Friday, October 31, 2014

Halloween 14

Since we moved into our new office space, we thought it would only be appropriate for us to throw more staff events. We have Thanksgiving and Christmas coming around the corner, but one of Kal’s (Office Associate) favorite holidays is Halloween. So you can see in the photo below he loves to step up the game and go all out.





Thursday, October 23, 2014

Welcome to the Team!

Please help us welcome Ian Brown to our Chicago team!

It is always nerve-racking coming into a new company and trying to break the ice. Ensuring that new employees feel comfortable is crucial to building a positive transition within a company. We thought it would be fun to ask Ian a few questions to get to know him a little better.

Let’s get started!

Q: What is your official work title?

A: Systems Support Specialist


Q: Can you tell us more about your professional experience/ history?

A: I use to work for AnyMeeting as their Technical Support Specialist.


Q: What do you like to do outside of work?

A: I play music with friends, practice martial arts, cook, read, and study. I also play chess, albeit terribly.


Q: What are your greatest travel experience?

A: A jazz combo I was in was hired to play a few fancy to-dos around the country. One was in L.A., where we stayed in the famous 'riot house' hotel on Sunset Blvd, played a party inside the Director's guild (with free drinks), and had ample opportunity to enjoy the nightlife and beaches. All expenses paid, of course.


Now on to the more personal questions.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo


Q: Guilty pleasure music artist?

A: Eazy-E


Q: What is something that inspires you?

A: The chaotic energy of the city. It's 2.7 million people, from the lowliest beggars to the highest paid CEOs all living together in the same place. It's the rhythm of the train, packed to the brim as it throws you around inside the car. It's walking in a pack of people on the streets, all focused on their path and each with their own destinations and goals. It all reminds me of the fast-paced and jagged rhythms of bebop. The city itself is alive!


Q: What would you say your professional goal would be now that you are employed at Percipia?

A: ? To become an IP-PBX guru, performing feats of computing wizardry scarcely dreamed of by mere mortals.   


Well there you have it! We are so happy to have Ian join the team and contribute to the success of Percipia.


You can send Ian some fan mail by tweeting @PercipiaNetwork


Friday, October 10, 2014

2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon


This Sunday, October 12, 2014, around 45,000 participants will run the streets of Chicago in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish their personal dreams. The Chicago Marathon has been around since 1905. That first race was run on Saturday, September 23, 1905, which began in Evanston and finished in front of a standing-room-only paying crowd at Washington Park race track.

Some runners will finish the race in two hours. In order to do that, they will be running at the speeds of 12.5 mph for a constant two hours. Luckily there will be 200 students from the Chicago Cortiva Institute offing complimentary massage therapy. This will go on between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The massage tent will be located within the 27th Mile Post-Race Party (Southwest corner, adjacent to the Petrillo Band Shell).

This year's event times:
Marathon Wheelchair - 7:20 a.m.
Marathon Handcycle – 7:21 a.m.
Athletes with Disabilities – 7:22 a.m.
Wave 1 – 7:30 a.m.
Wave 2 – 8:00 a.m.

(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
After the race and 27th Mile party, Bank of America is offering runners and guests with free admission to the Art Institute of Chicago. This will continue until October 13, if participants show runners bib, finisher’s medals or registration confirmation.

Many celebrities have participated in the marathon. Some of them do it for publicity, others for the sake of blending in and being apart of the race. Here are some celebrity marathoners, with the races they ran and their times.

Sean Astin, Chicago, 2013: 4:31:05
Pamela Anderson, New York, 2013: 5:41:03
Gordon Ramsay, London, 2012: 4:26:21
Apolo Ohno, New York, 2011: 3:25:12
Mark Messier, New York, 2011: 4:14:27
Jared Fogle, New York, 2010: 5:13:28
Tammy Duckworth, Chicago, 2009: 2:34:52; 2011: 2:09:26
Edward Norton, New York, 2009: 3:48:01
Ryan Reynolds, New York, 2008: 3:50:22

Katie Holmes, New York, 2007: 5:29:58

Sean "Diddy" Combs, New York, 2003: 4:14:52

Will Ferrell, Boston, 2003: 3:56:12

Anthony Edwards, Chicago, 2003: 3:55:40; 2001: 4:04:55; 1999: 4:13:07
Bill Rancic, Chicago, 2001: 4:31:31
Al Gore, Marine Corps, 1997: 4:58:25
Oprah Winfrey, Marine Corps, 1994: 4:29:15
George W. Bush, Houston, 1993: 3:44:52

Since the terrible event that happened at the Boston Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon has put together an emergency alert system to keep everyone safe. This is taken form the website itself.

"A color-coded Event Alert System (EAS) will communicate the status of course conditions to participants leading up to and on race day. The levels range from Low (green) to Moderate (yellow) to High (red) to Extreme (black) based primarily on the weather, as well as other conditions.

  • Email and website communication during race week will inform participants of the current Event Alert System status and provide preparation tips based on advance weather forecasts.
  • Updates will be made at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo via handouts at the participant packet pick-up area and public address announcements.
  • On race day, the current Event Alert System status will be communicated via public address announcements and color-coded signs/flags at the start and finish areas, and along the course at each of the 20 aid station locations and via large digital traffic message boards.
All participants should familiarize themselves with the Event Alert System prior to the race, remain alert for directions from race officials and announcers and take precautions to prepare properly for varying weather conditions on race day."

Event Alert System table:


This year we hope for a safe and fun event. We wish all the participants good luck. If you are running or just spectating we would love to hear your story and experience.


Thursday, October 2, 2014

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2014

Our CEO, Michael Velasquez, and Global Sales Director, Kevin Yarnell, have ventured their way to the 2014 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is an annually held convention that keeps you at the forefront of the latest trends and insight in the global casino-entertainment industry. 

This year G2E will be held from Monday, September 29th to Thursday, October 2nd, 2014. 
This year will feature the largest show floor in North America; G2E is expecting 450+ exhibitors. Hundreds of new products and show specials will be offered. There is a full line up of networking opportunities available:

  • AGA Gaming Hall of Fame
  • Tribal Gaming
  • Global Gaming Women
  • Latin American Gaming
  • G2E Meet-Ups

"We have worked hard to create events and atmosphere that will truly allow for the types of introductions, interaction and discussions that at the end of the day will be meaningful for all types of casino executives," said Mike Johnson, industry vice president at Reed Exhibitions. "We are excited to bring these unmatched opportunities to network to the industry."

Here are some pictures from our Michael and Kevin: