So Zoner of the week must go to Richo “Duckles” McDonald and Zoner by association Lori McDonald – for taking the plunge and more importantly – for putting on a damn fine shindig for their mates! Lori and Richo are currently sunning it up on honeymoon in Mexico – so he can’t stop me posting the attached photo. Lori and Richard started off their union in perfect style (as the photo shows) but just remember all marriages are happy; it’s the living together afterward that causes all the problems. (Just jokes – congratulations again!)

The Blogizadpha (Hamish)

In a break from tradition, this weeks “Zoner of the Week” has been moved up to Monday as TimeZoneOne needs to thank a few people for making a day in Minneapolis a good time.

New to the TZ1 team is Minnesota Vikings Running Back and 2007 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Adrian Peterson. Adrian gave up his valuable time to spend 2 hours being photographed for the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

A complete professional, Adrian was only to happy to stand and look as tough as possible for as long as we wanted, and although he is a superstar he was also keen to share a joke, sign some autographs and then take happy snaps with the team.

The end results look great and Adrian is sure to play a huge part in the continued success of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and the Zoners in attendance will never forget having the opportunity to talk with him and his crushing handshake (Tatts is still wringing his hand).

Thanks Adrian, and have a great upcoming season.

The day was also made easy by long-term Zoner friends Randy Anderson and his sidekick Kenny. Randy, a genius behind the lens, has been involved in many previous TZ1 photoshoots in the USA, making life easy for the business team and creative team by producing fantastic looking imagery. Randy and Kenny’s ability to make everyone laugh also made the day fly by and took the stress levels down a few notches. Both were also available to give autographs on the day, but strangely enough there were no takers.

So a big thank you to you both, and Randy here is a gratuitous plug for your website: www.andersonstudio.com. we recommend checking it out.

Lastly a big thank you to David (3 time Zoner of the Week) and Simon who put in a huge effort concepting the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl look and feel. Without their long-term contribution to making the Army look (super) strong the shoot would not have been as easy.

Stay tuned later in the week as the controversy of who gets “Zoner of the Week” will be settled once and for all with the announcement of “Zoner of the Millennium”. Yes with still 991 years of the 2000s to go this prestigious position will be added to the pantheon of previous winners.

The excitement is almost too much.

Blog Feat. Tim

I feel spoilt for choice this week as to who the best zoner is… but my choice has to go to Tim. For travelling cattle class to the other side of the world to make a presentation, and just when he thought he might actually get a holiday afterwards or even just a small break away from the computer, he decided to take a laptop at the last minute…in case of a design emergency. Some would call him silly for this oversight. But, no – word on the street is he is being worked over in Chicago right now. Bet he is glad he took the laptop now!

Blogonista – Liz

Zoner of the week, this week I am nominating KIMBO.

Why, cos she is is a mother of 3 “fiesty” red headed boys, if this isnt enough she is turning 20 x 2, shes having an 80′s party this weekend and she mentioned “totally” and “gnarly” in her invite (consecutively). Heres Kim looking relaxed after a few days away from her boys on TimeZoneSun.

Brett “the freshmaker” King

Murray nominated Nigel, for being a trooper, keeping a stiff upper lip, taking lots of drugs and struggling into work this week whilst still feeling dreadful after having his wisdom teeth removed (will he still be wise I wonder?)…

Nigel let me publish this photo on the condition I added one of my wife the Airline Hostess

Andy

Lizzie has been unable to make a post today, after yesterday’s huge effort she’s feeling a little blogged out. So David has kindly stepped in to ease her workload and ensure that we keep up the effort of blogging something everyday.

Since it is Friday, I must choose a zoner of the week. Of course, we’ve all been outstanding this week, but because I have so selflessly stayed on after quitting time on a Friday to help out a fellow zoner, this weeks zoner of the week is me, for an impressive third time.

BlogMaster McLeod on behalf on Elizabeth

This week Zoner of the Week goes to our newest recruit, not only because he’s fantastic but because he wrote his own bio, take it away Murray….

My name’s Murray Grossmith, fresh off the plane from good’ol’blighty, and glad to have joined the TimeZoneOne team here in sunny New Zealand.

I have been in the design industry for the past 15 years working as a creative director with brands as varied as American Express, Wall’s, Palmer & Harvey, Kangol, Nectar and Sony. I spent the past eight years running a successful agency in Brighton, small but with big clients – hard work, but also lots of fun. I loved running my own business but my move to NZ was more about the bigger picture, wanting to spend more quality time with Sally (my wife) and Noah (my little lad) and for all of us to have a big adventure.

To give you a little window into my world…within the last 4 months I have…. sold my house, sold my car, found out I am going to be a father again (a daughter this time!), got secretly married, had a complete life laundry (amazing what people will buy on ebay), said goodbye to many dear family and friends, sold my business, spent a scary 10 days being told I may have cancer (but am fine now!), shipped everything I own without insurance (currently someplace north of Hong Kong), spent 26 hours on a plane with manic one year old, bought a new car, rented a new house, saw the exchange rates crash whilst I watched Noah (my little boy) learn to walk. It’s been mad, and I’m still waiting for the winter to arrive, but we are loving it now we are finally here…

You only live once, and life is way too short as it is…we wanted adventure and that’s what we have got in spades, and it’s only just the start!

As always this week has been filled with extraordinary achievements by Zoners.

We welcome Matt Herivel who joins our team. Matt has made a mighty lumberjack of a contribution as a freelancer and we are lucky to now have him in a full time capacity in our Creative Team. Matt’s Channel Island (UK) upbringing ensures that he will add to the Fresh approach that is the key ingredient in our creative juice.

And in Chicago the frantic work of Brett and Raewyn in managing our move to our new office space deserves an extraordinary Well Done.

However I would like to give my Zoner of the Week to Hamish. This is for “extraordinary services to team while jet lagged” for last week. Hamish arrived in Chicago from New Zealand late on Monday, brushed his teeth and flew out to New York the following day for a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise function that evening. All that traveling is very tiring so to then go and represent TimeZoneOne with style at an important event is most appreciated by all fellow Zoners.

Written by Richard Tattershaw 

This week’s zoner of the week goes to our fearless leader and an inspiration to us all Richard Tattershaw, commonly known to us all as ‘Tatts’.

This quote could best describe Tatts and his motto for life and business: “Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.”

Tatts grew up in the little town of Gore, South Island, New Zealand. He graduated from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, he has had a stint in the UK and is currently settled in the windy city of Chicago, United States.

Tatts grew up playing hockey at the Harewood Hockey Club before playing for his provincial side of Canterbury and then going onto represent New Zealand ‘The Black Sticks’ in international competition from 1992-1998. During the course of his representative career he accumulated 82 tests for his country, a fantastic achievement for a wee lad out of Gore.

A big thumbs up for another extraordinary Zoner!

Written by: Brett Folkes

After much deliberation, the title of employee of the week goes to Liz Bissland for continually putting up with missing out. This week it was lunch, the previous week it was shoes and on many occasions she has missed out on coffee. The master of bad timing and bad luck, she always seems to be out of the room when an order is placed, or else someone just gets it wrong. She also wins the award for getting Hamish to eat a whole bowl of vegetables. This is quite an accomplishment.
Rose Carson, blog writer of the week