This August, DMC welcomed seven new employees. The new class chose to combine their welcome parties for quite a unique activity: shuffleboard.

Fun at The Royal Palms

After an early dinner at the office, partygoers made their way to the nearby Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club in Wicker Park. The club featured food and drinks, interactive games (such as 'ring-swing' — which was a big hit), and of course full-size shuffleboard courts for all to try.

The party started off with a lesson by a club staff member to show everyone how to play. This short crash course taught the goal of the game, showed how to keep score, and ended with a demonstration on the proper way to shoot. From there, teams of two were quickly formed, and the first set of games began while others watched and cheered along.

Although many came up with creative ideas on how to correctly use the ‘cue-stick,’ most quickly learned that the proper technique was the best way to go.

Following many rounds of games, teams headed upstairs to explore the rest of the venue and take a group photo. The party didn’t stop there, however, and it took until near closing time for the last of the group to head home for the night.

The party was a great success for new hires and long-time DMC employees alike. Everyone had a great time getting to know one another while trying a fun and exciting activity to help “break the ice.”

As one of the new hires, I look back on this welcome party as one of the most exciting parts of my first few weeks. Not only was it a fun way to celebrate nearing the end of my training weeks, but it also really helped me settle into the company.

This gave me the opportunity to meet and talk to many of my new coworkers in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. I had conversations with people of all experience levels and across all service areas and departments.

What stood out to me from this experience was how open DMC is as a company. No matter where you are in your career or what type of work you do, everyone is simply part of the team.

Perhaps the best part was that, after only a few short weeks, I was able to do it all again for the following class of new hires — this time, I was on the welcoming side. We celebrated them with yet another unique and exciting welcome party aboard the Tall Ship Windy on Lake Michigan!

Learn more about corporate culture at DMC, and check out our open positions!

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For their welcome party, the two new engineers gathered their fellow DMCers and went to Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up: quite fitting for spooky season!

The Welcome Party

After chowing down on pizza at the office and learning about the original Stan’s Donuts from Derrick, the crew drove, and some brave souls walked, to Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up! The spooky evening began with some terrifying themed drinks (Hocus Pocus punch was the fan favorite).

A big draw of the event were the impressive displays based on popular Halloween movies: such as Hocus Pocus, Scream, and The Nightmare Before Christmas — which made them perfect for plenty of photo ops.

The group also tested their axe throwing skills, won cute prizes playing carnival games, and warmed up cold apple cider donuts under the warming lamps.

“The event was very cool,” Andy said. “Derrick and I were able to smash a couple of plates during the carnival games and won some prizes! We threw some axes, we got to take home some pumpkins, but the maze was the most interesting part.”

As for Derrick, he really enjoyed axe throwing.

“I’d never been before! I also won a stuffed pig from the carnival games, so that was fun,” Derrick said.

The biggest takeaway for both new engineers, aside from the free pumpkins, was the chance to bond with DMCers outside of the office.

“I thought it was nice to talk to other DMCers, especially since I just met them that week […]," Derrick said. "I thought it was a nice bonding event to have some drinks and play some games with them and talk to them.”

The event also gave Andy the chance to bond with some DMCers he’s now working on projects with.

“It’s nice cause I'm actually working with some of these people now on some of these projects, so it's cool to actually kind of know them as people before working with them," Andy said. "It helps to shed some of the initial awkwardness. It’s just nice to bond and know people as people before they're work people.”

Outside of the welcome party, Derrick and Andy also got the chance to hang out with DMCers.

“I got invited to a weekly trivia night, so I joined a couple of DMC employees for that," Derrick said. "That was really fun!”

Another time, Andy was also invited out after work.

“Me and Blake [Strebel] were working late one night, and we hung out afterwards to grab dinner and drinks where we also met up with Patrick Barrett. It was a cool, spontaneous thing," Andy said. "It’s cool that I already got to hang out with DMCers outside of any work events.”

Settling into DMC

Now that they’ve been introduced to DMC’s Culture and traditions, the new hires are settling into their new offices, roles, and teams. Both cite the onboarding process for creating a smooth transition.

“I can say that the onboarding process at DMC is the smoothest I've gone through in my four different companies I've worked at since college,“ Andy said. “I think [DMC] does a great job partnering new hires with a Technical Advisor [TA]. I thought that was really helpful.”

Andy found his TA, Patrick Smith, to not only be helpful, but a familiar face to bounce project ideas off of.

“On my first project I wrote a python script to add tag descriptions to some tags in the PLC program, and I basically talked through that issue with [Patrick] earlier. I basically adapted the file he showed me and used it as a starting point," Andy said. "It ended up being the thing I used because I just happened to talk to him about this idea. He was my TA during the onboarding process, and it directly translated into increased productivity for me as an employee having a smooth transition into the DMC World.”

Though Derrick’s onboarding process happened virtually, he still walked away with a positive experience.

“It was really nice. I was able to go out to Chicago for one week and meet most of the people I was trained by,” Derrick said. “Even starting in the Seattle office was still very nice because there were activity fund [events] we did — like the corn maze — so, it was a nice, inviting onboarding experience.”

Learn more about DMC’s corporate culture!

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This month, we were excited to welcome Wenjing Deng and Ray King to DMC. They decided to combine their welcome parties and try a DMC favorite, axe throwing!

The party started in the Chicago office, where everyone got acquainted over Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish.

“I only had deep dish once, and it was not really good,” Wenjing said. “Lou Malnati’s was way better! I had it the day after too.” 

Following dinner, the group carpooled to Bad Axe.

Axe Throwing

This was Wenjing and Ray’s first time axe throwing. After a brief tutorial and demonstration, the axe (and knife!) throwing began. 

“We took turns trying things out,” Wenjing said. “First, a two-handed axe and then a one handed axe…the one handed was super sweet!”

Next, the crew at Bad Axe brought out throwing knives.

“I was talking to Aleks about this game we both play called Valorant,” Wenjing said. “The main character throws knives, and it was cool to feel like her.”

Both Wenjing and Ray agreed that activities like these are a great way to learn more about people. 

“I prefer doing an activity to get to know people — that way, you can discuss the things you’re doing and really get to know what everyone is like.” Wenjing said.

Ray agreed and says activities help “break the ice easily.”

After playing individually for a while, the group split into teams for a friendly competition. The first team to hit 100 points would be the winner. Team names included Roll Tide, Run DMC, Team Patrick, and Team Canada. Being in teams allowed for further collaboration and getting to know one another.

“We got to talk to people more easily while waiting for our turns,” Ray said.

Getting Started at DMC

With their first DMC tradition out of the way, the two new engineers reflected on their start at DMC.

”On day one, Ray and I would causally talk about how everything was ready for us. We showed up and someone was there to greet us,” Wenjing said. “We were being taken care of [and] the laptops showed up on time. Everything went very smoothly. People were happy to stop and say hi, so that was really cool.”

Training in Chicago went well for both engineers as Ray agrees.

“A lot of little things I didn’t expect to be taken care of, were,” Ray said.

These trainings were not solely with members of Wenjing and Ray’s teams, so they both got to know people from different departments within DMC.  

“Another thing I appreciated about the first two weeks was that DMC teammates did the trainings,” Wenjing said. “They were not always my teammates so I got to meet different people from around the company.”

Both Wenjing and Ray agree that the DMC experience is unlike others.

“I’ve worked at a couple companies, and this experience has truly blown me away,” Ray said. “Everyone is extremely professional but casual and easy to walk up to and talk to. The trainings are great. I always have something to do during the day.”

During their short time at DMC, both Wenjing and Ray already feel they are fitting in.

“When you join a job, sometimes it takes the first few weeks before you start doing anything. If they haven’t found anything for you to do, you start to wonder, ‘where do I fit in’? That has not been the case at DMC. I’m already getting rolled out into different projects. It’s great.”

Learn more about DMC’s company culture and explore our open positions.

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COVID restrictions in 2020 and early 2021 meant that many new DMC employees weren’t able to have a welcome party immediately. Fortunately, a decrease in restrictions in mid-2021 initiated a series of fun activities at DMC’s Houston office, as team members who joined during the height of the pandemic took their turns to celebrate joining DMC and have fun with coworkers out of the office.

Casimir Smith‘s welcome party was a part of this recent series. He decided to recreate his favorite Houston Activity Fund event, the Tour De Houston. This event consisted of a day-long bike ride around the city, with several fun stops along the way. This time around, the Houston team used DMC’s monthly event budget, the Activity Fund, making Tour De Houston 2 an Activity Fund,Welcome Party hybrid.

Tour de Houston 2

The Houston team met on a Sunday morning to begin their 12-mile ride around the city. 11 DMCers attended, making this Houston’s biggest Activity Fund event to date.

According to Casimir, there aren’t many bike-friendly places in Houston. However, the team was up for the challenge and managed to develop a route with plenty of food, drinks, and fun along the way.

Their first stop was Market Square Park for coffee and snacks. Next, the party stopped at Saint Arnolds Brewery for lunch and drinks before hitting the road again. Each stop lasted about an hour, with the exception of the final stop in Highland Park. To reach the bar, the group rode against 30 mph winds! Their perseverance was rewarded with a long rest, more refreshment, and celebration.

Getting Started at DMC

Now that he’s a developed member of DMC, Casimir reflects on his start at DMC.

“I had the quintessential COVID-19 office start mid-2020: Filled with uncertainty and starting at a new office at a time when everyone was already knee deep into working from home.”

“At that point, most activity funds went toward Zoom events, and getting to know people was a slower experience. When the office opened back up, I got to meet a lot of people for the first time. That was a big transition.

“In a lot of ways, it’s easier to appreciate the party and DMC’s culture all the more. It makes me appreciate being able to be with people in the office a little more than I otherwise would.”

“Workwise, big props to Elizabeth on answering all of my questions and helping me to develop and  to reach a place where I’m a lot more independent as an employee.”

We will be on the lookout for Tour de Houston part 3!

Learn more about the Houston office and  DMC’s company culture.

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Preparation of the Feast

For the private lesson we made an array of pasta dishes from scratch. We started with a lesson on general cooking skills and then split into groups to make either tortellini, spaghetti, or mezzaluna. Half of the group made a pasta dough by hand, while the other used a food processor to make a different kind of dough. As we waited for dough to rise, we gathered ingredients and made the fillings and sauces for our pasta dishes.

Besides being excited to enjoy some delicious pasta, I had a great time connecting and working with my coworkers on something outside of the technical work we do at DMC. With one person feeding pasta into the machine, another operating the crank, and a third there to catch the dough as it was rolled thin, everyone had a task that contributed to making our meal.

Presentation is Key

Depending on the type of pasta, the dough was either cut to make spaghetti or filled and shaped to make the tortellini and mezzaluna. Though I did not fold the most beautiful tortellini, I am proud to report that they did not explode while cooking and turned out quite delicious. After the sauces were done and the pasta cooked, we were instructed to present our pasta with “Instagram worthy presentation” (shown above).

After the cooking and presentation of the pasta was complete, we were able to see and taste what everyone had made. I felt happy to have joined a community of people who would want to do something like cook pasta from scratch after work and have a great time doing it.

Learn more about DMC’s company culture and check out our open positions to join our team.

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Did we get some dirt in our dinners? Meh, extra seasoning.

Production: 
As the evening commenced, dirt was potted, succulents planted, and green thumbs flexed. To no one’s surprise, our engineers proved as skilled at gardening-in-miniature as they are with expert solutions. The results were fantastic terrariums complete with decorative dragons and ducks.

Postproduction: 
However, we quickly realized that this was only the beginning of our succulent saga. The true challenge has been the continuous task of keeping our Zen gardens alive. We were told that ice cubes would do the trick, but our results proved otherwise. After a few tragic casualties, I was tasked with a quest to find the perfect succulent spritzer as our dragons and ducks weren’t doing much to help. In the end, the DMC Boston office rallied together by rotating pots into sunny spots around the office and spritzing away once a week.

I am happy to report that, thus far, each of our Zen gardens have at least two succulents alive and well and we hope they will continue to grow and thrive throughout the winter season.

Learn more about the DMC Boston office and DMC's company culture. 

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This fall, I had my welcome party with the DMC Houston team at Well Done Cooking to learn more about Thai food.

First Course: Shrimp Spring Rolls

We started out learning how to wrap spring rolls. The rolls had shrimp, cilantro, cucumbers, and vermicelli noodles. We served them with a tasty peanut dipping sauce.

Entree #1: Baked Curry Spiced Chicken

Next on the menu was baked curry-spiced chicken. We marinated the chicken with yogurt and curry powder. We seasoned like ‘Salt Bae’ before baking them.

Entree #2: Lemongrass Green Curry with Tofu

This recipe was the most technically challenging. The first step was to puree then strain a whole host of ingredients, including basil, lemongrass, coriander, and cilantro. We then reduced the strained liquid on the stove and added coconut milk. In the final step, we added roasted tofu. We served the curry over rice.

The cooking class was a great way to welcome new hires and bond as a team. It turns out, engineers can cook!

Learn more about the DMC Houston office and DMC’s company culture.

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One of the ways DMC celebrates new hires is through Welcome Parties! New hires may choose a Welcome Party of their choosing. These fun activities help DMCers get to know their new coworkers and celebrate DMC’s continued growth.

Even though the regional office employees were only spending three weeks in Chicago, the team never misses a chance to celebrate! We had a Wine & Paint welcome party for the four new regional office employees and one of our new Chicagoans this past fall. 

On that Tuesday evening, the downstairs kitchen was transformed into a painting studio complete with small easels, primed canvases, paints, aprons, and of course: wine!

We sipped and tried our best to follow along with the ever-patient but far more talented painting instructor as she demonstrated step-by-step how to paint a striped vase with colorful flowers.

Everyone took their own creative freedoms with the composition, choosing different colors or flower shapes.

When all was said and done, we knew each other even better, and everyone left with a token to remind them of their inner artist!

Learn more about DMC's Company Culture. Interested in joining us? Check out our open careers. 

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Originally, Adam and I were supposed to host the party together, but unfortunately, an onsite project called him to Kentucky that week, so it was up to me to decide on the welcome party location. I knew I had to pick somewhere unique, that I wouldn’t be able to get at home in Dallas.

Carnivale

My Chicago co-workers mentioned Carnivale to me while I was brainstorming where to host the welcome party. To me, it sounded like a fun opportunity to try something new, and it exceeded my expectations! The inside of the restaurant was terrific. The restaurant’s artwork covered walls are festive and brightly colored, giving it a bold ambiance. It was a unique experience and felt like we were in the middle of a real Carnivale celebration!

The restaurant features food from all over Latin America, including Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Chile. We had appetizers like grilled lamb racks, shrimp skewers, and al pastor sliders.

After dinner, we made the extra effort to find a place to continue the party. The West Loop location of Carnivale made it easy to find another place for an after-party.

The After-Party

We moved on to Green Street Smoked Meats, which was only an eight-minute walk away. We snacked on smoked brisket and a couple of different sides. Several of us shared pitchers of different kinds of beer

From Dallas to Chicago

In all, the party was a great experience. I tried some wild cocktails and new foods, and I bonded with a lot of the team. Training in Chicago and having a welcome party with such a big turnout helped me feel part of DMC.

I’m in the Dallas office now, but even though there are several offices across the country I don’t feel separated because I’ve met a lot of DMCers already! The welcome party experience helped me acclimate to my new job, and I made some great memories along the way. 

Learn more about DMC’s company culture and check out our open positions to join our team.

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All new hires start off work for three weeks in Chicago. I am from Houston, TX, and this was my first time visiting Chicago. During my first week in the office, I felt very welcomed. Everyone was there to help me if I needed it.

A Wrigley Field Welcome

It was a surprise to find out that every employee gets a welcome party! Not only do we get a welcome party, but we choose what to do. The new hires invite everyone in the office, and everyone can bring a plus one. Talk about making someone feel welcomed when 50+ people come to your party during the first week of work!

There were a couple of things that I knew I wanted to do while in Chicago. The list was short but straightforward: try a Chicago style hotdog, a deep-dish pizza, attend a Cubs game, see a production of Hamilton, visit the Bean, and visit Lake Michigan. This list was, by all accounts, a pretty basic agenda of Chicago activities, but for me, they were a must.

I started at DMC at the same time as Matt, Jack, and Andy, so we chose to combine our welcome parties into one mega party and see a Cubs game. The score turned out unfavorable, with the Chicago Cubs losing 11-4 to the Oakland A’s.

Top Dog

The score of the game was the least of my concerns. I was looking for the whole experience, getting to eat a Chicago style hotdog, at Wrigley Field, while watching a Cubs game.

If I am honest with myself, I wanted that Chicago dog more than anything else. It’s always fun enjoying a classic American staple. I don’t think that it can get any more “Chicago” then that night. Sitting in Wrigley field, looking at the original architecture, and enjoying everyone’s company was indeed a blast.  

We were having so much fun; I didn’t even notice that the game had ended. Typically, I might get bored halfway through a baseball game. This is especially true when the team you’re rooting for is destined to lose. But time flies when you are having fun! At the end of the game, I felt welcomed by everyone at DMC and excited to start this new chapter in my life! 

Learn more about DMC’s company culture and check out our open positions to join our team.

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