments (Flex, Air) and to put myself on a pathway that will soon have me writing real, stand-alone applications in AS3.

Interview With The Intern- Part I

2007-10-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

Victim #1: Jenn

Name:
Jenn

Age:
Ummmm, that's illegal.

Status:
Hitched to Mr. Chizzle Chest.

(TR) What is your title at Summit?
(JH) Email Marketing Manager.
(TR) When did you start working at Summit?
(JH) July, 2004.
(TR) Career Background?
(JH) I was a programmer at various Interactive agencies and startups for seven years, then decided I was done programming.
(TR) How'd you get your ticket into Summit Projects?
(JH) It was the only interactive company in Hood River.
(TR) Where's your home town?
(JH) Madras, Oregon! Yeeehaaa, go white buffalos! http://www.whitebuffalos.net/MHS/
(TR) What were you like in High School?
(JH) I was a varsity cheerleader for four years, and a two year captain. Football players broke my heart.
(TR) What do you do in your down time?
(JH) Ooohhh, so many things! I love snowboarding, road biking, riding horses, dirt biking, mountain biking, white water kayaking, hanging with chill bro John Hart.
(TR) Who is your partner in crime at the office?
(JH) Durds. Word.
(TR) Favorite movies?
(JH) Princess Bride, I mean, duh. Oh, and A Knights Tale with Heath Ledger......hotzzzzz.
(TR) Favorite Books?
(JH) Feast of Roses and 20th Wife by Indu Sundaresan.
(TR) What does an average day at Summit look like for you?
(JH) Every day is just so different and unique and that's why I love it.
(TR) Pets?
(JH) Reed/my princess/my child.
(TR) Most memorable project at Summit"
(JH) bBoing, a mobile to email application launched in 2007. http://www.bboing.com/

SURF MONKEY

2007-10-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

Someone needs some action. The fidgeting and twitching is getting pretty bad. We won't name names but here's a shot of the victim. Medication? The afternoon off tomorrow to head up North and catch the swell for the weekend? It's a tough life. We hope it helps.

2007 WEB AWARDS- SUMMIT CLEANS UP.

2007-10-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

WebAwards is the premier annual website award competition that names the best websites in a variety of industries while setting the standard of excellence for all website development. Put on by the Web Marketing Association, WebAwards recognize those responsible for creating today's most effective sites. We think we did pretty well this year:

Norwegian Cruise Line: Travel Standard of Excellence
Keen – Hybrid Life: Online Community Standard of Excellence

Nike Golf SUMO microsite: Outstanding Website (Note: Thanks to W+K and Nike Golf Image Design for their contributions)
Humane Society – Humane Index: Non-Profit Standard of Excellence
Dr. Martens: Outstanding Website
Camelbak Skull Candy: Outstanding Website
Keen: Outstanding Website
Tahoe Mountain Resorts: Real Estate Standard of Excellence

FRESH MEAT

2007-10-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

We've managed to drag out of the water and rope in a new intern, Tory. With the birth of a new blog, there was no better time to throw a little fresh meat into the Summit fire. We'll soon be introducing "Interview with the Intern," a weekly interview series brought to you by one young and curious hipster, setting out to explore the fabulous (or disastrous) life of one not-so-young agency. Brace yourself for some dirt folks.

EPIC SUNDAY ADVENTURE

2007-10-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

The days are getting shorter and wetter. So, we're doing our best to squeeze in as much biking as possible. Kate, Tom, April, Neal and Gary hit Falls Creek Falls trail in Washington's Gifford Pinchot National Forest with new buddies Jason and Justin from Instrument this morning. Three hours of silly muddy downhill and apparently only one elegant over-the-handlebar maneuver.

FIRST ANNUAL SUMMIT BEARD GROWING CONTEST

2007-10-04T15:50:00.000-07:00

The rules: Starting November 1st any interested participant should come to work clean- shaven and announce their entry into the contest by writing their name on the list in Tom's office. No shaving can take place (aside from cleaning up around the neck) till Friday, November 30th.

On that date the remaining contestants, those who haven’t broken the rules, will then draw a random, fashionable, facial hair treatment that must be shaved into their beard. You’ll be expected to spend the next work day, Monday, December 3rd sporting this new look around the office. This could be a goatee, simple mustache, mutton-chops, etc. These styles will be supplied by the Summit women and must be carried out without argument or reservation.

Whoever carries this facial fashion the best will win a prize. Anyone who enters and shaves early will be responsible for a case of beer for the office. Who’s in?

DAVE'S FAMOUS IN LATVIA!

2007-09-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

Our adrenaline junky recieved some pretty impressive press last week. If only we had a clue what the article said.

SPOTLIGHT

2007-09-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Fresh on the heels of being named one of Oregon's top 50 marketing agencies, The Portland Business Journal recognized Summit Projects as one of the state's 100 fastest growing private companies.

SUMMIT EMPLOYEES CHARGED IN PREMATURE BURN OF BURNING MAN

2007-08-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hood River, Oregon (AP)* -- Jim Kimball and Rob McCready, of Hood River, Ore. were arrested Tuesday for allegedly torching Burning Man's giant effigy five days early. They won't admit to setting the icon on fire, but they effusively praised the action, and whoever did it, calling it a badly needed "reality check" for the desert art festival.

Kimball, 22, says Burning Man has turned into an "Alternative-Disney," while the early burn acted as a protest aimed at the event's increasing commercialization. McCready, 20, explained that he had been at Burning Man for years, explaining that he had tuned in and tuned out, “Ohhh, man. Where are we?”

Kimball and McCready both claim they were not directly responsible for the Tuesday morning blaze, for which they face charges of arson, possession of fireworks, ‘lifesavers’ and mainstream consumer Nike sneakers.

News Services spoke with the two self-proclaimed hackers by phone Thursday as they waited outside a hotel in Nevada.
News Services: So, the big question is, did you set the Man on fire?
McCready: Well, Jim had passed me the kind and I was busy checking out the sky, dude. I didn’t know the dubberoo had slipped between the wood man's toes!”
Kimball: I was, like, running man that day dude, not burning man.
News Services: You have been to Burning Man in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. What made you commit this crime this year?
McCready: It’s better to burn out than to fade away, man!
Kimball: This is my first year, I swear!
News Services: A cult following has supposedly risen from the left, on your behalf, to defend the consumerism you have denounced with the premature burning. Are you prepared to lead such an uprising?
McCready: Like, man, are you for real? Cults are cool.
Kimball: We're, like, revolutionaries.

*No Summit Projects employees were hurt in the making of this blatantly false news report

PRANA INSPIRATION

2007-07-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

A pretty epic part of bringing prAna's new online presence to life took place today as many crowded around the Great Room to witness yoga practice (aka "I'll-be-fine-because-I've-got-a-solid-health-insurance-plan") at its worst.

WHAT IS DAVE SAYING?

2007-07-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

An oldie but a goodie. It was circa 1982 (year of the moon boots baby!), Pietro's Pizza, Hood River, OR, and a proud moment for the wee hipster. Someone found the photo and triggered a free-for-all "what is Dave saying?" Who knew the old fart programmer had style?

OH, THE PERKS

2007-06-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

What could possibly be more exciting than our newly launched OXY Nation site? That's right, the arrival of Garb, sweet Garb. There was a little Special Delivery package on our doorstep this morning. The perfect thank you, free blemish control bacteria fighting spot treatment, stylin' OXY beanies and more - oh, boy! And it's not even Christmas yet.

OXY NATION IS LIVE!

2007-06-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

OXY Nation is live. Cultivating Oxy's position as a favorite among the teenage male demographic is no easy task. We knew we would have to challenge tradition and push the limits of online interactivity with this one. Mission accomplished.

“A PARTY IN YOUR MOUTH” EDDY’S FAMOUS CEVICHE RECIPE

2007-06-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Eddy finds his domestic side. He walked around the office with his newly famous Tupperware of mouth-watering-goodness today. He wants us all to experience that yes, design is not his only forte.

From the man himself:
"People here have requested my recipe for Ceviche since everybody seems to love it. It is a party in your mouth! Here it is… with pretty detailed instructions.”

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh baby scallops
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup diced avocado (1 normal avocado is about the right size)
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced jalapeno (he doesn’t use these, but you can if you like more spice)
1 teaspoon salt
A few dashes of cayenne
A few dashes of cumin

Preparation:
Cook scallops in boiling water until just opaque, around 3-4 minutes. Cut one open to make sure the middle is also white and not the clear fleshy raw color. Pat the seafood dry and place in a glass bowl. Cover with the 1 cup of lime juice, stir a bit, and let marinate in the refrigerator about 3 hours. Remove from fridge, take a small cup and scoop some of the lime juice out. We will use this later. Strain scallops from lime juice. Add the remaining ingredients to the seafood, gently stirring to mix. Add a few table spoons of the left over lime juice to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour, and serve chilled in a tall martini or cocktail glass.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

2007-06-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

Should there be a legal age limit for trampoliners (yeah, I made up the word, it’s cool)? Perhaps I should rephrase the question: Should a 30-year-old amateur male jumper with no prior experience be allowed to enter “the rink”?

Allow me to set the stage. Abe (sorry to divulge the name man, your secret’s already out) arrives at the Annual Summit Summer Party on Friday. It’s a classic Gorge afternoon at Craig’s backyard paradise hugging the Columbia River. Clients and fellow Summiteers, dirty from epic mountain bike/hike/kite board excursions, are enjoying food, drinks, conversation, etc. A few pulls off the old keg, a ray of light flashes on Craig's trampoline, a few more pulls.

Abe suddenly decides he's got something to contribute to the world. He bee-lines to “the rink”. He enters. Whoa. Let’s just say it’s an uneasy sight. When Head Honcho CEO Sabina (aka Flip-Master-Ex-World Class Mogul Skier Extraordinaire) is scared enough to jump in and play referee, things have headed south. We'll leave it at that. We love you Abe. Stick to the snowboarding. Winter is just around the corner.

BIRTH OF THE SUMMIT BLOG

2007-06-04T11:08:00.000-07:00