WordCamp Hamilton 2013

Poly Studio was founded in Hamilton by Jamie Lawson and Marlon Lulgjuraj in 2011 after having spent the better part of a decade working together at a small design studio. Early on, they discovered a mutual enthusiasm for the finer things (movies, art, science fiction, nice chairs) and developed a strong working relationship through many shared successes and sufferings.

With extensive experience in developing creative solutions across diverse media, including logo design, web development, brand strategy, packaging and custom lettering – Poly strives to create sincere and meaningful work, aiming to bring personality and passion into everything they do.

Poly has been utilizing WordPress as their main content management system for a number of years now and their clients love the ease of use, while Jamie & Marlon both love its flexibility and that it will remain open source with such a well supported community.

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pdfPictures is a full service digital media production company that specializes in interactive rich media pdf and Apple iBook development.  Their team of in-house and free lance developers offers private individuals and corporations the capability to take traditional print and video materials and converge it to downloadable digital content for off line viewing via WordPress using their custom  “On The Fly server-side application.

pdfPictures offers web development companies the capability to create custom rich media downloadable PDF eBooks, Digital Magazines, Catalogues and eBrochures via a web browser. Their clients include major computer manufacturers such as Adobe, Apple and Dell, most of the major automotive companies such as  General Motors and Ford,  and a wide variety of tourism related companies such as the island of Aruba.

Their company is led by Robert Connolly who authored: Dynamic Media – Music, Video, Animation and the Web in Adobe PDF  for Pearson Publishing.  This book and companion CDROM set the stage for the introduction of Apples iBook Author, the new interactive rich media publishing platform for the iPad.  To learn how you can build a bridge that connects  on-line and offline digital media via WordPress and Adobe PDF, visit their website at  www.pdfpictures.com

WordCamp Hamilton Platinum sponsor, Bluehost, is likely a familiar name to many attendees.

Since 1996, they’ve been providing quality web hosting solutions to businesses and individuals with one goal – to provide outstanding services for the best possible price. To achieve these goals they’re constantly innovating and upgrading their services at no additional cost to their customers.

In particular for new self-hosted WordPress websites, BlueHost offers amazing services, excellent WordPress infrastructure, all at incredible value. Even their basic plans allow you to have unlimited disk space, unlimited domains, and offer a powerful administration panel to take care of all of your web hosting needs.

So thank you BlueHost for supporting WordCamp Hamilton!

The potential of a WordPress site can be expanded infinitely by a solid understanding of HTML5 and the fundamentals of design and development. McMaster University’s comprehensive, university-level Web Design and Development program offers a hands-on approach in the fundamentals and theories of web design and development.

Small classes, online courses and flexible learning options accommodate the unique needs of adult learners. We are proud to support Hamilton’s vibrant software community with a variety of programs which range from design and communication, to business and analytics.

For more information, go to http://www.mcmastercce.com/.

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If you use WordPress to build things for other people, we want to make your life easier. No matter whether you freelance on a solo basis, lead a small web shop, make plugins in a dark closet, or crack the whip at a large design firm, our aim is to become your go-to source of information and resources to help you expand your WordPress skills and know-how. To make you better at what you do. To make it easier to make your living and look great doing it.

You’re part of a tribe of WordPress designers and developers over 10,000 strong, spanning the entire globe. CodePoet.com aims to bring the working knowledge and real world strategies of those people into one place, for you tap into.

WordCamp Hamilton Platinum sponsor Postmedia Network Inc. is one of Canada’s leading media companies.

Representing a portfolio of world-class brands, Postmedia runs Canada’s largest publishing chain with 11 major market dailies as well as 23 community publications. Combined, this represents a reach of over five million people each week through print, online, and mobile channels.

Postmedia is excited to help support the local WordPress development community. They currently use WordPress to power some of their most recognizable brands, including canada.com, nationalpost.com, financialpost.com and windsorstar.com. These high traffic, highly available sites require a reliable, scalable and flexible publishing platform and WordPress fits the bill perfectly.

“We look forward to sharing our experiences using WordPress and we look forward to learning from others as well,” says Todd Dow, PostMedia’s senior digital strategist. “We are proud to play a supporting role in making WordCamp Hamilton a success.”

Hamilton, with a population of over 500,000, is one of Canada’s major cities and one of Ontario’s most economically diverse. Sectors of focus range across advanced manufacturing, agriculture/food processing, creative industries, clean-technology, Hamilton innovation, life sciences and transportation/goods movement.

Hamilton Economic Development is a true champion of industry, working alongside local business in expansion, development, relocation and redevelopment.

A quick message from Carolynn Reid and Jacqueline Norton:

Hamilton is undergoing a remarkable transition, as the local economy expands on the existing traditional manufacturing base to a more knowledge-based and creative economy.  The City is no stranger to creative industries as an economic catalyst and place-builder, with a history of leading-edge involvement in industrial and manufacturing innovation, performing arts, music, visual arts, television and radio  and, more recently, animation and gaming. 

In the new economy, it is small and medium-sized businesses that are emerging as the engine of job growth and prosperity.  The key to the growth and expansion of these industries is fostering and supporting entrepreneurial capacity, or providing an environment that allows all citizens to pursue and apply their creativity in the pursuit of new opportunities.  This is the new Hamilton and we are proud to be supporting such initiatives as Hamilton’s inaugural WordCamp event. 

Congratulations to the organizing team and the grass roots spirit of entrepreneurism that is alive and well in Hamilton!

A huge thank you to the team at Hamilton Economic Development – one of the first local organizations to support WordCamp Hamilton in its inaugural year!

Proudly located in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Orbital is one of the area’s fastest growing and innovative co-operative digital and web technology firms. Orbital’s specialty is the leading-edge development and design of medium to large-scale websites, native mobile and web applications.

Since opening their doors in 2009, Orbital’s rapid growth and expansion has been a direct result of their ability to design and develop intuitive and powerful digital products.

Under the creative leadership of company directors Nick Tomkin and Robert House, the Orbital team has skillfully and successfully launched numerous user-friendly websites and mobile applications using the comprehensive, adaptable options available through WordPress. A thorough understanding of the customization opportunities available, allows Orbital to consistently produce cutting-edge web and mobile applications, including none other than the WordCamp Hamilton website itself: wordcamphamilton.com.

Orbital’s commitment to using exciting technologies has allowed them to create imaginative, accessible and responsive web solutions that will cater to each client’s unique vision. Utilizing the flexible features of WordPress, Orbital has been able to develop exciting products that not only meet, but also exceed the expectations of a broad range of clients.

WordCamp Hamilton is thrilled to have the creative minds at Orbital on board for our inaugural year! Thank you Nick & Robert!

We’ve just confirmed with the owners at Radius Cafe that the after party for WordCamp Hamilton will be held at the Cafe between 6-8pm, on June 23rd.

Attendees, speakers, sponsors and organizers are all welcome to come and enjoy a complimentary drink & snacks!

As you may know, WordCamps are nonprofit events centred around the open-source WordPress publishing platform.

To host a WordCamp, it takes a dedicated team of volunteers in the community to make it happen – and we have a great team here in Hamilton.

Below are a list of organizers and volunteers who are dedicating time effort and energy to make the first ever WordCamp Hamilton:

Dale Mugford

Dale is cofounder and president of BraveNewCode Inc., a Hamilton-based WordPress plug-in company. BraveNewCode’s flagship product WPtouch (which makes your WordPress website mobile) has been downloaded over 4 million times from the WordPress repository.

Roz Allen

Roz is cofounder and partner at Double Barrel Studios, a digital media, video, and interactive production studio here in Hamilton. They produce broadcast-quality digital works, and have quickly become the go-to boutique production studio here in the city.

Martin Kuplens-Ewart

Martin is Product Designer at BraveNewCode, and has been working with the web and WordPress for many years. He’s a staunch community supporter, and promotes, speaks at, and attends tech and software related events in and around the city.

Nick Tomkin

Nick is head honcho at Orbital, a web development firm here in the city. Orbital is fast gaining high reputation for producing amazing web projects.

Geoff Campbell

Geoff is a Web & Graphic Designer here in Hamilton, and is a great community supporter for software and web here in Hamilton.

Kevin Browne

Our keynote speaker, Kevin Browne stands at the front of the software boom here in Hamilton. Kevin has been a great liaison for this event, making partnerships and connecting our community to make this event a great success.

Shanta Nathwani

Shanta is an Instructor in Web Design with solid technical and social media skills, a passion for client satisfaction combined with 16 years’ experience in leadership, consultative, instructional and project management roles.

Jacqueline Norton

Jacqueline is a Business Development Consultant, Creative Industries at City Of Hamilton, it’s been said that “Jacqueline makes stuff happen”— for our great city, it’s people like Jacqueline that help make the push from dreams through to reality— and she’s been a great help in getting this event off the ground from day one.

Carolynn Reid

Carolynn is a Business Development Consultant at City Of Hamilton, and is a results oriented, community builder with a strategic partnership focus. Carolynn has helped the WordCamp team meet key planning goals, and like Jacqueline, makes stuff happen!

Michael Canton

Michael is Producer at TechTalk X Series, and has been a key social media promoter for WordCamp Hamilton.

Hi there! We’ve been working really hard behind the scenes to get WordCamp Hamilton going! We are now full steam ahead, and have just launched the website for the event.

Please follow along on Twitter, and check-in on this website every week before the event – we’ll be posting information about speakers, sponsors, event details, and more – so be sure to check back.

We’re still confirming a few last-minute details about the event particulars, and we’ll post those here and on Twitter as soon as we have them.

Thanks!
~The WordCamp Hamilton Team