When it’s right, it’s right. And with Chris Williams, who joined us here at Big just a couple of days ago, we’ve found the perfect fit for the crucial role of Business Development Director.

What makes Chris so perfect? Well, for one thing, his experience. Chris comes to us from Koves Technologies, a web development and e-marketing firm based in Richmond, where he headed up marketing and sales efforts. Prior to Koves, Chris worked for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the national organ transplant organization, for nearly two decades, during which time he served in a variety of positions, ending his tenure as Director of Technology Services. All told, Chris has more than 27 years of experience in the areas of health care, information technology, and client services.

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There’s a reason Apple is mentioned frequently in this blog. A few reasons, actually. First, Steve Jobs and company make the equipment that we employ for our own creative endeavors—ad agencies and design shops are historically and almost exclusively Mac-centric. Then there’s the way Apple is shaking up the advertising paradigm, introducing fresh marketing opportunities with products like the iPhone and iPad, not to mention their brand-new mobile advertising service, iAd. In addition, as creative professionals, we have a keen appreciation for Apple’s design aesthetic, from the form factor of the hardware to the user-focused simplicity of the software. We admire their marketing and business savvy, too, and the strength of the brand that has resulted. It’s a brand like no other—there’s a real mystique around Apple, not only in terms of what they make but also how they make it. That mystique is due in part to Apple’s success in maintaining almost unprecedented secrecy. Rumors always abound about new products, speculation is endless, but nothing is ever certain until Mr. Jobs, in his black mock-turtleneck and jeans, takes the stage with new release in hand, ready (or nearly so) to go to market.

Well, guess what? Nobody’s perfect.

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This Saturday night, we at Big will brave the jungle mists, as we conclude a months-long adventure with the American Heart Association.

It all started with the Richmond chapter’s Go Red fundraising luncheon in February, for which we provided a variety of marketing materials. Soon after, we began work on the Richmond Heart Ball, a black-tie gala that is one of the organization’s annual signature events. The theme this year is “Treasures of the Mist,” and using this exotic inspiration, we created invitations, the event program, an auction guide, and more. You can see a couple of samples below.

We’ve been proud to support the AHA’s fight against cardiovascular disease and stroke, and we’re excited that we’ll be in attendance at the Ball this weekend. Especially since the only danger involved in this particular safari is that our rented tuxedos might cut off our circulation. To learn more about the Ball, or to make a contribution of your own, visit the Richmond Heart Ball website.

Stop me if you’ve heard this, but—the new Apple iPad has launched. What? The ongoing onslaught of coverage this week from nearly every media outlet imaginable was sufficient to alert you? Fair enough. Then you probably don’t need us to tell you that more than 450,000 of the “magical, revolutionary” devices (Apple’s words) had been sold as of yesterday morning. (Maybe you snagged one for yourself.) You might know, too, that there are already more than 3,500 new iPad apps available, with 3.5 million downloaded so far. And it’s a safe guess you’ve heard some reviews. There are certainly some naysayers, with more than one pundit dismissing the iPad as nothing more than an oversized iPhone (that doesn’t make calls), but it seems the majority of the response has been positive, even effusively so.

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