zone 5

From July 13-15, 20,000 semiconductor industry professionals from around the world converged on the Moscone Center in San Francisco for the most popular semiconductor conference, Semicon West. With recent economic and industry challenges, the semiconductor market has been down in recent years. However, the nature of this vital part of the technology world is due for an upturn.

What was the general feeling from this year’s conference? And of great interest to those in upstate New York, what is the current buzz about GlobalFoundries in the greater industry? We asked industry veteran and Zone 5 senior director of west coast business development his impressions of Semicon West 2010 and the general vibe of the keynotes, sessions and discussions from the convention floor. Loren, who has attended 30+ Semicon West conferences, has seen the industry rise and fall over the course of the growth and refining of the industry, and provides the prospective of one who has practically “seen it all” when it comes to semiconductors and their support technologies. Watch the video below to see Loren’s take on this year’s conference.

Zone 5, who hosted a hospitality event at this year’s Semicon West, has been helping technology clients market themselves at Semicon conferences around the world since 2004, working with site and economic developers, technology companies and higher education research institutions to help deliver their message to the masses.

Kicking off the 2010 Semicon West and Intersolar conferences in San Francisco, Zone 5 hosted a fantastic evening of “wine and whatnot” at the acclaimed wine venue, Press Club. Technology professionals from each coast and across the ocean enjoyed a sampling of wine from six prestigeous California vinyards. Dubbed as the “unofficial start” to Semicon West, this is the second year Zone 5 has welcomed current and future clients to sample some fine wine while learning about Zone 5’s abilities and experience in the semiconductor industry.

Even though Zone 5 has enjoyed the positive experience of growth during the recent challenging national economy, we realized that our growth didn't need to stay within the confines of our building, leading to our expansion into the other valley – Silicon Valley. “This is a natural move for Zone 5,” said Todd Mosher, founder and CEO. “We have deep roots in the semiconductor and renewable energy industries. It only made sense to go right to the source and establish a presence where many of our clients and other leading companies are located.”

At the heart of technology on the left coast, it made perfect sense to grow in that direction. Having a presence in San Jose, the third largest city in California and often referred to as "the capital of Silicon Valley," puts us at the heart of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit for both our existing California clients as well as for a wealth of new opportunities.

Recently, Zone 5's Vice President for Public Affairs sat down with the Albany Business Review to discuss technology growth in the Capital Region and Tech Valley, and what opportunities our recent expansion into the Silicon Valley mean to our current and future clients on both coasts. Read about it here.

Learn more about our west coast expansion by reading our press release
Learn more about San Jose by visiting the Team San Jose Web site

Acceptance letters were mailed and the deadline for admission was a month away. The application process already tapped prospective students’ cerebral side, offering them the information they need to choose a school that’s right for them. But Dartmouth recognized the importance of the emotional side of their decision-making process. They developed a video with a direct-to-camera technique that makes the viewer feel as though they’re part of something special (while playfully reinforcing Dartmouth’s selectivity). And best of all? It was very inexpensive to produce. We'll keep an eye on this to see how effectively it tipped prospects off the fence.

That’s right people! I am the proud owner of a new Honda Ruckus Scooter. Why a scooter, you say? Style, fuel economy, convenient urban transportation and the same feeling of freedom you get from anything else with two wheels.

Quick specs- $2149 MSRP. 43 MPH top speed (not for long). 85 MPG.

85 MPG! If that isn’t impressive enough for you there are several internet claims of people getting over 100 MPG! Talk about reducing your carbon footprint. Also, it’s only April but you can feel the gas prices starting to creep up. My prediction is that by summer we’ll be paying some high gas prices again. This scooter has enabled me to become completely indifferent about the price of gasoline and it’s environmental impact is barely measurable.

A lot of people asked me why I didn’t get a motorcycle instead of a scooter and it’s a legitimate question. The answer is simple. This year called for something new. I have always ridden motorcycles so being on two wheels wasn’t news to me. In the past there have been some times when the only vehicle to my name was a motorcycle. Every day I would ride, rain or shine, and I’ve pretty much done everything you can do on a motorcycle short of race on a track. Also, if you have been following along, you know that I only live a couple miles from the office. The Ruckus is really going to be about commuting back and forth to work and buzzing around the city. It’s the epitome of convenience. I drive it right in the door and park it in my office! 

Don’t forget about the aftermarket. YOU MUST MOD. There is an entire scene devoted to this particular model with endless customizing options. Engines, exhausts, variators, frame extensions, rims and accessories galore. You can be sure I’m going to drop some cash to make my scoot look cooler and go faster. There’s something highly satisfying about tightening the last bolt on a brand new upgrade. So far, I made my number plates and decals here at work and hacked off some useless plastic. This will hold me over until I can get some real parts lined up.

The Ruckus has enabled me to further enjoy the satisfaction of cruising on two wheels. I have freed myself from the tyranny of the gas pump and I have a new toy to customize.

That’s about it. I’m currently accepting applications to join my scooter posse if you think you have what it takes. Other than that, if you see me out around town don’t be surprised if you get a "beep beep!"

Of the many services Zone 5 provides to our clients, large format print production is one of our oldest. Though well-known for our indoor work with exhibits, our expertise with outdoor graphics has been gaining in popularity and prominence. One recent outdoor project of note found our services contracted by a third party to create pole banners for the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. A pretty straight-forward project, but one where we may not be top-of-mind to current (and potential) clients.

Read more about our experiences in the great outdoors by visiting our case study on the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Banner Project. Also, please visit our Graphics and Exhibits Gallery to see samples of other creative and production work from Zone 5.

High Society

Looking to be heard, showing your voice of approval on something other than politicians? Looking to pad your resume with memberships and affiliations? Want to be a society gal (or guy)?

We've got the perfect fit for you. Easy, painless, takes barely a moment – all without those board meetings and pesky member dues. We're officially inviting you to join our newly formed Society for People Who Believe that Z5 is the Right Fit for Keene State.

If you're reading this, you probably already know about Zone 5. Maybe you're a client, maybe a potential client. Chances are you know how passionate we are about working in higher education. But, who is Keene State College, you ask? A wonderful institution of advanced learning found right in the heart of New England – in the city of Keene in New Hampshire, to be exact. Keene selected only a few communications firms to present their creativity, with the decision on only one firm soon pending. We're out to show them how we feel we'd be a great fit for their College (hence, the name of our unique society).

Ray Witkowski had a sweet time at the CUPRAP Conference. Congratulations to everyone who found him! But one conference attendee is especially lucky to have tracked down our man Ray. Congratulations to Paul Redfern of Gettysburg College, the winner of our “Can you find Ray?” contest at CUPRAP. Paul, along with 47 of Ray's closest friends also won a nifty “I found Ray t-shirt.”

Didn’t find Ray? Wish you had? No worries. Ray is always open to meeting new people. Simply contact him at ray.witkowski@zone5.com and say hi. (He might even have an extra t-shirt hanging around.)

Our man Ray Witkowski is headed to the annual CUPRAP Conference in Hershey, PA. CUPRAP stands for "The College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania," but their mission has spread beyond PR and PA, with a "dedication to advancing the understanding of higher education and enhancing the professional development of its members." Sounds fancy. But these are the people Ray wants to meet.

Ray is traveling to Hershey to challenge the CUPRAP attendees to find him. Easy, you think? He won't be wearing his nametag. His image has been stripped from the Zone 5 Web site and his own social media profiles. We need to make this at least a LITTLE difficult, don't we?

Attendees won't be totally unarmed, finding themselves asking every warm body if they happen to be this mysterious "Ray" person. Clues have been sent pre-conference to those signed up to attend, and throughout the event, attendees can visit Facebook, Twitter and even the Zone 5 exhibit in the hotel for more hints.

Why would people really want to meet Ray, you say? Besides meeting one of the coolest guys in town, those who "find and friend" Ray at the show will receive a nifty t-shirt and a chance to win a new iPad.

Feel like spending a few days next week in PA learning about the latest higher education trends? Wanna chance at a new iPad? C'mon down to the CUPRAP Conference. Find Ray and get cool stuff. That's a win-win. That's Zone 5.

Zone 5 Boston Holiday Party 2010

How do you top a one-of-a-kind experience: your company holiday party in New York City? How about Boston?

Zone 5’s 2010 holiday party (celebrating the hard work and great achievements from 2009) brought us to beantown this year, as staff, spouses and guests enjoyed an overnight on the Atlantic Ocean. Staying at the 10-star Fairmont Battery Wharf (with those impressive bathrooms!), on our first night we enjoyed dinner at Lucca Restaurant in the North End. Our group enjoyed dishes ranging from wild boar to diver scallops in their private wine cellar. (And, of course, we enjoyed some of their fine wine.)

The next day we took in the town with some visiting the New England Aquarium while most enjoyed the many shops in Quincy Market. There sure were a lot of places to spend money – building, after building... We rounded out the trip with dinner at the Union Oyster House – apparently the oldest restaurant in America. The place might be old but the food was sure fresh!

Check out our gallery below to see the good times that were had by all in attendance.

Many thanks go out for this trip to remember, especially to Karly from the Fairmont Battery Wharf and Tania from Lucca Restaurant. But especially to our owner, Todd Mosher, who chose this adventure as a way to show appreciation to our staff.

Last installment I talked about how even though Zone 5 had to move, we were able to avoid constructing a new building which helped us to keep our carbon footprint contained. Now I’d like to highlight some things we did inside the building. Since it needed an interior makeover there was an opportunity to incorporate some reclaimed and sustainable materials. 

First, what exactly is sustainability? I really like this definition for it’s simplicity- “the capacity to endure”. But what does that refer to? To me it’s the ability to keep our planet healthy while providing the necessary resources required for civilization to survive and lead humane lives. 

We use a lot of natural resources. Water, trees, oil, land and more. Some people think we are using too many natural resources too quickly and eventually we are going to run out if we don’t change our ways. As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, I’m no fanatic, but it can’t hurt to try and be conscious of what products and materials we’re using right? If there was a renewable product that served the same purpose as a product that wasn’t renewable shouldn’t we try to use the former? When you apply this line of thinking in construction, one option is finding ways to get the materials you need from a natural source without killing it. Another option is to reuse or reclaim something that’s already been produced. Zone 5 was able to do both of these things inside our office.

Let’s start with bamboo. It is what’s considered a sustainable building material. It grows quickly and abundantly, it’s surprisingly tough, and can be used for a variety of purposes. Most importantly, unlike trees bamboo can be harvested without killing it. In our case we used it for one of it’s more common applications which is flooring. It looks great and receives a lot of compliments. While hardwood was used for a couple applications around the office(mostly the wine rack) in this instance we were able to substitute bamboo in place of hardwood flooring and hopefully preserved a couple trees in the process.

Next, cork flooring. Second verse same as the first. Sustainable and renewable. The cork oak is a deciduous tree but instead of cutting it down the outer layer of the bark is peeled off. Cork was used to cover our main conference room floor. Again, it looks great and it should last us for years and years.

One of the building materials the boss really wanted to use was bricks. The house I grew up in had a brick fireplace and hearth. In spite of numerous stubbed toes and your standard issue chin scar, I always thought it was one of the nicest attributes of our home so I’m also a big fan. We all know that bricks are tough but they aren’t particularly green until you reclaim them. With a little extra effort we were able to locate some used bricks and reclaimed them from local sources. 

Bamboo, cork, reclaimed bricks. Just a decent effort to incorporate a little sustainability into our interior makeover. Of course, where there is talk of sustainability, energy conservation is sure to follow. See you in two weeks.

Now that we have our commute to work sorted out, we can focus on what happens upon arrival. I want to start with our building. Zone 5 recently moved from the suburbs to downtown Albany. There were several strategic reasons for moving, but a big one was that we were out of space. We had literally outgrown our office. The boss looked at several buildings around the Capital District and a lot of them had potential. There was even some thought given to building a new structure. In the end we landed at 25 Monroe St.  

First, how about a little background. The structure itself is a 3 story concrete building supported by concrete pillars. It’s about 30,000 sq. ft. According to the Albany County Clerk's office it was originally constructed in 1925 and owned by a magazine and book distributor named American News Co. Inc. There is speculation that it could be even older than that. Either way, it’s stood the test of time. 

The angle I want to focus on is the fact that our building was already standing. Refurbishing an existing structure can be more environmentally friendly than constructing a new building from scratch. The amount of energy and effort it would have taken to build a structure equivalent to our building would have been much greater than repairing an already existing structure. As a result the carbon footprint of our office would have been bigger.

We know that our cars have carbon footprints but of course buildings have them as well. Specifically, let’s talk about “embodied carbon” and “operational carbon”. Embodied carbon is a measure of the amount of greenhouse gases that were emitted during the manufacturing of any given material. Operational carbon refers to the amount of CO2 an item (in our case a structure) creates during it’s day to day existence after it’s already been manufactured. Common examples for a building are heating and cooling. So let’s review. The total carbon footprint of a building is the combination of the CO2 emitted from manufacturing the building materials, the construction process, and the daily operational greenhouse gas emissions, among other things.  

Anytime you make a conscious effort to reduce any or all of the emissions sources associated with your office you are thinking green. What could be better than reducing one of them by avoiding most of the structural construction? We were able to find a building that had been mostly maintained and was in functioning order. It needed some minor exterior repairs and a paint job, accompanied by an interior makeover. What it didn’t need(and here is the green part) was earth moving equipment for the plot, followed by cement mixers for the thousands of pounds of concrete that would need to be poured, followed by cranes to assemble the whole thing and on and on. The result was us being able to meet our needs while avoiding creating any more greenhouse gases than we absolutely had to.

One other thing. There's the idea that we helped make a positive impact on our new neighborhood by restoring a major structure. The Capital District has many vacant/abandoned buildings. Our building was occupied but there are multiple vacant buildings surrounding us. This has always bothered me because everything they represent is negative. Neglect, indifference, mistakes and worst of all, failure. However, overhauls are beginning on two separate vacant office buildings next to ours. I know for a fact that one of them was influenced by the success of our venture. This leads back to the other concept on my mind a lot lately- improving the quality of our lives. These refurbishing projects will directly improve the quality of life in our neighborhood. Business will increase. Crime will decrease. Services that local government provide like road repair crews and plows might be more inclined to pay attention to our section of town. New businesses will move in and property values will increase. All of these things should help our company, and that will improve my life and the lives of my coworkers and neighbors. 

So we restored an existing building to meet our needs. We contained our carbon footprint along the way and breathed some new life into our new neighborhood. Next I’ll describe some of the sustainable materials we used on our interior makeover. As always, everything better all the time.

Thank you for the contribution: your vote

If it truly is the season for giving, you helped us give in a big way. When we developed the concept for Cause We Care, we wanted to show our clients how we were giving to some very worthwhile charities on their behalf. What we didn't expect was the overwhelming response from our clients, friends, contacts and visitors to our site that resulted in over 600 votes from eight different designs and charities.

To say that voting was tight would be an understatement. Our winner, Heifer International, took first honors by only 1 vote! Here are the results, credits and descriptions of our top three causes that will receive a cash donation from Zone 5 as this season's holiday gift:

1st Place: "Mary Needs A Little Lamb"
Wish: "I wish that 2010 will bring strength and prosperity to people around the globe" from Christine Scott, Senior Account Executive
Artist: Dan Reade, Large Format Business Director
Charity: Heifer International, whose mission is to work with communities with gifts of livestock and training to help end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth

2nd Place: "I Wish To Stay Alive"
Wish: "To find a cure for leukemia" from Anthony Palmeri, Web Department Manager
Artist: Katie Diduch, Graphic Designer
Charity: National Children's Leukemia Foundation, whose mission is to provide the cure for cancer and other life-threatening diseases throughout the world, and to insure that all persons, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status or country of residence, have access to life-saving medical care.

3rd Place: "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth"
Wish: "Healthcare coverage for all Americans" from Todd Mosher, CEO and President
Artist: Joe Pompei, Large Format Assistant Production Manager
Charity: Capital District Habitat for Humanity, whose mission is to ensure that everyone in our community has a decent, affordable home.

With all the sensational news stories swirling around about Tiger Woods and Healthcare Reform, it's easy to get caught up in typical water cooler conversations. What we try to do at Zone 5 is bring the more compelling, provocative, hard-hitting stories to the forefront of everyone's minds and lips. Case in point: what's the story about this Yankee Doodle boy?

Yankee Doodle went to town
riding on a pony
stuck a feather in his cap
and called it macaroni

First glance might see this as a before-its-time example of product placement. Even though the origin of the song is unclear, tradition places it in a pre-Revolutionary War song. Was macaroni a growing product in the mid- to late-1700s that could use a push with a catchy jingle? Or had macaroni become one of the first examples of brand supremacy, like "Band Aid" and "Kleenex"?

The second theory is worth exploration simply based on the inherent laziness in most humans.

"...stuck a feather in his cap and called it...called it..."

"Beefaroni?" Hasn't been invented yet.
"A complete phony?" Too many syllables...
"My boy Tony?" Maybe...
"Chicken boney?" Might offend farmers.
"Macaroni?" I give up...Perfect!

Thirdly, this could be a simple case of Inanimate Object Perplexity* (or IOP**), where physical items are mistakingly confused or replaced with unrelated objects. Case in point, according to one un-named publication in the checkout line at Hannaford, an elderly man in New Jersey once thought his wife was an ottoman (and vice versa). The author of the Doodle jingle might have thought that his hat was actually macaroni. With that knowledge, you wouldn't want to be a guest at his house for dinner on spaghetti night.

In the quest of determining which theory holds the most merit (and would make the best foundation for my next white paper), probing deeper into the song might shed some light on the author and his or her meaning:

Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.

This verse leans us towards the assumption that the ditty's main subject is is more than likely male. And by the sound of it, he might be a real ladies man, unless he's a youth that helps fix young girls' broken toys (unlikely).

This verse also brought our crack research team to explore another famous Yankee Doodle melody in hopes of unearthing additional clues about feathers and pasta. Unfortunately, all we uncovered from that exercise were more questions.

...Yankee Doodle went to London riding on a pony
I am that Yankee Doodle boy.

First, what's with the pony, anyway? Weren't there more effective/efficient/expeditious means of travel in those days? And what's he doing in London?

In summary, our research unfortunately brings us to conclude that there are more questions than answers regarding this Yankee Doodle character. More research is indeed needed.

Stay tuned for more revelations on Yankee Doodle and on our next major research project, this Bonny who Lies Over the Ocean: Very Tall Woman, Tiny Body of Water or Compulsive Fibber Whenever Onboard Salt Water Vessels?


*not an actual syndrome
**still not an actual syndrome

This holiday, Zone 5 is creating for a cause.

More than ever, people across the country and world need support. For some, just to make it through another day.

Fortunately, we are all in a position to help. Do something. Anything.

We asked our employees for a wish - one hope for making things better, safer ... livable.

Then, we created. Art directors, production managers and AEs alike turned these wishes into personal expressions of support.

Please view the designs and wishes featured in our giving gallery. Then simply click on your favorite.

The three charities with the most support will receive a donation from Zone 5.

You only have one chance to vote, so be sure to view all the designs before making your selection.

Pass it on. We invite you to download the artwork and celebrate its spirit long after the season.

Cause we care. We give.

Happy Holidays from everyone at Zone 5.

While creativity may run abound (or amuck) here at Zone 5, not only does it appear in the way our staff creates on paper or online. Along with the few musicians on board, we also are graced with the tapping feet of a professional dancer. In this month's Play story, we feature 5 questions with Zone 5 Marketing Assistant, Theresa Beswick:

Z5: You've said that you joined your current production (The Pajama Game) because of the dancing. How long have you been dancing?
TB: I have been dancing ever since I was 3 or 4. My sister started taking lessons and when she would practice in our basement, I would go down and watch her and before long I started picking up the steps. I danced at Ferrara Dance Studio for 11 years and then at Orlando School of Dance for 3. I started to be known for my tap dance ability because my sister and I would do a "sister act" every year at several local talent shows, fundraisers, and our dance recitals.

Z5: Have you been influenced by any of the greats, for instance, Fred Astaire? Martha Graham? MC Hammer?
TB: I would say I have been influenced by Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson and Michael Flatly.

Z5: What is the story behind The Pajama Game? Are there pillow fights in this "game"?
TB: The Pajama Game is a romping musical set around a pajama factory in the 1950s. Conditions at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory are anything but peaceful as sparks fly between new superintendent Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams, leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a 7½ cent raise, setting off not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes as well.
Z5: So... no pillow fights? How about karate?
TB: No pillow fights or karate... but there is some drunkenness, knife throwing, and tug-of-war.

Z5: I'm assuming you enjoy Broadway shows. Any particular one your favorite?
TB: My favorite Broadway shows are 42nd Street (for obvious reasons), Wicked and Rent.
Z5: For those unfamiliar with 42nd Street, are the "obvious reasons" because of the dancing or is that your lucky number?
TB: 42nd Street is a tap dance show, basically. My dance teacher at Orlandos was in the Broadway version of 42nd Street and taught us the original opening dance number to the show! Probably my favorite dance I have ever done... besides thriller... yes I know the thriller dance.

Z5: If we were to produce our own version if Dancing with the Stars (or, as we would rename it, Dancing with the Zone 5 Moderately- to Little-Known Staff Members), who else on the staff do you think would put their best two feet forward?
TB: Hmmm... definitely NOT Sarah!! I've seen her dance waiting for the elevator* and its not a pretty sight. I would have to say Mark because I know he used to do musicals and his wife is a dancer so she must of taught him something!

Theresa is currently appearing with The Schenectady Light Opera Company's performance of The Pajama Game, running from Friday, October 16th through Sunday, October 25th. Click here for show times and ticket information.

*hiddden video footage soon to be released