Jason Yeh, Joseph Yeh & John Yeh

If you had told me one and half months ago that I would be going on an RV trip for seven weeks starting September 15th – I would have put good money down that you were telling Joke of the Year.

My name is Michelle Gerson, and I’m an Outreach Coordinator for Viable. I’m also Viable employee
#150, having joined the company a mere two months ago. However, I was already elbow-deep in a big project with looming deadlines, had two videophone calls scheduled for that evening, and a sponsorship proposal due on my boss’ desk by 1:00pm – and it was only 11:00 in the morning. I wasn’t the only busy one: the office was abuzz with activity; videophone conversations were going at full speed and fingers were flying across keyboards. In addition to the everyday sights at the office, the steady vibration of the hammering and drilling of our new offices in our second Rockville location joined our daily routine. A RV road trip would have not fit anywhere in this picture.

Little did we know…

It was exactly a month and half ago when Assistant Vice-President of Business Development Anthony Mowl breezed into the office – apparently fresh from another meeting – tapping both mine and Ruz’s desks to get our attention. Once we looked up from our computers, Anthony wasted no time in announcing that Jason Ruzicka and I, along with two undecided others, would be part of a core team going on a cross-country road trip in the DeafNation RV. While the DeafNation Expos would be our primary stops, he explained, we would be making stops along the way, reporting on the happenings of the Deaf community across the country.

I snuck a glance at Jason to see his reaction. Jason – known as “Ruz” to his peers – was Viable’s Marketing Associate, and one of the first few employees Viable hired when the company started to expand. A look of surprise – then a grin – crossed Ruz’s face.

“Seven weeks,” I signed with a combination of disbelief and awe. “Wow.”

“Seven weeks,” Ruz affirmed, still grinning. “Ready?”

Fast forward a month later, and we all couldn’t be more ready. With the DeafNation RV jam-packed with our clothes, food, and enough electronics to put Best Buy to shame – coupled with our brand-new Viable truck bringing up the rear – we were ready to hit the road. The crew had then grown to a solid seven: Pack leader Anthony Mowl, Erica Hossler, (our videographer, video editor, and photographer extraordinaire), Shawn Shannon and Darryl Niefer (Viable representatives and savvy RV/truck drivers), and Randy Renchard (Viable’s building manager and a jack-of-all-trades).

But it wasn’t time to leave – not quite yet! With the RV and the truck’s backs to each other, Viable CEO John T.C. Yeh, Vice-President of Corporate Strategy Joseph Yeh, and Vice-President of Technology Jason Yeh climbed onto the truck’s platform, facing approximately fifty of the company’s 150+ employees. After Anthony – and John T.C. Yeh – made riveting remarks on how far the company had come since it was founded and thanking all the company employees for their dedication and hard work, it was time to break open the champagne…

…literally.

Three champagne bottles were presented to the three Yehs, who took turns “christening” our new Viable truck by smashing their bottle against the edges!

It would be putting it mildly to say that our seven-week schedule is jam-packed with events and stops – we plan to visit deaf schools, organizations, and deaf-owned businesses, learning about the jewels of Deaf America that are neatly tucked away in all corners of the United States. We are out to discover the best of what Deaf America has to offer – and what better first destination than Rochester, NY, home to more than 70,000 Deaf people? With that in mind, plans to visit Rochester School for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, and several community organizations are set! Stay tuned for the following blogs, photographs, and video clips of our visits and interviews!

Viable is proud to serve as DeafNation’s faithful correspondent for the next several weeks – please feel free to contact us at roadtrip@deafnation.com, whether it’s just to say hi or to suggest Deaf events, organizations or businesses for us to stop by!