Agency principal Diane Seimetz on the Eagle Award, “While we don’t donate our time and talents for recognition, it’s a great feeling to know you are making a difference when you do.”

Mike Newman of the Plano Profile on the CACCC: “Their mission is a simple, to-the-point one: ‘to provide safety, healing and justice to children victimized by abuse or neglect.’ The job of accomplishing it is anything but simple.”

Launch principals Seimetz, Michael Boone and David Wilgus are grateful for the honor. And express thanks to the talented team that worked so hard on behalf of the CACCC, including Alexandra Watson, Jon Fullrich, Laura Carroll, Ryan Ingram, Reuben Miller and Alison Hamilton.

To learn more about the CACCC, visit www.cacplano.org.

Diane will be joined on the panel by:

• Chris Smith, Group Creative Head, The Richards Group.
• Aldo Quevedo, President, Dieste.
• Paco Olavarrieta, Chief Content Curator, Dieste.
• Ricky Roo, VP Creative, TM Studios.

Seats are limited, so register now! Tickets are $125/person and include the panel, lunch and a session by guest speaker Roy Williams, best-selling author of The Wizard of Ads. Click here to register!

The Aggie 100 honors the fastest growing Aggie owned or managed companies worldwide. Launch Agency was recognized as #51 on the list with a compound annual revenue growth rate of 28% from 2008 to 2010.

The Aggie 100 honors graduates from across disciplines and is a program created by the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship in Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School.

“We know how to get brands started, we know how to get them started again and we know how to keep them successful,” explains Michael Boone, Principal at Launch and 1984 Texas A&M graduate with a degree in marketing. “Thanks to a great roster of client partners and a very talented staff, we have grown each year we’ve been in business, especially the past few years. Inclusion in the Aggie 100 is recognition of that success.”

The official recognition came at a formal luncheon in the Zone Club at Kyle Field on the Texas A&M University campus. More than 600 honorees, employees, faculty, administrators, and well-wishers were in attendance.

“Since the founding of Texas A&M University, Aggies have been leaving a legacy across all businesses and industries,” said Dr. Richard H. Lester, Executive Director of the Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship. “Over the last seven years, the Aggie 100 companies have continuously proven that even in tough economic times, solid business ideas and hard work pay off.”

The Aggie 100 list in its entirety may be viewed at www.aggie100.com.

We moved up a few hundred spots, landing at #3145 for 2011. There are more than 27 million businesses registered in the U.S. so the ranking puts the agency in some lofty company.

The Inc. 5000 are catalysts for job creation and growth. In fact, the 5000 created 370,592 jobs in the last three years.

Launch Principals Michael Boone, Diane Seimetz and Dave Wilgus would like to thank Jane Berentson, Editor, Inc. magazine and her staff for the list and recognition. And, of course, credit goes to our client partners, and our creative, talented staff.

A California native, Valerie graduated from Humboldt State University with a Journalism degree. She started her career in San Francisco at Ketchum Advertising in media planning.   She then moved to Dallas to join Bozell, which became Temerlin McClain, where she led the national JCPenney business as Account Director for several years. Valerie was part of Launch in the early days, before joining the executive management team overseeing research, interactive and media services at Temerlin McClain. Most recently a SVP, Brand Development Director at FKM, Valerie is happy to be reunited with her former Launch colleagues.

Valerie is married with a teenage daughter. In her off time she enjoys hiking, cycling, reading and watching the sunset at Cedar Creek Lake.

Valerie Lyon

The Q&A provides insight into how Valerie’s mind works:

Q: Who would play you in feature film/tv movie of your life?
A: Diane Keaton

Q: Favorite piece of Art?
A: Handmade coffee mugs from Buck Pottery in Gruene, Texas

Q: Best weather?
A: See: Sonoma, California

Q: Guinness World Record potential?
A: Most time spent talking with strangers about cottage cheese

Welcome Valerie!

SIGGRAPH 2011: Make It Home

The overall focus centered around the idea of community within the animation/effects/interactive industry.  This was a chance to acknowledge the key companies and individuals that have steadily helped push and grow the computer graphics industry and specifically the SIGGRAPH family.

Of course great work, ideas and inspirations were all around. While last year saw a heavy industry push towards “stereoscopic 3D,” that emphasis seemed to have faded.  Interactivity, through gaming and online productions, still held high interest. And some of the best, budding ideas were found in the student/research expo, “The Studio.” One incredible prototyped development actually measured an individual’s heart rate and vitals simply through web cam use and its recordings. Virtual reality and immersive interactive environments were prominent again; 3D printers were also on display and demoing capabilities.

The lectures at SIGGRAPH balanced technology with the human element and thoughts on the industry. The keynote speaker was Cory Doctorow, an industry blogger and Wired contributor.  He spoke specifically on the effect patent laws are having on the individual and creativity. Production teams/directors from some of the latest features, Rango, Thor, Pixar’s La Luna and Cars 2, and Smurfs, shared personal and technical insights as well.

Finally, the SIGGRAPH animation showcase gave attendees a chance to view some of the strongest visualizations and productions from the past year. Enjoy just a few unique styles and amazing ideas from around the world — some beautiful, some dark, some funny, but all very well-crafted:

La Luna (the latest Pixar short – trailer, and another beautiful piece on its way)

Paths of Hate (Jury Award – trailer)

Hezarfen (student piece)

Coke “Siege” (commercial spot, Wieden + Kennedy, Nexus/Fx, Mat)

Amnesty International “Death to the Death Penalty” (commercial spot, Pleix)

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (Best in Show – trailer and iPad app)

Meet Buck (student piece)

This year Aaron Kotara (left) was the winner of the 2011 Launch Agency award in Art Direction and Ashley Ayer (right) was the winner of the Graphic Design award. Eric Ligon (center) is the Associate Dean at the College of Visual Art and Design.

Kotara, Ligon and Ayer at UNT

The trash talk started at 8:30 that morning, but the competition kicked off at noon with five competing salsas, three quesos, four guacamoles and two desserts. Congrats to all our winners:

Best Original Salsa: Michael Boone, reigning champion of Taste-Off 2010
Best “Fun” Salsa: Joanna Rodriguez with her Fiesta Salsa
Best Queso: Jason Giles and Richard Wezensky, whose secret ingredients were cilantro and soy sausage bits
Best Guacamole: Alexandra Watson, whose guac packed some heat
Best Dessert:  Megan Kelly with her killer Sopapilla Cheesecake.

All these competing dishes – combined with fajitas supplied by Launch Principals Michael Boone, Diane Seimetz and David Wilgus – made for an incredibly stuffed and happy Launch staff. Photos follow.

Diane Seimetz, principal, and Megan Lucy Neal, account service for Launch Agency, recently had the privilege to travel to Napa Valley with the Sam’s Club wine buying team. Trekking alongside them was videographer John Carstarphen to partake in—and film—a behind-the-scenes tour of the legendary Robert Mondavi Winery. The team also had the opportunity to conduct an interview with fifth-generation West Coast winemaker, Joel Gott.

Launch will next produce a short film describing the great lengths the buying team undergoes to place high-quality, delicious, affordably priced wines in every Sam’s Club. This video is part of a series Launch is creating on various categories of unique, world-class products available at Sam’s Club.

So the next time you are craving a crisp, cool glass of pinot grigio or another varietal for your summer entertaining, shop Sam’s Club and check out the vast selection of wine. We’re sure you’ll find something you like!

View the slideshow below for some of the best from Napa:

The event was open to the public, and featured a full day of family fun for the entire Burleson and Fort Worth communities. In addition to getting a firsthand look at the brand-new, state-of-the-art Honda sales and service facility, attendees also got to enjoy a bounce house, slides, a climbing wall, balloon animals, face painting, live music, an air show and free hot dogs, snow cones, cupcakes, drinks and a taco bar, courtesy of Fuzzy’s Tacos.

Launch helped brand and promote the event with a series of grand opening invitations, emails, radio commercials and signs. And based on the fact that approximately 600 people attended—and that 17 cars were sold that day—it was clearly an event that will have people talking for a long time to come.

Click here to view more photos from the event.