PHOENIX (Jan. 22, 2010) – Entrepreneurs Cecil Chambers, a Grammy-Award winning music publishing executive, and Jeff Lowy president of Encore Creative an award-winning event production company, have announced the formation of Big Tyme LLC, an independent production company with three television shows slated to debut later this year.

Big Tyme’s first venture will be a musically-driven reality show similar to American Idol in which winners will be signed to a recording contract at the end of the season. Chambers and Lowy recently entered management agreements, pending a studio deal, with two Valley artists who will also serve as the show’s ambassadors. A teen version of the show will be introduced later this year, and a culinary-focused program is slated to begin production late first quarter. The culinary production, which will be taped before a live audience, will be a sports-themed show filmed in the Valley.

Chambers, who also serves as the CEO of Triumphant Entertainment, brings 15 years’ experience to the company and has worked with big-name talent such as Usher, Destiny’s Child, Michael Jackson, and Christina Aguilera. Jeff Lowy also brings an extensive production expertise to the company having worked as a special event producer with Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Sony,  BMW and the NFL’s Corporate Hospitality Village under his company Encore Creative.

Linda White Wolf, producer and host at KAZT in Phoenix, and platinum award-winning record label executive, will join Big Tyme as a principle and serve as marketing director.

The production company will not only shine a spotlight on Arizona talent, but also help stimulate the local economy by opening jobs in the entertainment industry.

About Big Tyme LLC
BigTyme LLC was founded by Cecil Chambers, a film and recording executive and CEO of Triumphant Entertainment, and Jeff Lowy, special event producer and president of Encore Creative. The company will introduce a series of locally produced television productions ranging from music to culinary, spotlighting Arizona talent and boosting the Valley’s entertainment industry. For more information, visit www.TriEn-llc.com.

My gratitude post came a little later than I would’ve liked, but as the saying goes, better late than never. I will try to keep this brief…if I tried to list everything and everyone I am grateful for I know I would miss at least one.

First and foremost, I am grateful for all of the mentors in my life. These are people who have guided and encouraged me either academically, professionally or personally. A few that instantly spring to mind are Terry Greene Sterling, one of my college journalism professors who taught me what true journalism is (and continues to show me), my mom of course, my grandma, J.C. Gobins, for instilling a good business sense in me, Winston Mitchell, who took me under his wing, toughened me up (well I still have some work to do) and let me see what it was like to be an on-camera reporter in one of the toughest cities…NYC. Today, I consider Patrick Harter and Brent Spore my mentors. I admire the way they see the world and their genius marketing minds. I’m grateful beyond measure for each one of these mentors, as they have helped me get to where I am today.

I am also grateful for my clients…for the mutual trust we’ve developed, the new adventures everyday and the opportunity to continually learn and grow with them.

Finally, I am thankful for my wonderful family, friends and amazing dogs who bring so much laughter to my life. Thank you for everything and thank you to @JayBaer for keeping #tweetsgiving going!

Phoenix WordCamp, an informal conference geared around WordPress, the free online publishing platform many Web sites are built on today, will be held Friday, Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Arizona Grand Resort located at 8000 S. Arizona Grand Pkwy. in Phoenix.

Organized by Chuck Reynolds and GoDaddy, this marks the first year for WordCamp in Arizona, and it is particularly timely as more Arizona entrepreneurs turn to WordPress to build their brands and social media presence. Some of the speakers will include Matt Mullenweg, founding developer of WordPress and one of Business Week’s 25 Most Influential People on the Web; Dave Moyer, a 16-year-old digital media aficionado and founder of Bitwire Media; Merlin Mann, a San Francisco-based speaker, broadcaster and writer; Brent Spore, social media guru and founder of Synergy, Starving Designer and iboughtamac.com; and John Hawkins, a WordPress evangelist.

Cost to attend the conference is $30, which includes admission to all sessions, breakfast and lunch, and an event t-shirt. Attendees will learn about blogging, developing WordPress themes and plug-ins, and how to effectively use WordPress as an effective branding and social media tool. Experts will also be on hand to answer questions at the Expert Bar.

What: Phoenix WordCamp, an informal conference geared around WordPress

When: Friday, Nov. 13
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Arizona Grand Resort
8000 S. Arizona Grand Pkwy., Phoenix

Cost: $30, includes the all-day session, breakfast and lunch

Information: Visit http://PhxWordCamp.com or http://ChuckReynolds.us

WordCamp

WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other. WordCamps are open to WordPress.com and WordPress.org users. For more information, visit www.centralwordcamp.org

PodCampAZ, a relevant media “unconference” for podcasters, bloggers and those interested in new media, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Advancing Technology located at 2625 W. Baseline Rd. in Tempe.

Session at PodCampAZ 2008. Photo by Chris Lee

Last year’s event brought approximately 750 attendees. Attendance is expected to reach more than 1,000 this year. A few of the PodCampAZ 2009 speakers include, Evo Terra, co-founder of Podiobooks.com and co-author of “Podcasting for Dummies”; Mignon Fogarty, author of “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing”; Jeff Moriarty, co-founder of Ignite Phoenix, Improv AZ, and the Phoenix Innovation Foundation; and Francine Hardaway, co-founder of Stealthmode Partners and founder of the Arizona Entrepreneurship Conferences and Social Media Club Phoenix. At the free “unconference,” attendees will learn about podcasting, blogging and video blogging, social networking and other relevant media.

What:    PodCampAZ, a community “unconference” for bloggers, podcasters and those interested in new media

When:     Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15
Registration: 8 a.m.; conference: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: University of Advancing Technology
2625 W. Baseline Rd., Tempe

Cost:     Free

Information: Visit www.podcampaz.org

PodCamp AZ

PodCamp AZ is a two-day, free relevant media “unconference” dedicated to blogging, video blogging, podcasting and other forms of social media. The event, which began in 2007, is interactive and focuses on relevant media topics such as applications and tools, networking, education and getting started in social media. For more information, visit www.podcampaz.org

PodCamp

PodCamp began in Boston in 2006 for podcasters, bloggers and those interested in new media. The event, which is BarCamp-style – an open environment in which people share and learn through discussions, demos and participant interaction – has since grown into 21 different events in more than five countries, eleven states and virtually, in Second Life.

Global Twitter-Based Charity Event Returns with Local Twist

PHOENIX (Sept. 7, 2009) – Twestival, an event that gathers social media users to benefit a local nonprofit, will return to the Valley Friday, Sept. 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. at aLoft Tempe located at 951 E. Playa Del Norte Drive in Tempe. The event, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 200 will benefit the Phoenix-based St. Mary’s Food Bank.

Twestival Phoenix is one of several meet-ups that will occur in various cities around the world between Sept. 10 and13th, each designed to benefit a local charity. For the Phoenix event, local Twitter users chose St. Mary’s Food Bank as the benefiting charity. During the event, Phoenix “tweeps” will get to participate in a silent auction, meet other local Twitter users, enjoy food and one complimentary drink, and of course post Tweets.

“It’s amazing how quickly everyone worked to pull Twestival Phoenix Local together,” said Chris Lee. “We have an incredible silent auction, a great location at aLoft Tempe and have already received overwhelming response from the community. We hope to see lots of Phoenix tweeps come out to have an amazing time and generate lots of cash and awareness for St. Mary’s Food Bank.”

The first 24-hour “‘Tweet-up with a social conscience” inspired thousands and raised $250,000 for charity:water, which enabled the drilling of 55 wells serving more than 17,000 people in Uganda, Ethiopia and India. Following the success of the first Global Twestival last February, in which more than 200 cities participated, Phoenix Twitter users were determined to participate, especially this time with the focus on a local charity.

About Twestival
A Twestival, or Twitter-Festival, is a global series of events organized by volunteers around the world in rapid-fire time frames. Twestival was started in London in September 2008 by a group of Twitter users who wanted to bring people together offline and support a great cause. A few months later, in February 2009, Twestival Global launched in more than 200 cities around the world, including Phoenix, to benefit charity: water. Twestival is operated entirely by volunteers and independently from the nonprofits of which it supports, though the organizing teams do work closely with the nonprofits to outline an achievable and measurable fundraising target. For more information visit, www.phoenix.twestival.com

Links and contacts:
• http://twestival.com/media/
• @twestival

Local:
• http://phoenix.twestival.com
• @twestivalphx
• Email: twestivalphx@gmail.com
• @chrislee, clee@customersystemsinc.com