This Saturday, May 18th, the Rotary Club of Bethesda Chevy Chase will host its 8th Annual Strut Your Mutt Dog Parade and Festival in downtown Bethesda, MD. If you live in the area and own a dog (or just love them), be sure to swing by. In addition to the parade, enjoy dozens of vendor booths, kid-friendly games and activities, and a raffle. The event runs from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Unfortunately, not all of us are able to attend Saturday's event, so we've opted to celebrate with a mini Mutt Strut of the Sonic dogs, here on our blog.

Lexi and Sade- belong to Seth and Julianne

Banjo- belongs to Courtney

Blaze- belongs to Debbie

Griff- belongs to Josh

Jordan- belongs to Brandon

Oscar- belongs to Debbie

Renley- belongs to Lindsay

Simba- belongs to Jamie

Another staff interview for you this morning! Debbie's up to bat today.

You may not know Debbie personally, but if you've done any work with Sonic in the last decade, I guarantee you've seen her name. Debbie Bostin is Sonic's head Customer Service Manager/Production Manager, and we'd be lost without her. Your orders would likely be lost too... literally.

So, next time you receive an order acknowledgment or a tracking number from her, shoot her an email back to let her know she's THE BEST (inside joke- you'll see below).

Meet Debbie:

How long have you been working at Sonic Promos?
Nine years, but it seems like just yesterday that I started...

What role(s) do you play here?
I'm Sonic's head Customer Service Manager. Basically, that means I make sure all orders get done correctly. I handle every step that occurs between sending in the purchase order and sending the client their tracking number.

Best part of the job?
Well- I must tell the truth on this- I work from home. I have to say, that's the biggest perk to the job. I also enjoy that I get to talk and interact with all sorts of people throughout the day, and I really love making sure every project gets done perfectly.

Worst part of the job?
Hmm, this is tough. I think the worst part of the job is dealing with UPS and FedEx. Sadly, they cause me tons of grief. I would really love to explain to every client that I have zero control once an order goes out for delivery. I try to intervene, I really do, but once a shipment is on the truck, there never seems to be anything they can do. They should really hire me- I truly think I could fix them and get packages where they need to go- but that's a conversation for another day.

What's your favorite kind of project to work on?
My favorite kind of project to work on is one in which the item is created overseas. Those projects are typically really big in size with intricate design. It takes a lot of work to make sure everything goes smoothly- organizing pre-production samples and reviewing detail after detail. It's really exciting to oversee the process from start to finish, especially getting to see the final result.

What do your coworkers love to tease you about?
Oh my, the list is endless. My age (I'm the oldest employee at Sonic), that I yell at everyone, that I type in all caps, that I repeat myself all the time, that I think everything is the BEST, that I love Fridays, and so much more.

Keep reading for more staff interviews in the coming weeks. In case you missed it-
Meet Rahmie
Meet Jen
Meet Mallory
Meet Lindsay
Meet Jamie
Meet Seth
Meet Julianne
Meet Caitlin
Meet Josh
Meet Courtney
Meet Tarika

Time for another staff interview!

Tarika (pronounced like Erica with a T) Hammernik is a recent addition to our art team. We're so thrilled to have her at Sonic, and you should be too! She plays a huge role in making sure your materials look sharp!

Meet Tarika:

How long have you been working at Sonic Promos?
I'm pretty new to the team! I started working here mid-February 2013, so a little over two months.

What role(s) do you play here?
I am a graphic designer, production artist and more. I do a wide range of work, but to put it simply: I make our clients' design and product needs a visual reality. I also take care of our personal design projects and make sure we stay on-brand.

Best part of the job?
I get to be creative and practice what I love on a day-to-day basis! That being said, I also enjoy the routine work. A certain amount of repetition is calming in life. We also recently upgraded to Macs in the art department- that's definitely a bonus!

Worst part of the job?
Sometimes a clients' vision, however nice it may be, won't work for a certain product. I have to be the one to spoil their ideas! To remedy this, I can come up with an alternative design or have one of our brand managers find another product that better suits the artwork.

What's your favorite kind of project to work on?
I really enjoy the more creative projects that come our way. I especially enjoy those that need art done completely from scratch. Projects of this kind give me an opportunity to use my illustration skills. Our in-house design projects tend to offer a lot of creativity as well!

What do your coworkers love to tease you about?
Pretty soon they'll figure out how dorky I am, but as of now, I'm in the clear.

Keep reading for more staff interviews in the coming weeks. In case you missed it-
Meet Rahmie
Meet Jen
Meet Mallory
Meet Lindsay
Meet Jamie
Meet Seth
Meet Julianne
Meet Caitlin
Meet Josh
Meet Courtney

Morning, readers! Time to meet another new Sonic sales rep- Courtney Cunningham out of Nashville, Tennessee!

I know we've shared a lot of staff interviews lately- we're just excited about our newest colleagues- but I promise we'll get some client projects and product information in the mix here shortly!

Meet Courtney:

How long have you been working at Sonic Promos?
I started with Sonic at the end of January, so I'm still new-ish.

What role(s) do you play here?
I am a Sales and Branding Consultant. I help clients find that perfect product to elevate their marketing program. Additionally, I make it my personal responsibility to teach the team all my southern-isms. They're still learning, bless their hearts.

Best part of the job?
There are too many "best parts"- great coworkers, being able to hang out with my dog, working with a dynamic client base that really stretches my abilities.

Worst part of the job?
Since I work remotely from Nashville, if I have a week that doesn't include several client visits, I find myself getting a little cabin fever. Small price to pay for such a great gig, though!

What's your favorite kind of project to work on?
I love doing employee gifts- it's a challenge, but it's always rewarding, and it allows me to think outside of the box.

What do your coworkers love to tease you about?
Well, we're still in the honeymoon phase, but so far, it's been my bracket picks for the NCAA basketball tournament (which I deserved). That, and my redneck tendencies (which I also deserve).

Keep reading for more staff interviews in the coming weeks. In case you missed it-
Meet Rahmie
Meet Jen
Meet Mallory
Meet Lindsay
Meet Jamie
Meet Seth
Meet Julianne
Meet Caitlin
Meet Josh

Happy Thursday, all! We've got another staff interview for you today. Get to know Josh Silverstone, the newest member of our sales team.

Meet Josh:

Photo taken post Blazin' Wing Challenge victory at Buffalo Wild Wings.

How long have you been working at Sonic Promos?
Let's see... Sonic and I go back a long, long time. Today is April 10th, so that would make it... just over 3 weeks.

What role(s) do you play here?
I help clients choose the best promotional items that will support their marketing efforts and have the greatest impact. I am also the resident poorly timed joke guy.

Best part of the job?
I really enjoy the creative aspect- brainstorming different directions and helping clients choose the right way to go.

Worst part of the job?
Between my junior and senior year of high school, I decided to work as a mason tender. This consisted of sweltering summer days, crack-of-dawn early mornings, mixing mortar with a hoe, and carrying heavy bricks and cinder blocks. At Sonic, I have nothing to complain about.

What's your favorite kind of project to work on?
I love event marketing, so anything related to golf outings or business expos is a lot of fun for me. I enjoy working with non-profits. Also- sports and entertainment.

What do your coworkers love to tease you about?
Talking about the Redskins in the off-season, wearing golf shirts that are way too bright for the office, and nearly burning down the kitchen while attempting to heat matza pizza in the microwave oven. Oops. 

Keep reading for more staff interviews in the coming weeks. In case you missed it-
Meet Rahmie
Meet Jen
Meet Mallory
Meet Lindsay
Meet Jamie
Meet Seth
Meet Julianne
Meet Caitlin