Scales

Robert Scales
Founder/CEO
b. Montreal, PQ

Secret, super hero power? His tattoos come to life when needed!

Briefly:

Scales is an Open Source evangelist, an avid photographer, a renaissance man and a bon vivant. His vision and innovation in open source business development, mixed with Raincity Studios' early adoption of Drupal, has helped Robert lead his team to international acclaim.

Robert teaches eBusiness and Web Technologies at Vancouver Film School, he speaks and co-organized events such as Barcamps: Beijing, Vancouver, Shanghai, Drupalcamps, and other open source conferences such as the China Blogger Conference and Open Source Camp Beijing.

Scales lives in Shanghai currently, where he is learning Mandarin, and continuing to work with his Vancouver and regional teams. He can occasionally be found hanging out at his restaurant.

Robert holds a diploma in Business Management and a Senior Management Certificate in New Media and Web Development from BCIT.

He is committed to promote open source concepts, dedicating time and resource on Drupal, the greatest CMS in the world.

Factoids

Favorite City to Hang in?
Austin, Tx - SXSW, BBQ, Music, Friends! Need I say more?
Favorite thing about living in Vancouver?
Skiing, Sailing, Golfing, Fencing, all the things that end in "ing"!
Why Drupal?
I liked the openness of the platform and the community around it
Beverage of choice?
No alcohol: Coke with ice / Alcohol: Johnny Walker Blue on the rocks
Where/when did you first get online?
1989/90 using BBS and modem, also around the same time I was using FreeNet.
Fictional character you’d like to have a beer with?
Frank Castle (the Punisher)
Website you actually go to often – for fun not work?
facebook!
Hobby you hardly ever talk about?
Kite making, writing Poetry, tattooing
Favorite Raincity Studios project?
They are all my favorite, but I like working with Sony and SPIN Magazine!
Fave dish (that you can actually cook)?
I cook a mean Gumbo
Raincity staffer most likely to win at Jeopardy?
I would put my money on Dave O or Mark.
Favorite techie word/acronym?
"Mash up"
Fave “analog” tool?
My lomo (a fun little film camera that shoot multi frames)
Another profession would you like to try?
Travel Tour Guide, Scuba Diving Instructor
Favorite artistic era/movement?
Bauhaus, 60's Pop Art, Digital Photography
Rather attend Ballet or Opera or Symphony?
Opera
Best concert ever?
Best Show: Mogwai. Best Picture: Iggy Pop and the Stooges. Best Memories: Lollapalooza 19??. Most Fun: Grateful Dead
Co-worker who makes you laugh?
Alex and Dave
What do you “bring to the table” at Raincity?
I do a little bit of everything; marketing, sales, business planning... but mostly I bring food to the table, no seriously we have BBQ once a while on Thursdays and I bring food to cook!
Your best tech skill?
Technology fears me and people think I am weird. I can talk with passion about technology
Country you want to visit that you’ve never been to?
Kenya, the Serengeti
Where’d you go to school? Why?
CEGEP Andre Laurendeau, Algonquin College, Ottawa U, BCIT, U of Life and the school of hard knocks
Industry Relevant Qualification:
Diploma in Business Management and a Senior Management Certificate in New Media and Web Development
Three words of advice to younger developers?
Be a team player, don't be a greedy fool ... There is more to life than instant cash!
Fave Drupal module?
"you know the one that does this and that, shish, what is it called?"
A fave Drupal site?
Dead.net, SPIN Magazine
At home: video games or movies?
"both with equal attention"
What do you collect?
Travel memories: pictures, sounds, tickets ...

Awards

  • 2006 Canadian New Media Awards - WINNER - Best Graduate of the Year Award
  • 2005 New Media Slam - Zed's People Choice Awards (Team Award)
  • New Media Slam 2005 - Best Interactive Project (Team Award)
  • Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship’s (ACE) Awards 2004- Nominated Best Student Entrepreneur of the Year