tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102137572011-06-08T02:51:54.843-04:00IdeaStar: The Flipside. Please enjoy a taste of our off-beat humor and observations about life in particular as we chronicle the events, adventures and good deeds of IdeaStar in this blog. IdeaStar is a full-service Web development firm in Cleveland and while we do some very serious work for our customers we also have a lighter side (that's what keeps us going).Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comBlogger1361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-24081805125885327962008-06-06T10:10:00.002-04:002008-06-06T15:35:55.079-04:00

These are just a few phrases IdeaStar employee Brian Swan used to describe his recent trip to Hawaii! He traveled to the island of Oahu with his wife to see many wonderful sites and share lots of pictures with us! They visited Turtle Cove and attended a luau type performance. Other fun visits included Diamond Head, the Bonsai Pipeline and the famous estate from Magnum PI. Here are some of his

Andrea Hoppeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10366041531556526432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-32899619770477370722008-05-22T09:45:00.004-04:002008-12-11T12:22:57.733-05:00

Watch out for Big Foot!Ctrl + Alt + KICKBALL!, IdeaStar’s kickball team, completed the season this week 2 to 6. Unfortunately they lost the last game to Shamrock Tavern.The team of Andi Hoppes, Becky Lovejoy, Whitney Zunic, Ryan Pastorelle, Mike Balogh, Brian Darby, Jon Vokes, Dale Cassidy, James Polak, Scott Largent , Chris Arpajian, and Eleni Champagne played Monday nights, at Mulberry's in

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-18456874385474909822008-05-12T15:09:00.006-04:002008-12-11T12:22:58.351-05:00

IdeaStar Development Manager Greg Kopp recently took a week off from work…to work.He volunteered to do construction work for New Orleans Habitat, a branch of Habitat for Humanity International. The organization is dedicated to the ongoing recovery and rebuilding of New Orleans.“I built some steps and hung some doors. I know that doesn’t sound like much. But in a small way it is helping

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-61098941116853083082008-05-01T13:50:00.001-04:002008-12-11T12:22:58.909-05:00

IdeaStar's own Mike Wise was among the speakers discussing The Evolution of Digital Content at the April 29 meeting of the Cleveland Web Association. Mike is our Vice President of Insurance Technologies, guiding IdeaStar insurance clients through the process of Web enabling their products and procedures. Mike's main point? All content on the Web must be "engaging, engaging, engaging" to be of

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-41485236579526834682008-04-03T09:41:00.000-04:002008-04-03T09:48:17.540-04:00

Being green can bring in the green. Business Development Manager Laurel Baldwin recently attended the Green Manufacturing Expo: The Industry Event for Sustainable Manufacturing in Anaheim, California. The conference focused on “business solutions and scientifically based technologies that can be employed to reduce the impact of twenty first century man on the planet's resources.”“It was awesome.

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-6145947310068278192008-02-08T10:06:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:00.104-05:00

IdeaStar went back to the ICMG conference for the fifth straight year and it was our best one ever! We went in 2003 at the invitation of one customer. Now we have a couple dozen customers that we serve from ICMG. Here's some pictures from this year's event.Jane Hudeck, senior project manager, and Mike Wise, Vice President-Sales, prep the IdeaStar booth for the show.Old pals, Wayne Largent,

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-61905509375428307552008-02-01T16:37:00.001-05:002008-12-11T12:23:00.228-05:00

The IdeaStar mystery employee guessing game has returned!Take a stab at our next mystery employee from IdeaStar...Leave your comments below, if you think you can guess who it is!!Way back before becoming a part of IdeaStar, this cowboy was all dressed up for his studious Kindergarten school picture. He was decked out in his plaid shirt, huge smile and all for school picture day.His favorite

Andrea Hoppeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10366041531556526432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-6050896819730281642008-01-19T08:41:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:01.343-05:00

IdeaStar's Web designer, Alexis Li, received her United States citizenship at the Federal courthouse in Cleveland this past Friday. And that means a celebration at IdeaStar is in order!You would think we'd serve all-American stuff like hot dogs, hamburgers, and apple pie. Instead we used this as an excuse to get lots of good Chinese food!Surprise! We caught Alexis totally off-guard with this

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-10951829499130248742008-01-03T09:21:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:01.643-05:00

Wayne and I have our birthdays about a week apart. They fall right in the middle of the holidays so usually nobody remembers (except us of course).But this year the staff remembered and took us for a birthday lunch. Free ice cream sundaes too. Yum!Thanks!!!Copyright 2008 IdeaStar Inc.All Rights Reserved.Nice picture by Jane Hudeck.

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-91533234317712927382007-12-17T15:11:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:02.791-05:00

Once again IdeaStar provided Christmas presents for The Phillis Wheatley Josephine Kohler Academy in Cleveland. Staff members purchased and wrapped a present for each of the 84 daycare students. To add a twist to our annual wrapping party, we held a chili cook-off. Wrapping paper, presents, and chili were everywhere!Jane Hudeck was among the IdeaStar staff members wrapping the pile of presents.

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-18631226329484312892007-12-08T21:24:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:03.408-05:00

A meatball sundae? Gross!But it’s a perfect illustration of marketing today. Author Seth Godin shared an overview of his soon-to-be released book Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing out of Sync? as the opening keynote speaker at the Search Engine Strategies Chicago conference December 3 through 7.How could such an unappealing concoction have anything to do with marketing and advertising? Seth

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-13242757108858963422007-12-01T01:06:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:04.390-05:00

Last year at the Inter-Company Marketing Group (ICMG) Annual Meeting, IdeaStar raffled-off a Christmas Story leg lamp. It was won by William J. "Jay" Manifold Jr. of Woodmen of the World / Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society. He was kind enough to send pictures of the lamp, a highlight of his family's holiday decorating. Jay wrote "As I surmised at ICMG last year, my daughter has enjoyed the

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-19012595058339948512007-11-12T14:46:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:04.521-05:00

Baby, you're the best! IdeaStar business developer Laurel Baldwin recently attended a 20s event with her beau Tuck. Here's what she had to say."It was the absolute cat's meow. My big daddy took me to Canterbury Country Club as his moll for the annual Roaring Twenties Speakeasy. It was a very swanky evening. We put on the Ritz in our authentic, vintage glad rags for an evening of hoofing to

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-83990168409115773032007-11-04T13:13:00.000-05:002008-12-11T12:23:05.115-05:00

This little pink fellow resides on Mike Balogh's desk. We're not sure where his Halloween rider came from. OooEEEooo!Now for the potluck. In celebration of Halloween, IdeaStar held its first annual corned beef lunch. Try working with the smell of corned beef all around. Becky Lovejoy, Laurel Baldwin, Lia Spithas Fresty, and Danni Bennett enjoyed some of the treats.Brian Darby, Dale Cassidy,

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-20844961041375946762007-10-30T07:30:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:05.416-05:00

The IdeaStar staff was surprised last week to find Borat sitting at Chris Arpajian's desk. Well, at least the person sitting there looked like Borat. And he certainly sounded like Borat. Could it really be the mock Kazakh journalist of motion picture fame? Check the photos and decide which is Chris and which is the real Borat.Copyright 2007 IdeaStar Inc.All Rights Reserved.

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-77700703372831680612007-10-25T13:25:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:05.757-05:00

We all look forward to the annual IdeaStar picture. Imagine total chaos resulting in the picture below. Don't we all look so neat and organized…? IdeaStar’s greatest asset is its staff, for which we are very grateful. See if you can pick out some familiar faces.Front row: Laurel Baldwin, Maung Htun, June Hill, Becky Lovejoy, Jane Hudeck, Niketa Parekh, Andi Hoppes, Lia Spithas Fresty.Second row:

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-20621594938550538922007-10-15T16:57:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:05.981-05:00

It's officially Blog Action Day. What? You haven't heard of it? It's "An international initiative of bloggers ... with the aim of uniting thousands of blogging voices, talking about one issue for one day." This year on Blog Action Day bloggers have been charged with discussing the environment.So we'll take this opportunity to discuss one of IdeaStar's favorite clients, Technical Consumer

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-49579236919487544952007-10-04T09:58:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:06.409-05:00

This smile doesn't lie! Seven of 10 respondents for our Mystery Employee contest identified IdeaStar General Manager Susanne Svette as the pictured protagonist, based on her smile. One suggested it was her sister Laurel Baldwin. And two votes were for IdeaStar President Jim Fisher. Hmmmmmmm.Susanne now. (Note the same T-shirt over the turtleneck.)Susanne then. Isn't she cute!We wonder who

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-30965723420991166572007-10-02T13:32:00.001-04:002008-12-11T12:23:07.185-05:00

IdeaStar's Brent Williams, Mike Wise, Mary Fisher, Jeff Dolsen, and Laurel Baldwin recently attended the Podcast and New Media Expo in sunny Ontario, CA. The premier event for online media focused on generating content, growing an audience, and ways to monetize or market audio and video recordings. The group brought back a lot of information, and is eager to apply it to IdeaStar's Spinfield

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-85851386440155215702007-09-24T11:53:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:08.072-05:00

IdeaStar client Technical Consumer Products Inc. (or TCP for short) recently dedicated its new 154,000-square-foot global headquarters, based in Aurora, OH. The company's better ideas for energy-efficient lighting have resulted in exponential growth. TCP is the leading supplier of compact fluorescent light bulbs - including this 8,000-watter. Company President & CEO Ellis Yan (left) and Aurora

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-52630980726029467102007-09-18T15:16:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:08.180-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, IdeaStar marketing assistantThe time has come once again to play the IdeaStar employee guessing game!This cute little lady was ready to pose for her kindergarten picture. Always the fashionista, she insisted on wearing her undershirt over her turtleneck for her photo. Her favorite subject was always art. She showed off her skills when she was the first one in her class to color

Andrea Hoppeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10366041531556526432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-53019339651781412732007-09-14T09:54:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:08.637-05:00

IdeaStar Web developer Ben Schemmel married Jessica this past weekend. But a few days before, we had a little celebration. We're sure Ben and Jessica appreciate the place settings the staff gave to them.Maung Htun was happy to have a reason to celebrate.We're sorry Ben had to struggle with Ryan Pastorelle, Scott Largent, and Steve Lamb for some pizza. Congratulations Ben and Jessica!Copyright

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-37584285014304147642007-09-05T11:18:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:09.288-05:00

Online Marketing Manager Steve Lamb recently returned from Search Engine Strategies in San Jose. This is the premier event for search engine marketing and optimization.Steve is still trying to download all the information to his brain. But we know he will be applying the information he gathered for IdeaStar's search engine marketing accounts."The biggest thing that I really already know, but

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-85904505844915439472007-08-27T16:41:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:16.504-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, marketing assistantIdeaStar employees set out Saturday morning for Sandusky, Ohio to take a boat trip on the Goodtime I. When they left the pier that morning the sky seemed ominous with rain threatening at any moment. The boat would take them to Kelleys Island then on to Put-in-Bay for a relaxing day with friends and family. The excursion turned out to be a great one, with lots of

Andrea Hoppeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10366041531556526432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-75910222425688948002007-08-16T14:14:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:16.781-05:00

While we were all working, network administration intern Chris Arpajian (above) was off vacationing at Emerald Isles, N.C. He brought back some beautiful photos, including those posted below."All of the beach pictures were taken along the beach in Emerald Isle N.C. primarily behind and around the house we stayed at; on the ocean front (not the sound side). The few fish pictures were taken at the

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-43316547486732408062007-08-08T14:04:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:17.438-05:00

By Jen Burger, IdeaStar internHello! I'm Jen Burger, a summer intern here at IdeaStar, Inc. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Rochester and am planning on finishing a double major in Studio Arts and Bio/Geo (a spin off of an environmental science major).My internship has been great so far! I have my very own cubicle (which for some may not seem like a big deal but for a sophomore in

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-88582619922010852542007-08-06T14:42:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:17.771-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, IdeaStar marketing assistantIt's time to announce our latest mystery employee....We thought the sweater vest might throw a few of you off. But most of you knew in an instant this was Greg Kopp. His son looks exactly like him.Greg then....Greg now.Four of you answered correctly, although from talk around the office, we have a feeling more people actually knew. The stats this

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-89633491151444211972007-07-29T15:52:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:18.538-05:00

The IdeaStar team together with new client, Insuranti Inc, took in the pleasures of a loge at Jacobs Field (courtesy of BFCA) for an Indians-Red Sox slugfest.The "Jake" looks great and our location was superb!Our guests of honor, Danny Jones (Exec. V.P. Insuranti) and his wife, Sandy, came in from Pittsboro, N.C. to enjoy the game.Mary Fisher, IdeaStar Communications Manager, and son, James,

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-48890046263397107962007-07-23T09:55:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:18.689-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, Ideastar marketing assistantThis handsome fellow had stars in his future......IdeaStars! Looking quite dapper for school picture day back in grade school, he had no idea he was wearing a fashion trend that several IdeaStar employees would sport in the future. The sweater vest is a staple in the wardrobe of some IdeaStar employees today ;)This young man used to live out West

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-13843265924410677042007-07-17T13:03:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:18.975-05:00

IdeaStar Creative Director Brent Williams recently spent a week with his wife Chanda shopping on Chicago's renowned Michigan Avenue. He spent a lot of time looking, but unfortunately not buying, this Bugatti Veyron.What's so special about the car, other than its great looks? Brent, IdeaStar's resident automobile expert, explained the Bugatti Veyron costs $1.2 million, there are only 70 of them,

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-27486994587443445572007-07-10T11:36:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:19.857-05:00

Steve Harrison, son Jeremy, and a friendly boa constrictor IdeaStar Web Developer Steve Harrison recently traveled with his family to one of the far corners of the earth, Malaysia. It was a memorable trip, full of intriguing food, exotic sites, and interesting experiences. Here’s a few pictures and comments from Steve about the trip.Where did you go?We went to Malaysia. While we were there we

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-79396851989042582222007-07-06T12:27:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:20.372-05:00

IdeaStar has added another employee to the marriage club. Brian Darby got married on June 29, the third IdeaStar employee to tie the knot this year. His fellow employees celebrated the occasion with a pizza party. Brian was told a VERY angry client was on the phone in the conference room and he had to come sit in on the call. He walked in to a company 'SURPRISE!' and Greg Kopp (left) and Maung

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-65071400327924197192007-07-02T10:14:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:20.575-05:00

Mary and I just returned from a vacation trip to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. The plan was to get away from it all and see the great Rocky Mountains.And for most of the time that's just what happened. That was until I got a call from Insuranti Executive VP Danny Jones. He and his wife, Sandy, are devoted R.V. travelers and have a monstrous vehicle that they use for travel several

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-81375848757536195132007-06-13T10:01:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:20.809-05:00

IdeaStar employees were seeing double recently. No. They were not going cross-eyed. Sara Clayton (R), twin sister of IdeaStar Business Manager Christy Svette (L) stopped in for a visit from her home in Manchester, NH.Christy says she came into town for the annual hometown Blossom Festival in Chagrin Falls. But the real reason for the visit was to meet their new niece, Alethea Jane Svette, born a

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-80815120383840390762007-06-08T10:17:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:21.009-05:00

Hmmmmm. The Dominator. Do they mean IdeaStar Business Development Manager Laurel Baldwin (pictured below) or the truck?Laurel recently attended client QT Equipment's 7th annual Lot Fair held in appreciation for company customers and vendors. There were lots of games, plenty of food, and even a large chain for Laurel to jump rope with. She is shown here with QT Vice President Dan Root.QT

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-36594803699516747552007-06-04T13:06:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:21.680-05:00

What a wedding! IdeaStar Project Manager Lia Spithas married former IdeaStar employee Paul Fresty on May 26 at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Rocky River, OH, just outside of Cleveland. Here's a few pictures.Lia and Paul share smiles right after the ceremony. Paul's son Jacob gets ready to pelt his dad and step-mom with tiny candy hearts - for good luck, of course. Are those dollars we

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-79074393530270386382007-05-28T14:59:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:22.177-05:00

After a FULL DAY OF WORK, Insurers Administrative Corporation (IAC) representatives Carolyn Atkins (left) and Joy Fletcher enjoyed a little taste of Cleveland. We took them to see Monet in Normandy at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and we stopped at the Rock Hall to view the entries for Guitar Mania 2007.The pink guitar was one of their favorites. IdeaStar is currently developing Web sites for

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-5598141405355018882007-05-23T16:41:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:22.492-05:00

Who knew those cute little guys featured in our Name the Employee contest would grow up to be Web developers extraordinaire at IdeaStar. Our most recent subject turned out to be (drum roll please....)Mike Balogh! Some of you were sure it was Levi Wilson. But hey. What can we say. The statisics are:Five guesses for Mike BaloghOne guess for LeviOne guess for Steve LambOne guess for Jim Fisher

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-54723556787478007562007-05-17T09:56:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:22.716-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, IdeaStar marketing assistantThe next exciting installment of our IdeaStar employee guessing game is here! Feel free to make your guesses below by adding a comment! Once people have made their guesses we will announce who it really is!This mischievous young man is smiling so big because he just threw a full cup of water on an innocent little girl. Sounds like something a typical 8

Andrea Hoppeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10366041531556526432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-24631307317474828082007-05-07T10:49:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:23.350-05:00

IdeaStar General Manager Susanne Svette, her husband Mark, and daughter Grace welcomed baby Alethea Jane into their family May 3. She arrived weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz., and wearing a good head of dark brown hair.Mom and baby Alethea are doing fine. Grace gets a few moments of mom time. Dad Mark does a good job of wrapping.Who is this person? Alethea really wants to know.Copyright 2007 IdeaStar

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-45648698861724765122007-05-03T11:05:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:23.531-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, IdeaStar marketing assistantEverybody is a star at IdeaStar. We've decided to occasionally post a picture of one from way before they were part of the IdeaStar team. Feel free to guess who our featured employee is in the comments section below. We'll let you know who is correct. Our first employee pictured is: Who knew this handsome 5-year-old would be working at IdeaStar

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-60097725788441606082007-04-23T09:33:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:25.034-05:00

IdeaStar client Technical Consumer Products (TCP) recently held a marketing lunch, and we were invited. The main event featured painting TCP logo art, which will decorate the energy-efficient lighting company's new building in Aurora, OH.Always creative, IdeaStar's Brent Williams put his plan into action.Almost finished. Steve Lamb, Brent, and Mary Fisher show off Brent's work.The finished

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-13515077096772470292007-04-19T10:05:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:25.348-05:00

IdeaStar's Doug Hayes and Lia Spithas are getting married - but not to each other. That didn't stop us from hosting a surprise wedding shower for both of them. And it was a surprise! Lia was in the meeting room for about four minutes before she realized the gathering was for her. And Doug was a bit nervous when he was told to meet in the conference room for an important meeting with an upset

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-70353694152099721092007-04-17T11:31:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:25.533-05:00

The ladies of IdeaStar, Lia Spithas, Jane Hudeck, Laurel Baldwin, Mary Fisher, Andi Hoppes, and Christy Svette recently surprised General Manager Susanne Svette with lunch and a baby shower. We thought she could use a few new things for her second baby, which is due any minute. Thanks, Susanne (pictured), for giving us a reason to buy those cute little sleepers, booties and bibs.Copyright 2007

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1176227190736250712007-04-10T13:43:00.000-04:002008-12-11T12:23:27.252-05:00

(From L to R) Web developers Lee Chen and Greg Kopp, Project Manager Jane Hudeck, Carolyn Atkins from IAC, and Web Developer Doug HayesIt's not often IdeaStar has an insurance client stop in. Most contact is usually by e-mail and phone - LOTS of e-mail and phone.Recently Carolyn Atkins of Insurers Administrative Corporation (IAC) based in Phoenix, AZ decided to stop in our Cleveland, OH office

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1176137279662194142007-04-09T12:36:00.000-04:002007-04-09T15:18:27.356-04:00

You can't beat PhotoShop World for a lot of learning in a short few days. Brent Williams, IdeaStar Creative Director, and I (Jim Fisher, IdeaStar President) took on Boston and its great seafood restaurants while learning about pixels and curves.Here's a thrilling picture of us in front of a sign-board. Mary Fisher, IdeaStar communications manager, insisted we get a picture of ourselves at PSW

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1175717387202637132007-04-04T16:02:00.000-04:002007-04-04T16:09:47.266-04:00

General Manager Susanne Bailey Svette, Sam (Bompi) Price, and Business Development Manager Laurel Bailey BaldwinIdeaStar welcomed a very special guest last week. Sam Price, also known as Bompi by Susanne and Laurel, stopped in to see our office. While Susanne and Laurel showed their grandfather around, he admired IdeaStar President Jim Fisher's photography.Once an avid photographer himself,

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1175266231334669982007-03-30T11:49:00.000-04:002007-04-02T10:04:10.126-04:00

IdeaStar Creative Director Brent Williams recently scored big with his classic mini car. A picture of the 1977 Mini 1000 appears in the April edition of Mini World, a British magazine for enthusiasts of the tiny vehicles.Brent inside his Mini. Yes. The steering wheel is on the "wrong" side.Brent and his wife Chanda purchased the car and had it shipped over from England two years ago. They

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1173883723616908992007-03-14T11:41:00.000-04:002007-03-15T10:58:45.940-04:00

By Andi Hoppes Well, we don't think anybody is ready to quit their day job and turn pro yet, but we sure had a lot of fun bowling Friday night at Cloverleaf Lanes. Greg Kopp and his wife Bonnie and son Joe teamed up with Steve Harrison and Dale Cassidy to take on Mike Wise, Mike Balogh, Steve Lamb, and Andi Hoppes.Although the games started off slow, Steve H. seemed like a natural from the

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1172684038307798222007-02-28T12:12:00.000-05:002007-02-28T19:54:04.540-05:00

Swwweeeeeet! VP of IdeaStar Insurance Technologies Mike Wise just announced some great news. His son Zach signed a national letter of intent to play soccer at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. Zach has had a stellar soccer career at Cuyahoga Christian Academy. Read the press release. Zach will be working his way through college on an Army ROTC scholarship. His family is so proud!Here's

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1172179627509628892007-02-22T16:25:00.000-05:002007-02-23T12:39:26.676-05:00

IdeaStar Project Manager Lia Spithas may have been born in America, but she and her family are very much Greek. "We speak Greek at home and with family and friends and have made it a point to stay bilingual down through the generations," Lia says. "Greek is a very rich, interesting language and has really helped me understand English much better. It is amazing how much English derives from other

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1171563910541414712007-02-15T13:11:00.000-05:002007-02-18T16:28:49.350-05:00

In keeping with the tradition of the Oscars, the Grammys, and other significant events, IdeaStar's Vice President of Insurance Technologies Mike Wise (L) was awarded The 2006 Employee of the Year by President Jim Fisher (R).The award is given annually to the IdeaStar employee who made the most of opportunities and had a stellar year. Mike, responsible for selling IdeaStar's online insurance

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1170690150185294072007-02-05T10:42:00.000-05:002007-02-07T15:25:45.926-05:00

IdeaStar's Mike Wise, Jim Fisher, Jane Hudeck and Wayne Largent attended the Inter-Company Marketing Group Annual Meeting last week in sunny Florida. The conference brings together insurance carriers and distributors who cut deals on new products and marketing relationships. IdeaStar provides Web development services to those who want to get their insurance products and business practices

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1169671449470478572007-01-24T15:28:00.000-05:002007-01-24T15:49:17.803-05:00

Mike Wise, IdeaStar's Vice President of Insurance Technologies, spotted this bird recently while attending an insurance conference in Florida. Since IdeaStar is Cleveland-based, the bird looked pretty strange to Mike. He thought it might be a swan, but obviously not.We could look it up in a book, or even on the Internet. But we'd really like to hear from you. Click the comments tag below if

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1169067633548380842007-01-17T15:37:00.000-05:002007-01-23T14:41:01.433-05:00

Andi Hoppes has had a few months to settle in at IdeaStar as our new receptionist/marketing assistant. She joined the company about five months ago, fresh out of Miami University, where she earned a degree in marketing. We've found her to be very helpful for research, input on marketing projects, testing Web sites, writing articles, adding content to Web pages, and yes, answering the phones.

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1168624657032071702007-01-12T12:50:00.000-05:002007-01-12T19:38:22.153-05:00

IdeaStar company President Jim Fisher recently gathered the IdeaStar staff for his annual "State of the Business" address. While everything is well and good, the staff kept score on Jim's presentation. We recorded how many trite phrases and cliches he made. There were:2 Sports Analogies3 Military Analogies3 Shameless Appeals4 Glittering Generalities4 Campy ThemesSixteen in a hour. Not

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1166715117801085252006-12-21T10:28:00.000-05:002007-08-01T13:53:24.642-04:00

The folks at IdeaStar decided to write their own holiday story this year. After dinner at Pickwick and Frolic, we boarded Lolly the Trolley for a brief drive through downtown Cleveland, stopping at the recently opened A Christmas Story Museum.You know the 1983 classic movie and hero Raphie's quest for an official Red Rider BB Gun. Even Santa said "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" Poor Ralphie

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1166109212694924572006-12-14T10:10:00.000-05:002007-01-01T18:11:07.913-05:00

Once again IdeaStar employees, family and friends shopped 'till they (almost) dropped to make the Christmas season brighter for the children at The Phillis Wheatley Josephine Kohler Academy in Cleveland. A shiny new present was purchased and wrapped for each of the 98 daycare students.We can just imagine the fun the kids will have opening the presents at their annual Christmas party. We had fun

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1165528485239796112006-12-07T16:47:00.000-05:002006-12-11T09:12:45.026-05:00

IdeaStar employees have been enduring a lot of strange sights and sounds lately. Construction crews are putting the final touches on our expanding office space.Web Developer Dale Cassidy (pictured), as well as the other developers, have nothing but a plastic sheet to separate them from all the action. The pounding of hammers and whirring of electric tools can be a bit nerve wracking.Other

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1164126321243659712006-11-21T11:21:00.000-05:002006-12-11T16:50:07.510-05:00

We're thinking about turkey here at IdeaStar, and how much we have to be thankful for. Top of the list is our clients and the many projects we are involved in.Our staff is our greatest attribute, for which we all are very grateful. See if you can pick out some familiar faces.Front row: Lia Spithas, Andi Hoppes, Becky Lovejoy-Rawlings, Brent Williams, Greg Kopp, Mary Fisher.Second row: Steve Ma,

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1163795800763435322006-11-17T15:36:00.000-05:002006-11-17T15:44:50.673-05:00

By Andi Hoppes, marketing assistantThe theory that the island is really run by dolphins may be a bit off. And the Lost light bulb joke is a hoot. But the notion that the whole show is Hurley's dream might have some merit.The obsession with the ABC television show, Lost, continues to grow throughout the IdeaStar office. To keep the discussion going, Web developer Mike Balogh created a Web site

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1162503728118168912006-11-02T16:36:00.000-05:002006-11-09T17:06:16.430-05:00

IdeaStar Google AdWords Professionals (L to R): Susanne Svette, Steve Lamb, and Becky Lovejoy.Need a few good AdWords? IdeaStar can help.IdeaStar's Spinfield online marketing team now has three Google AdWords Professionals ready to run your search engine marketing campaign. To earn the distinction, each passed the Google Advertising Professionals Exam - a comprehensive test for all things Google

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1162400524220646522006-11-01T12:01:00.000-05:002006-11-01T13:51:04.753-05:00

"We were working in the lab, a late one night, when our eyes beheld a terrible site...."Well, we weren't really working in the lab. We were working at IdeaStar Inc., which is close to a lab (for Web development that is). And then we saw these strange people wandering around the office.It didn't take long to realize it was Halloween, and these were just members of IdeaStar out for a good time.

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1161964905567969512006-10-27T12:01:00.000-04:002006-11-01T13:53:32.386-05:00

Our resident Search Engine Marketing Specialist Susanne Svette made an interesting discovery the other day.If you go to Ask.com and search on earthquakes, Ask presents you with current earthquake activity data. You can then click on the link "Area Earthquake Activity" and it takes you to a map that shows where in the world earthquakes occurred.We're happy to report no earthquakes under IdeaStar

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1160670364888872442006-10-12T12:20:00.000-04:002006-11-01T13:55:21.410-05:00

Senior Web Developer Lee Chen has seen a lot of the United States since coming here from China 11 years ago. He lived in Montana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Ohio. "From mountains to coasts, from north to south, I really enjoy the people, the land, and the culture," Lee says.He joined IdeaStar about four months ago. "After company President Jim Fisher showed me pictures he took while

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1159204772469065142006-09-25T13:18:00.000-04:002006-09-28T16:09:26.293-04:00

IdeaStar Web Developer Greg Kopp and his Chinese counterpart NaiQuiWhat brings these two guys from opposite sides of the planet together? IdeaStar client Technical Consumer Products Inc.The energy efficient lighting company based in Aurora, OH has most of its manufacturing done in China. While IdeaStar does a good amount of the company's computer programming, Nai Qi and his team back in

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1158677710267481252006-09-19T10:50:00.000-04:002006-09-19T11:16:41.966-04:00

LeBron James, how could you let him down?IdeaStar President Jim Fisher thought he had it made. He bet Project Manager Lia Spithas - our resident Greek - that Team USA would trounce Greece in the recent World Basketball Championships in Japan. The loser would provide lunch for the office. "I could just taste the spanakopita," Jim said.But it was not to be. Greece beat the United States 101-95. Lia

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1158258086040146302006-09-14T14:17:00.000-04:002006-09-14T15:38:18.576-04:00

By Andi Hoppes, IdeaStar marketing assistantOne of the newest members of the IdeaStar family, Mike Balogh, knows how to work AND how to play. When he isn't developing Web applications, there's a good chance you'll find him playing some sort of game. Mike enjoys all games - "from board games to video games to card games to strategy games to hide-and-go-seek games!"Many people around the office

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1157485527355998702006-09-05T15:44:00.000-04:002006-09-05T15:45:27.430-04:00

And IdeaStar Inc. is hot! We just learned our client, MemberHealth's Web site, www.communitycarerx.com, has been selected as a finalist for the A.M. Best 2006 E-Fusion Awards program in the category of Customer Management.The site, designed and developed by IdeaStar, features Community Care Rx, a Medicare-approved prescription drug plan offered through MemberHealth. "Being a finalist for

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1156353477191772172006-08-23T12:49:00.000-04:002006-09-05T15:38:59.613-04:00

Basketball shoes on the gym floor. Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!There will be a lot of squeaking going on next April 1 & 3 when the 2007 NCAA® Women' s Final Four® basketball championship comes to Cleveland. Players, fans, and media can keep up-to-date at www.womenrockcleveland.com, recently launched by IdeaStar Inc. for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission (GCSC).The GCSC is a "non-profit,

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1155748519353467862006-08-16T13:14:00.000-04:002006-08-18T13:43:41.143-04:00

Recent visitors and callers to IdeaStar have been asking a BIG question - Where is Lia? She's still here. Our former receptionist/marketing assistant was promoted to project manager and moved from the front desk into her own office a few weeks ago.Lia Spithas joined IdeaStar in January 2005, after working for a software company. When that company folded, it was IdeaStar's good fortune to inherit

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1155066438193343032006-08-08T14:54:00.000-04:002006-08-08T22:49:19.173-04:00

What do giant redwood trees and Alcatraz have in common with IdeaStar Inc.? Not much, except IdeaStar Vice President of Insurance Technologies Mike Wise recently returned from a conference. In between seminars at the Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA) 2006 Summer Conference in Napa, CA, he had time to do a little sightseeing.Mike and his wife Diane enjoyed spending some time

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1153857778372002722006-07-25T15:56:00.000-04:002006-12-11T16:49:28.280-05:00

Cleveland Indians Pitcher Jeremy Sowers shut out the Minnesota Twins for an 11-0 victory Saturday, July 22 at Jacobs Field – and IdeaStar was there. Thirty-six employees, family and friends attended. We must have been good luck. The rain stopped just in time for a perfect evening at the ball field, complete with rainbow.See if you can find your favorite IdeaStar people/Indians fans below. Phil

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1153329464808294202006-07-19T13:17:00.000-04:002006-07-19T13:26:13.386-04:00

How do you want ‘em cooked? We’re taking IdeaStar Vice President of Insurance Technologies Mike Wise away from his summer grill and sending him to sunny Napa Valley. He’ll be attending The Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA) 2006 Summer Conference, July 27 through 30, at the Silverado Resort in Napa, CA.Product Strategies in a Maturing Industry is the theme for this year. The

Mary Fishernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1151439256530283282006-06-27T16:14:00.000-04:002006-06-27T16:14:16.653-04:00

It takes a lot of talented, hardworking people to keep IdeaStar shining. One of them is our intern, Chris Arpajian. He’s a real gem when it comes to taking on the smaller tasks, allowing our systems administrator to concentrate on the bigger picture. Add a little Web site testing, troubleshooting, and a few “house calls” to fix clients’ technical problems, and you see how valuable Chris is to

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1149347542915031402006-06-03T11:12:00.000-04:002006-06-05T02:22:27.706-04:00

O.K. we didn't perform or anything at the Walt Disney but we did get to visit and hear a concert at Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. IdeaStar is a sponsor of the American Symphony Orchestra League and attended its recent conference in Los Angeles.The big attraction of coming to the American Symphony Orchestra League was the Walt Disney concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry and the

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1148578929427941512006-05-25T13:42:00.000-04:002006-06-27T16:06:19.753-04:00

We have a podcast for you with Jim Fisher, president of IdeaStar, and Mike Wise, VP of Sales, discussing photography. If you ever visit the halls of our office in Cleveland you will see the walls covered with photographs. Since Jim is the president most of the photographs in the main hallways are his. Mike's photographs are relegated to his office. Maybe someday Jim will allow one of Mike's

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1148478807372299632006-05-24T09:37:00.000-04:002006-05-25T22:31:47.060-04:00

IdeaStar attended an interesting conference yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. "China Risk, Reward and How to Win" was presented by the Department of Commerce and it was well-attended (over 600 people from across the country). In fact, the Commerce Department also held this conference in Houston and Washington DC but the Cleveland conference had more attendees than the other two combined.To

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1147699127413337392006-05-15T09:18:00.000-04:002006-05-22T09:44:56.890-04:00

Holy guacamole! That's a lot of tickets. For the second year in a row, the Ravinia Festival set a new record for first-day online ticket sales. Approximately 52,000 tickets were sold online April 20, the start of the 2006 season. "That's about 10 percent, of Ravinia's annual ticket sales, all in one day," according to Will Quekett of Galathea STS of London. The historic summer home of the

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1147264787344119762006-05-10T08:27:00.000-04:002006-05-24T10:08:06.863-04:00

I was invited to give a talk at VenueExpo in Munich. I don't speak any German except what I remember from watching "Hogan's Heroes." Fortunately the conference was in English. My talk was entitled "Enhancing Your Web Marketing Channel for Increased Ticket Sales." It sounds pretty droll but believe me those Europeans really eat this stuff up.It's showtime at VenueExpo. Here I am quietly

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1142372470648463662006-03-15T16:25:00.000-05:002006-03-16T09:07:08.196-05:00

IdeaStar Project Manager Paul Breitzmann is known for his daily outdoor walks, which he tells us, help him think clearly. Snow, rain, or shine, there is a good chance that you will see him circling the building in the afternoon.Over the past few months, Paul has taken his outdoor thinking to the next level, and is training for the Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon, the nation's largest half-marathon

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1141241711185804502006-03-01T14:35:00.000-05:002006-03-02T07:37:53.286-05:00

It was good food and good fun at the sold-out Annual Sports Banquet. IdeaStar was a sponsor of the program for the third year in a row. It was great seeing so many current and former Cleveland sports stars, the cool memorabilia and to bring back all the good memories. Also, kudos to Dick Jacobs, one of of the honorees, for saving Indians baseball in Cleveland.Jane Hudeck and her husband Jim

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1139502602783925942006-02-24T11:29:00.000-05:002006-03-01T14:50:54.240-05:00

There was plenty of clapping and appreciation for a job well done last week as Senior Systems Administrator Scott (Chuck) Whitaker was recognized as IdeaStar's 2005 Employee of the Year. Chuck has been with IdeaStar since the acquisition of NetForce, almost two years ago, and worked with NetForce for three years prior to that.Chuck (left) with IdeaStar's Jim Fisher, shows off his award. Thanks

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1139003979673748202006-02-16T09:50:00.000-05:002006-02-16T09:48:08.623-05:00

Hollywood awards season is officially upon us with the recent Golden Globe Awards and Grammy Awards. All the glitter and glitz will be out again on March 5th, when the 78th Annual Academy Awards take center stage and pick the best films of 2005. After the nominations were announced last week, Oscar talk has been everywhere. Some of our employees have favorites...others are still waiting for

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1138376017354696202006-01-27T10:33:00.000-05:002006-02-08T10:00:37.960-05:00

IdeaStar truly made the lights bright in Phoenix with our new booth. For two days we pressed the flesh and passed out exhibit booth goodies at the Inter-Company Marketing Group's Annual Meeting. The conference brings together insurance carriers and distributors who cut deals on new products and marketing relationships. IdeaStar is sought as the technology partner for the dealmakers.Mike Wise,

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1138373932483305912006-01-27T09:58:00.000-05:002006-01-30T14:31:59.096-05:00

IdeaStar is pleased about becoming a preferred vendor of ENTA online ticketing software. Developed and sold around the globe by Galathea STS of London, ENTA is a sophisticated solution for online ticket sales. The new partnership is an excellent opportunity for IdeaStar to integrate clients' Web sites into the ENTA system including Web site design, content management, search engine marketing,

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1137081461240740482006-01-16T17:00:00.000-05:002006-01-18T16:52:33.906-05:00

Last month, IdeaStar's General Manager Susanne Svette and Marketing Manager Mary Fisher spent five busy days at the Search Engine Strategies Conference and Expo in Chicago. The conference, held several times throughout the year, is the premier event in the Search Engine Marketing industry and provides information for basic and advanced online search initiatives. Discussions are organized by "

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1135262983862409452005-12-22T13:15:00.000-05:002005-12-22T13:15:30.786-05:00

Every year, in celebration of the Holiday Season, IdeaStar employees and friends gather to celebrate the closing of another year. We especially like to celebrate growth, prosperity, and client satisfaction. This year IdeaStar has grown significantly, expanded into a beautiful, new office, and built and maintained a strong base of satisfied clients! We have a right to celebrate! Here are some

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1134759889486967842005-12-16T16:13:00.000-05:002005-12-22T09:09:57.796-05:00

For the fifth year in a row, IdeaStar employees have donated generously to make the Christmas season brighter for children at The Phillis Wheatley Josephine Kohler Academy in Cleveland. And this year was the most amazing so far. Eighty-two students at the academy received shiny Christmas packages from their IdeaStar Santa.Employees were eager to participate in this annual donation, and have been

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1133984925602637402005-12-07T14:48:00.000-05:002005-12-08T09:14:38.613-05:00

Last night IdeaStar was officially recognized as a Weatherhead 100 company. We are the 54th fastest growing company in Northeast Ohio over the last five years. Our growth rate was 144% which is amazing considering there was 9/11, the tech bust and a recession in the last five years.One of IdeaStar’s clients, MemberHealth, is the top company this year. Chuck Hallberg, its founder, told me he has

Jim Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946641275713387188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1132694735335195512005-12-06T11:00:00.000-05:002005-12-11T00:07:00.553-05:00

IdeaStar would like to warmly welcome John O' Donnell as the newest member of our staff. He is a valuable addition to our Web development team and we are thrilled to have another great programmer onboard.If you see John in the office, stop and say hello!The scoop on John:- He has a degree in Psychology from the University of Dayton. He assures us that cognitive psychology and programming

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1131138512867101182005-12-01T12:02:00.000-05:002005-12-01T12:00:21.950-05:00

Paul Breitzmann, Project ManagerWhat college did you attend?I have a degree in Computer Information Science from The Ohio State University.What was your first job out of college?I was hired as a Web lackey for FourthChannel Inc., a now defunct B2B commerce provider.What did you do before you started with IdeaStar?I worked for Penton Media as a Web Developer, building websites for various

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1132343805599677072005-11-22T15:05:00.000-05:002005-11-22T16:39:26.190-05:00

Congratulations IdeaStar! Our client site unionsecure.com won a Gold Medal award in the Professional Insurance Marketing Association Marketing Methods competition. The annual contest highlights the best work in the insurance marketing industry and recognizes excellence in marketing materials.Mike Wise, VP of Insurance Technology, attended the conference, held in Pittsburgh November 13-15. He was

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1130862813600620692005-11-08T11:40:00.000-05:002005-11-22T15:03:06.490-05:00

Our employees have a variety of background experience and education. We know that makes for an interesting and creative workplace. The two employees highlighted in this post are perfect examples. They both majored in graphic design, but have had tremendously different experiences since. A testimony to our checkered pasts.Susanne Svette, General ManagerWhat college did you attend? Bowling Green

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1130508549572014842005-11-01T16:35:00.000-05:002005-11-22T15:02:50.586-05:00

It is always exciting to write about current and future goings on, especially at a growing, changing place like IdeaStar. But what about the past? I was curious about what people did before they became members of this team. So I asked them. Over the next few posts, their pasts will be revealed. Christy Svette, Business ManagerWhat college did you attend?Miami University (of Ohio)What was your

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1129579197435290902005-10-19T14:42:00.000-04:002005-10-19T15:13:37.256-04:00

IdeaStar would like to warmly welcome Ms. Laurel Baldwin as the newest member of our sales team. Laurel will serve as Business Development Manager for IdeaStar's general clients, specifically those in Manufacturing and Small Enterprise. We are thrilled to have another exciting, fun-loving team member joining us.Laurel's "official" company photo. Snazzy.The inside scoop on Laurel:- She loves

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1128521987088494142005-10-13T12:55:00.000-04:002005-10-14T14:24:07.906-04:00

The IdeaStar marketing team and designers have really done a great job on our new Insurance Technologies trade show booth! The eight-by-ten foot booth folds up into two traveling cases and will be following us to two more trade shows in 2005 and several in 2006. If you see this booth at your next trade show, make sure to stop and visit us!We like it so much we use it as decoration in our new

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1127827336495620462005-10-06T11:05:00.000-04:002005-10-14T14:23:52.950-04:00

Youth hockey season is officially underway in greater Cleveland, and is a hot topic at IdeaStar. We've got hockey players, coaches and stories galore!The latest is about the quadruple-team of Greg and Joe Kopp, and Phil and Aidan Hall. The two sons of IdeaStar developers have teamed up on the Cleveland Heights Tigers (Pee-Wee division) hockey team...And their dads have teamed up to coach. Nine

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1126901809830681542005-09-22T15:47:00.000-04:002005-10-14T14:23:05.606-04:00

IdeaStar's Paul Breitzmann tests out the foam at FOMO Products. IdeaStar is working with FOMO to re-design its Web site and improve its online presence. But first, Paul needed to spend a day learning and getting some training... He looks like a natural, but swears he has never done this before.He is now an officially certified Handi-Foam MAGNUM Two-Component user! And has a certificate to prove

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10213757.post-1125426871412381602005-09-15T16:40:00.000-04:002006-12-11T16:51:50.573-05:00

Sounds like the perfect equation for picnic fun. And everybody had plenty of it at the IdeaStar summer family picnic. Employees and families gathered for a relaxing afternoon of canoeing, playing frisbee, fishing, and eating. A wonderful, memorable time was had by all.Mike Wise shows off his catch. Throw the little guy back!That fish bites! Mike doesn't look too worried though.Patient fishermen,

Lia Spithashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11157487686477824664noreply@blogger.com