Industry Spotlight: Jacques Desormiere
Welcome back to ThinkNW’s Industry Spotlight Series where we get to know individuals working in the regional marketing, advertising, and media community.
This month we are honored to feature Jacques Desormiere, Director of Quality Assurance at GRAYBOX. Jacques shared with us what excites him most about the industry, how important and helpful digital support is, and that you shouldn’t expect him to share his ice cream.
How did you get started in the industry? What’s been your career roadmap?
I worked as a restaurant manager in Madagascar prior to creating my own web design company over there. After moving to Portland on New Year’s Day in 2009, I decided to work for a bigger entity rather than my own, so I moved on and started as a contractor for Welocalize. Finally, I found the best opportunity of my career after meeting Paul Weinert and GRAYBOX in 2016. It has been an incredible journey with a bright future ahead of us.
What excites you most about this industry?
The aspect that it’s forever changing, that we constantly need to learn and move forward is a great driver – technologically but also humanly speaking. The COVID crisis demonstrated how important and helpful digital support and presence could be. So the aspect that we can help people’s lives in times of change and adversity is key.
What human quality do you most admire and also most deplore?
Fairness, honesty, and accountability are vitally essential qualities, and standards I hold myself to as well as others. As for what I deplore, definitely overpromising and pretending to know.
Out of all the projects you have worked on (or people you’ve worked with), which (or who) has been your favorite? And why?
I definitely don’t know where to start to answer this question. Fortunately, most of the projects I worked on and most of my coworkers over the years should be mentioned here, but it would take ages to write, and I would prefer not to make the audience fall asleep. I will say though, that a long time ago, and for a very brief time, I worked as a volunteer in an orphanage with my mother, she definitely was my best coworker.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Ice cream. All the ice cream, except mint chocolate.
What is the most fun part of your job?
Production deployments and solving critical issues that need hotfixes. But overall, solving problems, and the eureka moments make this work worth it every day.
What is the app you wish someone would invent?
I haven’t found a good enough idea yet.
What is your favorite local ad campaign?
I cannot express my admiration enough for all the medical workers.
Where is your favorite place in the Pacific Northwest?
The Gorge, definitely the Columbia River Gorge. I am well-traveled (writing this from Marseille, France), but this place is definitely in my top ten.
