We had quite a year! In 2015, Classy Llama celebrated eight years as a company. In this time, we have grown a lot in size and grown in terms of our bond to one another. Each year is better than the last and 2015 was no exception. Holding true to what we believe to be a key to our success, taking care of one another, we gathered together for a number of social events including picnic potlucks, ice skating, mini golf, laser tag, board game nights, and more. For this Year in Review post, we want to highlight employee events and activities that took place in 2015. We hope you enjoy seeing what we do as a team, when it’s not running command lines or interfacing with our clients.
In 2015, we were honored to be listed in the Inc. 5000 for the second year in a row. In three years, we have seen 92% growth! As a testament to that, we outgrew our office space for the first time since May 2011 (when we relocated from our downtown office). Fortunately, the office building adjacent to us needed new renters. So now we have filled two neighboring offices, making us an official campus!
Believe it or not, we continue to grow! In 2015, we added three new full-time SEO and PPC team members, six new developers, two Project Managers and more to help us manage growth.
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We have a new president!
Former Classy Llama C.O.O., Carrie Weidenbach, was promoted to President. She has been with Classy Llama since 2011 and a professional in the IT industry for over a decade. Carrie was tech before tech was cool and her experience has already guided Classy Llama towards success in previous years. Her super powers include telekinesis, energy projection, weather manipulation and invisibility. Also, being president of our team.
Classy Llama’s Got Talent
Our first annual talent show proved a major success. This group has a few acts that Howie Mandel would be sure to put through to the next round. Chris, Zach and Gino Nanninga performed a Beatles cover. Adam “Dancing with the Stars” Prost and lady-friend busted a move on the dance floor. Sam Paasch broke a cinder block in half with his bare hands. Ultimately, the trophy went to Miranda “Coltrane” Hodges for her work on the saxophone. But everyone who participated was a winner for braving the stage lights in front of their co-workers and families.
Llamas and Laser Tag
Here in the Midwest, we are blessed with Hickories, Oaks and Evergreens. While some might admire them for their beauty and what they do for the landscape, at Classy Llama, we see them as makeshift obstacles for avoiding sniper fire. I should mention how we are also blessed to have Bill’s Extreme Paintball and Laser Tag.
Each year, we do at least two outdoor laser tag outings, serving as a personal favorite monthly activity for some of the guys, gals, husbands, and wives who participate. This past year, the equipment came to us and the Classy Llama campus (buildings and all) transformed into an urban battlefield.
Detroit Pistons and Detroit Tigers Outings
Our Michigan office gets to take advantage of next level sports! Michigan employees enjoyed outings to see local NBA team, Detroit Pistons, and local MLB team, Detroit Tigers, this past year. After the Pistons game, the families were allowed to shoot hoops on the floor. Following the Tigers game, the families went down to meet Paws, the Tigers’ mascot.
Annual Springfield Cardinals Outing
For those of you who had to do a double take, that’s right, Springfield Cardinals. We love our Saint Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, but this minor league team and an affiliate of the Cardinals franchise is a little closer to home for us. This event is fun for all ages. All of our local employees and families turn out for it because Hammons Field is quite beautiful and really adds something to the beauty of our downtown.
Llama Christmas Party
Christmas lights, hot chocolate, mistletoe, carolers, snow… and ice sculptures? That’s just how we roll when it comes to Christmas parties. We decked the halls this year at the Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks. The festivities included games, prizes, a string quartet, dinner and dessert, and some reflective, spirited and heartfelt moments.
Epic Party
Food trucks, games, a dunking tank and lots of fun activities for the whole family marked this year’s celebration of eight years as a company. One fine September evening, we coalesced in the midst of tiki-torch and enchanting overhung lighting. It was a beautiful setting for a party, with wholesome activities for the little ones as the adults mingled and the energetic ones formulated backyard games. After crowning an official Duke and Duchess of Llamaland (nominated and voted on by staff), we topped the night off with a professional fireworks display!
Until next year…