Attention Prospective Canopy Tour Operators, Entrepreneurs, and Investors!

We are heading to Portland for the 2008 Annual Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) Conference (January 31 to February 3) and we hope to see you there.   In addition to the opportunity to meet and explore course options, the conference is always packed full of excellent workshops on challenge course construction standards and adventure education programming.  

Click here to learn more about the 2008 ACCT Conference in Portlant and register online.

Canopy Tour Pre-Conference Workshop

On January 31, the Canopy Tour Task Force will be presenting a Pre-Conference Workshop on the State of Canopy Tours.  Builders, trainers, operators, and interested parties are welcome.  The Pre-Conference will be a participatory workshop aimed at defining indsutry terminology, exploring current and future trends, and discussing program philosophies and tour approaches.  With a variety of builders and operators from the US and abroad scheduled to share their views and experience, the workshop is certain to provide an excellent opportunity to network and share. 

Competency-based Staffing Models for Adventure Challenge Programs

Mike Smith of AdventureSmith, Inc. and S.T.E.P.S., Inc. will be presenting a workshop for Challenge Course Managers and Adventure Program Directors on competency-based staffing models.  Participants will be exposed to a training model that includes assessment and evaluation tools, competency-based development models, and an employee appraisal system.  Participants will learn how the model helped to align training, reduce staffing costs, and improve program quality inside a growing challenge course programming organization.

Who is Coming

The following S.T.E.P.S. Bonsai representatives will be at this year's conference:

• John Walker - President of Bonsai Design and Builder of Canopy Tours, Ropes Courses, Climbing Towers and other cools stuff
• David Brassfield - President of S.T.E.P.S., Inc.  Responsible for Program Operations and Management
• Mike Smith - Director of Special Projects for S.T.E.P.S., Inc. and President of AdventureSmith, Inc.  Responsible for Canopy Tour Guide Training and Development, Marketing, and Program Development
• Rhonda Sandweiss - Director of Staff Development for S.T.E.P.S., Inc.  Canopy Tour Guide/Trainer and Ropes Challenge Course Trainer
• Dave Grossman - Director of Sales and Marketing for Bonsai Design, Inc.
• Phill Kroll - Program Manager and Ropes Course Facilitator
• Hans Kraai - Ropes Course Facilitator
• Reid Burland - Canopy Tour and Challenge Course Builder
• Jason Fail - Canopy Tour and Challenge Course Builder
• Mark Craven - Canopy Tour and Challenge Course Builder
• Tyler Anderson - Canopy Tour and Challenge Course Builder
• And others..

To Schedule a Meeting in Portland 

The conference is always packed full, so please call Mike Smith at (248) 481-2568 to schedule a time to meet. 

AdvenutreSmith, Inc. is proud to announce the overhaul of www.joedumarsfieldhouse.com.  The Fieldhouse bears the name of local hero, Joe Dumars', former star guard for the Detroit Pistons basketball team and current General Manager.  The Joe Dumars' Fieldhouse is the Premier Sports and Family Entertainment Center in the Detroit area.  With multiple locations inside Detroit and the Northern suburbs, the Fieldhouse offers managed basketball, volleyball, and roller hockey leagues, events, and family entertainment.  In recent years, the Fieldhouse has increased its scope to add a ropes course, climbing wall, and team building program.  The adventure-based programs offered to corporations and local school, youth, and community organizations is led by S.T.E.P.S., Inc. 

To meet their needs, the new website was developed around the Joomla Content Management System.  A custom template was designed to align the Fieldhouse's web marketing presence with current print marketing campaigns and branding.  The site offers a variety of customized scripts and common add-ons and allows for complete control by in-house staff.  To ensure quality management, AdventureSmith, provided an intensive training for staff. 

Visit the new Joe Dumars' Fieldhouse website to learn what AdventureSmith can do for you.

AdvenutreSmith, Inc. is proud to announce the launch of http://www.centerforecojusticeeducation.org.  The founders of the EcoJustice Review (an international juried forum created to address the revitalization of the world’s diverse commons) were seeking a web platform that would draw new members, reduce the ammount of time and effort to post new articles and news, and develop a community. 

To meet their needs and stay within budget, a website was developed around the Joomla Content Management System using a slightly altered template from www.rockettheme.com.  The site includes a variety of add-ons and upgrades, including Community Builder, forums, calendar, glossary, and more.

The site was turned over to the project management team with Joomla training.  Content will be added to the site over the course of the next few weeks and managed by the EcoJustice Review project staff. 

For more information on EcoJustice Education, visit the site.

AdventureSmith is proud to announce the launch of http://www.canopy-tours.com for S.T.E.P.S., Inc. and Bonsai Design.  The site is part of a greater marketing plan to grow their canopy tour design, installation, and development services.

The goal of S.T.E.P.S. and Bonsai Design is the develop custom zip lines and canopy tours that foster an appreciation for environment.  Focusing primarily on arboreal tours, the companies have developed environmentally zip line and suspension bridge systems that allow access to the forest canopy with limited impact.  In addition to design and installation services, the companies off extensive support and training systems to ensure program quality and profitabiltiy.

The AdventureSmith, S.T.E.P.S., and Bonsai Design core team are headed to Boston for the Association for Challenge Course Technology Conference (ACCT) on February 1-4, 2007.  Mike Smith will be scheduling opportunities to meet on Saturday and Sunday regarding adventure challenge program development and marketing services. 

If you would like to arrange a meeting, please schedule in advance.

AdventureSmith, Inc. is proud to announce the launch of www.blcse.org.  The web site was developed in conjunction with John Lupinacci and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan to support an EPA Grant aimed at "Building Leadership Capacity for Sustainability Education".