DAN THE MAN
By Bobby Riley | July 21st, 2010
Dan Vogelzang by Day 19
It was two years after I started Soldier Design in 2002, that I was en route to Los Angeles for a business trip at 35,000 ft on Jet Blue, when I heard “Riley” as I was walking down the isle of the plane to get my stretch on. It was Dan Vogelzang, a friend of my wife’s friend who I had met only once before in passing. I liked Dan already because I indirectly knew his Dad’s personality as the President and voice behind VPR, which I listened to often while living in Vermont.
Dan and I shared the same layover in Las Vegas during that trip, where we took advantage of a nearby bar and started chatting. After some small talk and a beer or two later we soon found out that we both came out of the womb obsessed with design and the power it wields in communication and story telling, which were two subjects that keenly interested us both. Some key stars aligned for us quickly as the conversation escalated quickly around the role of design in each of our pasts, but more specifically the role of design in brand communication and the power in has to convene people in a unified fashion.
The building conversation had us high and lead to more sharing about our personal connection to brand, community and contribution to culture. My story was largely centered around my retail background and hot streak tenure in brand marketing with the Burton Snowboard Company. Whereas Dan’s connection to brand, community and contribution to culture was through the lens of designer, interactive connoisseur and impacting experiences at Apple during the launch of the iPod. Shortly after our trip I asked Dan to be a partner in the venture we call Soldier Design.
Dan has been paramount in the success of Soldier, as both an owner and within his functional role as Director of Operations, focused on the subject of process for the business and on behalf of serving our client initiatives. From day one Dan has been determined to make Soldier run like a finely tuned Patek Philippe watch. Dan has earned such nicknames as Intel (as Intel Inside!) and “Cool Proof” named by Steve Costello, co-founder of Raw Skateboards. I think both attribute to the reality that Dan does not shake. His thoughtful, tempered, patient and merciful approach to people, projects and business has created a safe and trustworthy environment for the emerging, explosive and erratic energy within the walls of Soldier to thrive.
Thanks for being you brother!