Posted by Heather Walker on Fri, Jan 25, 2008 @ 01:18 PM
Soon we are expecting an update from Jonathan comparing working with Clever Ducks to growing up on a chicken ranch. I have so much respect for any farmer or rancher - they have the original 24/7 job. It makes any long hours in IT pale in comparison. Here's what Jonathan has to say:
There are an array of similarities and differences between Clever Ducks and my family’s ranch, but I’m only going to highlight a couple of those. Though it may surprise many people, both companies actually involve a high level of technology. At Cleverducks the use of technology is more obvious since computers are everywhere and the company purpose is to implement technology for other companies. In contrast, the technology that it is used on my family’s chicken ranch is much more concealed, but it is extremely important to the operation and success of the company. My family’s ranch has actually been an innovator and early adopter in this area. Our egg machine, which is able to magnetically tag eggs and keep track of them as they go through the process of being cleaned and packaged, was imported from Holland and is the first of its kind in the US. My family’s ranch was the first to use and helped develop a distribution software package from a company that now does a billion in sales every year. I am always impressed at how technology has become such a vital tool that can benefit such a huge array of businesses.
I would say that one of the major differences between the two companies is the workforce. At Clever Ducks, not only are there significantly fewer employees, everyone is highly skilled and aside from some of the service calls, most of the work is done indoors. At the ranch, while there is an office where 8 people reside full time taking care of calls, orders, and the like, the majority of our workforce is unskilled labor working out on the ranch doing maintenance, gathering eggs, and taking care of whatever is necessary to keep the ranch running properly. Though there is certainly a dichotomy between Clever Ducks and my family’s ranch, what does shine through is the quality of the employees in both companies. Everyone at Clever Ducks works hard to give 100% and support the goals of the company and the same is true on the chicken ranch. Everyone on the ranch works hard to get the job done no matter what that job may be.
Posted by Heather Walker on Fri, Jan 25, 2008 @ 10:32 AM
Here's a big thanks to Kirk, Tim and Mary at Digital West for giving our Girl Scout Brownie Troop 197 from Hawthorne Elementary a tour of Digital West Networks.
The girls really enjoyed the hands on learning about how the internet works, how to stay safe there and about careers for girls in technology. Who would have thought that the table top speakerphone would be such a hit.
Thanks DWNI! You are the best!
Posted by Heather Walker on Sun, Jan 20, 2008 @ 11:59 AM
The oldest volunteer organization in the county has its "prom" every January. This is also the night the citizen of the year is unveiled. Rob Rossi deserved the high honor!
The Clever Ducks table was graced with great company this year: Rod Levin, Roxanne Carr, Ed and Susan Cox, Adam Fukushima, and our Duck friends: Stephen, Gabi, Jessica and James. Peter and I really enjoyed our evening with you all. Especially the V-Mail (or veggie mail pictured below). The Frameworks table was very clever with their "Wouldn't you like to be a pepper" V-mail.
Also, a lot of folks asked me if Ed and Peter are related. They do bear a strong resemblance, now that you mention it! I should have taken a photo to prove it. Next year!
Posted by Heather Walker on Tue, Jan 15, 2008 @ 08:49 PM
The Tribune puts forth an annual list of achievers under 40. Peter joins the group just 2 months before his 40th birthday.
You can see the story online. Thank you to the publisher Chip Visci for a nice lunch with a beautiful view at the Country Club. Editor Tad Weber was a delightful table host.
Peter and Iare the only husband and wife team to both have earned the honors (I was in the class of 2005). Seriously, no pressure kids!
And I wish I had taken a picture at the event. If anyone has some, please send them to me. I didn't want to be the "scrapbooking wife", but heck, I should have! That was a blog moment!
Peter K. Kardel - Founding CEO/CTO, Clever Ducks
By Raven Railey
Peter K. Kardel Founding CEO/CTO, Clever DucksGrowing up in San Luis Obispo, Peter K. Kardel, 39, discovered his passion for technology while working at his father’s law office. His “one-man show” providing technical support to local firms eventually grew into Computer Network Services and is now called Clever Ducks, after a Danish term of endearment.
As chief executive officer and chief technology officer, Kardel heads its 12-person team. He “is the archetypical ‘Live Here — Succeed Here’ business founder,” said attorney Tom Lebens, who nominated him.
A “pragmatic environmentalist” who maintains company bikes, Kardel donates office space to the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition. When not mountain biking, Kardel works with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, The Endowment for the Advancement of Children, Big Buddies and other local groups.
He and wife, Amy, have four children — Haven, 11, Erik, 10, Sophia, 7, and Jorgen, 5. They also host foreign exchange students, currently Vei Jun, 17, with whom they plan to visit China and attend the Summer Olympics.
“Every interaction you have, you have the opportunity to be a spark, a light, or not,” Kardel said. “I want to be somebody who’s a light to the world.”
Posted by Heather Walker on Sun, Jan 06, 2008 @ 09:24 PM
The SLO Chamber has a wonderful program called Leadership SLO. Clever Ducks is proud to send a team member each year. Jessica is off to a great start as seen here in the retreat to Wonder Valley that kicked off the class's year. (Stephen's class last year froze on the wall, but this year it was t-shirt weather.)
Why would we as a small company give a key person the equivalent of two extra weeks off to participate in this program? First, we think that the hard skills, connections and understanding of our community that they will learn from the class help them make better bottomline business decisions for our company. Secondly, we think the soft skills they will gain just can't be found anywhere else. Plus, it is part of our company mission to give back to the community and this program teaches and does just that.
Additionally, I am so honored to be the Class Chair for Leadership this year. I look forward to getting to know all 36 members well and can say that, except for Class XV, this is the best class ever. Just look at this textbook wall climb. That's my class!
And here's kudos to Lindsey Miller, who is new executive director of Leadership and put together a fabulous weekend. Mike Kokinos, our facilitator, also did a wonderful job. We are going to have a great year!