Jama Turns 7

It’s a big week in Jama Nation: our 7th Birthday was July 7, and we’ve spent the week reminiscing on our intranet about favorite Jama memories from the last few years. The posts have been funny, poignant, unforgettable reminders of how glad we are to operate in the Rose City and all that entails. Here are a couple notables from our last seven years:

11:11 Meetings
What started as a twice weekly, all-company stand-up meeting (scheduled at 11:11 am for 11 minutes) has grown with us into a monthly all-hands meeting that includes department updates, announcements and a featured team keynote.

The $440 Fund and the various things it’s been used to purchase
Originally our monthly grocery fund (responsibility of the groceries revolved each month, meaning cases and cases of Cup-of-Noodles in June and a fresh, warm loaf of bread in the kitchen each morning in July), then a fund each Orange Week cohort used to purchase an item we needed/wanted for the office (Plants! Bike repair stand!) and now a fund the Orange Week cohort uses to creatively plan a company happy hour.

Frank’s Mystery Rides
Each year, during Bike Commute Challenge Month, our engineering director Frank plans a mystery bike ride. The rides always include food and fun, but you never know where you’re headed. Helmets are cool (and required) and costumes are highly encouraged.

The Jama Customer Wall
What began as a tradition in our first office in the Portland State University accelerator office with construction paper and an ink-jet printer, now takes up an entire wall with over 600 framed logos.

Halloween
Every October 31 for the last seven years.

Our February 2013 trip to Seattle
The only rain free day in February, this day included an epic scavenger hunt through downtown, a mad dash back to the train station and a missed pizza delivery, resulting in 60 very hungry Jamanians.

The various office spaces we’ve inhabited
Including the one under the stairs on 14^th street; the sub-let space in the architecture firm with the scowly office manager who blamed us for messing up the kitchen; the move to our current headquarters and the weekend spent assembling IKEA desks and chairs.

All of the matching outfits!
Seems like more often than usual we dress alike. And there was that one time everyone on the customer success team wore plaid…

Tree to Tree Adventure Park
Nothing like swinging from trees, dozens of feet in the air, to build trust among your coworkers.

Everything we do together beyond the walls of our office
The Warrior Dash, the BrewCycle, the Jama Basketball team, the mountains we’ve (literally and figuratively) claimed together, the marathons and half marathons, fun runs and bike excursions.

It’s been a great 7 trips around the sun. Thanks to all of our employees, customers and the Portland community that has made and continues to make our journey so enjoyable. Here’s to the next 7!

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Jama Software

Subject matter experts from Jama Software provide guidance and best practices on requirements management, test management, compliance and regulation, risk management, and complex product and software development.