For months I had to listen to my mom ask me every time we spoke, “Did you win yet?”  Finally when February 12 came I was able to call her and inform her that in mid March I was off to Southern California for a weekend in the sun at Oakley Interplanetary HQ with 49 other official Oakley Co-Pilots.

I boarded a plane the morning of March 19 headed for Atlanta were I was meeting up with 4 other east coast Co-Pilots as we made our way out to Santa Ana.  One fellow Co-Pilot, a good friend and fellow O-Review member (and site creator) Dann Tombs was one of these winners.  We had met previously at HQ in the second year of the Reviews existence and I was thrilled we’d be going back together for this as our 5th year anniversary approaches this Summer.

We arrived late getting into John Wayne Thursday evening where we were greeted by an official Oakley representative, as well as fellow Review member Edwin Chiu, another Co-Pilot winner and longtime online friend whom I was thrilled to finally meet in person.  We all piled into the Dodge Oakley Dog Catcher and we were off to Foothill Ranch and the event was about to begin.

As we pulled into our hotel, amongst the last to arrive, we were greeted by a flood of fellow winners from the ranks of the Review.  Flashes popping and heads spinning the weekend had begun.  We checked in, received our Co-Pilot gift bags that consisted of an Oakley backpack, hoodie, tee, SI Desert Assault boots and assorted other swag and headed across the street to Wahoo’s for some dinner and to locate the rest of the Co-Pilots.  We had winners coming from as far as Australia and as close as 45 minutes away.  One of the best parts was already knowing close to 20 of the winners and having met a handful in person previously which made this just as much a reunion as it was an event to connect with other fans.  Despite the late hour both Pacific time and especially Eastern time we had to make our way up to Oakley HQ to bask in it’s glory before we could call it a night to prepare for what the next day had in store for us.

We awoke early Friday and were treated to breakfast before piling in the bus for our ride to HQ to begin the event.  As we unloaded in front of the massive bunker we were all greeted by Oakley president Colin Baden escorted under armed guard and were welcomed as the 50 top Oakley fans in the inaugural Co-Pilot event.  A large group photo of all the winners was taken and from there we entered the bunker.  

First up, videos and presentation in the Oakley theater.  One such presentation that stuck with me was a marketing presentation from Sr. VP of Global Marketing, Scott Bowers on Oakley marketing philosophies that have elevated the brand to what it is today.  We were also treated to features on creativity and design and up close and personal demos of Oakley products vs. competing brands.  Before breaking for lunch there was one last order of business, Q&A on Oakley history and trivia with prizes awarded to those who knew their stuff.  Myself, I walked away with a pair of Oakley Juan Pablo Montoya Singature Splices made for the man himself adorned with Columbian flag icons.  Other prizes consisted of watched given to Olympic athletes, one off and limited run glasses as well as a pair of hand painted Oil Rig sunglasses to test colors and patterns for the limited edition Flying Tigers line of military inspired eyewear.

Lunch at HQ was no less than an event in itself as we made our way to the on premises helo pad were we were treated to a buffet style faux japanese bbq with Oakley employees to mix and mingle with.

Upon our return to the bunker we broke into smaller groups as we parted ways for tours of the facility.  I was lucky enough to have Jason Spencer as my guide.  Jason had been a guide of mine on previous excursion to HQ, and is responsible for product placement in movies and television, on top of being an all around great guy.  The facility tour for us included trips to Rx, Frame and lens manufacturing, Quality Control testing for more lens destruction demos on competitor brands and Marketing for a sneak peak at Oakleys next wave of advertising materials.  As we walked through HQ it was great to have peaks at little things like eye wear from a generation past, prototypes and finished, but yet to be released pieces as well as a personal favorite of mine, a helmet created for Star Trek 6 that was sadly still sitting in the same place it resided when I last walked through HQ 3 years earlier.  It really was like being a kid in a candy store.

As the day drew to a close we walked back to the lobby where we were treated to a custom pair of Oakley Flak Jacket sunglasses at the Eyewear Bar.  The very same that was set up in China for our Olympic athletes last summer.  We were allowed to pick our frame color, lens color and cut as well as earsock and icon colors.  I went with a nice bright green adorned with matching icons and slate grey rubber components all on top of a VR28 lens etched COPILOT 09. 

From there the day was far from over as we were escorted into the Oakley museum.  After a quick run through company history in product and advertising we were allowed to see some of the product Oakley had placed in films over the past years from the helmet worn by the Predator, to Cyclop’s Juliet and Penny worn in X-Men and items created for the upcoming summer release of GI Joe!  It was cool to know a company I admire dearly has crafted the visor and mask to be worn by one of my favorite Joes of all time, Snake-Eyes.

To end our day the 50 winners dropped an estimated $15,000-$20,000 on discounted product in a shopping spree the likes of which most have never seen.  We then exited through the back onto Oakley’s very own patio and fire pit to enjoy RC car racing, dinner and drinks into the later hours of evening.

When we came to Saturday it was time to load back up onto the buses.  This time we were off to wail on one another in an Oakley sponsored paintball event.  We played through roughly 7 or 8 games in 2 and 4 team skirmishes.  A few of the games were even Oakley themed from Protecting the President to Team Oakley vs. Team “Competitor”.  

Upon returning to the hotel we had about an hour to shower and relax, as well as locate the missing bus, before we headed out to Irvine for dinner and games at Dave & Busters.  While at the Spectrum we even had a chance to visit the very first Oakley Store where I am told Co-Pilots spent another $5,000 without any discounts offered to us.  

Not to call it quits to soon we hopped the early bus back to the hotel and had the driver stop at a mini mart so we could pick up some drinks for the evening.  We tipped him well for the stop.  As the party grew and others returned from the Spectrum a select few of us with close ties had one last order of business to take care of, group photos of the longer standing members of the O-Review.  We broke into groups and made our way up to Oakley in the later hours of the night for some “antix” and “hijinx” in front of HQ.  Many laughs and group photos later we had but a few hours to spend with one another before bed, and our flights home.

I believe the whole weekend I slept a mere 12 hours for 3 nights and as bittersweet as it was, was looking forward to getting home.  It’s been a full month now since my return and I don’t think I’ll forget the experience and was thrilled to have been part of an event of this type.  To thank out hosts I had left a few of them with 5th Anniversary O-Review posters I had taken out as gifts for fellow members as well as a group pool that culminated in Joanne receiving a garden of flowers in her office a week later, a custom etched beer mug for Cale and a plaque thanking Oakley from all the Review members.

Pics from the event can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=503029212&k=32BTPVRSQX3MZJLHQJZTT

The Co-Pilot contest entries can be viewed at www.oakleypilots.com.

My Fan page on Oakley.com

The project included an Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development portal page with information on the goals and history of the organization. From the portal page, users can find more detailed housing information by following links to the Lackawanna County Housing Coalition site or the Luzerne County Housing Partnership site.

Each county-specific site features a wealth of information on buying, selling, building or refinancing a home, as well as resources for contractors and developers.

BlackOut allowed the Institute to further extend the reach of its message with a wiki and a blog to open a dialogue with homeowners and potential homeowners in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

This year, BlackOut Design, Inc. was tasked with developing a design that captures the spirit and energy of Scranton’s Italian festival. Our designers generated a series of “looks” for La Festa organizers. Two of those were selected and will be seen on posters, shirts and promotional materials during the festival.

We at BlackOut are proud to be a part of this great community event. We’ll see you there over Labor Day weekend, August 30-September 1.

Confer has already proven a valuable asset to the BlackOut team producing high quality work for BlackOut partners Independent Graphics Inc. and developing postcards to promote the new exhibit at the Melberger Arts Center Gallery, Philip A. Dente’s “Line Items.”

Milner will be responsible for managing new media efforts for BlackOut and its clients. His work will dovetail with the efforts of BlackOut’s team of award-winning designers to ensure a consistent and dynamic communication of our client’s marketing message.

Confer is a student at Marywood University. Milner resides in Lake Winola, PA, with his wife, Lori, and two daughters, Hannah and Cora.

The article highlights the groundbreaking work being done by Hydro4GE in the software development arena, as well as the collaborative efforts between Hydro4GE developers and local institutions of higher education like the University of Scranton and Misericordia University.

You can read the April issue of “eNexus” here.

Titled “Miracles of Development: The Effects of Good Governance and Capacity Building on Economic Development,” the forum will be held July 9-11 at World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC.

At the forum, Artz will meet with forum ambassadors, including high-ranking World Bank officials, and private sector executives, who will share their expertise on the challenges associated with achieving economic growth through good governance and capacity building.

Following successful completion of all assigned projects during the forum, Artz will be entered into the ATHGO’s Alumni Network, which entitles members to receive priority consideration for fellowships, internships and the Associates Program.

It is a prestigious honor for Artz and we’re glad to have him as a member of the BlackOut team.

Web 2.0 tools and services have yet to prove their resilience in the ever-changing tech marketplace and the full scope of their utility has yet to be explored.

At BlackOut, we utilize Web 2.0 technologies as one more component in our portfolio of services. Like any other technology we constantly evaluate its practicality, and when it suits our client’s business goals, we’ll use Web 2.0 to create a more effective campaign.

Run for the Roses will be held Saturday, May 3, at 3 p.m. at the Waverly Country Club, 903 South Abington Road, Clarks Summit, PA. Patrons get to take a chance on a real horse race, while supporting the causes administered by The Voluntary Action Center. The Voluntary Action Center is a non-profit umbrella organization that provides direct and indirect services to community organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Christmas Holiday Bureau and Free Information and Referral (FIRST – 24 hour Hot Line).

Admission price of $50 includes an authentic Derby Dinner, complete with mint juleps and open bar. Wear your Derby attire. For more information, contact VAC at 347-5616.

Reager, a Woodbridge, N.J., native, completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Marywood University, earning his undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems and his MBA in Management Information Systems.

The Award of Excellence in Creative Arts and Management recognizes excellence in achievement in professional life, service to the local and national community and leadership qualities, serving as a role model for current and future students and alumni of Marywood.

Along with this most recent award, Reager is a member of the Workforce Investment Board for Lackawanna County.

Reager will be officially recognized during Marywood’s Reunion Weekend ’08 scheduled for May 16-18.

Northeastern Pennsylvania’s leader in office supplies, printing and furniture with more than 100 years of experience, One Point needed a site that allowed customers and clients to shop quickly and easily through its catalog of products.

Through the BlackOut-designed site, One Point customers can keep their offices well-stocked and productive with just the click of a mouse.

Companies count on One Point to keep their offices working smoothly and One Point counts on BlackOut when bringing its reputation for exceptional quality, service and selection to the web.