| A Klingon
dictionary and traditional Vulcan valediction, "Live long
and prosper," helped cement a friendship between MSU's
linguist-president and a local CEO. |
President
Geoff Gamble gave fellow polyglot and Star Trek aficionado Chris
Nelson, Zoot Enterprises president and CEO, the Klingon text.
It was a gesture of appreciation for more than a decade of a
technical and academic relationship, and now scholarships and
internships.
"Chris Nelson is a Trekkie," said Gamble whose own
bookshelf includes a copy of Klingon lexicon. "Over the
years, Chris has lectured on campus, offered guest instruction
in classes and hired many MSU alumni." A Billings native
and graduate of Eastern Montana College (now MSU-Billings),
Nelson joined advisory councils for both the College of Engineering
and computer science department. |
|
|
|
Shown
are some MSU alums now working at Zoot: (Front
row, left to right) Zoot president Chris Nelson,
Jessica Moe, Rainey Peuse, Susan Sheard, Travis
Tuss and Brian Thomas. (Back row) Jason Allerdings,
Mike Kellogg, Nikki Nearly, Jim Orham and Jeff
Williams.
|
|
Photo by Jean Arthur
|
|
| Of
Zoot's 110 employees, nearly half are MSU alumni
or students, many from MSU's computer science department.
Each year, two MSU College of Engineering computer
science students receive a $1,000 scholarship from
Zoot. The company credits the students for their
character, integrity, initiative, creativity, commitment
to community and software expertise. |
| "It
is a great honor for Zoot to support such fine students,"
said Nelson. "Many of our employees have come
from MSU, and we have always been thrilled with
their ability. Sponsoring two computer science scholarships
has been a positive way for us to give something
back to the university community." |
While
on internship, the students tackle real-world software
design and support challenges.
Zoot provides "instant customized credit decisioning
for financial institutions and other credit grantors,"
said Nelson. "We produce the industry's best
decisioning systems that led to long-term relationships
with seven of the top 10 banking companies in America." |
|
|
| Nelson
launched the Bozeman-based Zoot in 1990, operating his credit
application analysis business from his basement. Zoot, a Nelson-family
nickname, soon outgrew its subsurface surroundings. Five moves
and eight buildings later, Zoot's new home at Four Corners is
a 35-acre campus called Galactic Park. It can support up to
2,500 employees in five buildings. The 177-acre Galactic Park
subdivision includes plans for 142 residences, a dozen like-minded
businesses, a day care, a lodge for visitors and an extensive
trail system. |
| The new
facility opened fall 2002, and has the capability to carry 4.5
million telecommunications connections at a time via 48 strands
of fiber optics cable connecting Zoot to the world. Zoot processes
more than 250,000 credit applications a day for customers such
as Bank of America and Washington Mutual Bank. |
| "Our
new campus houses all the computers and people in one building
with better redundancy to our systems," said programmer
Paul Kneeland, who is pursuing a computer science degree from
MSU. "For example, we have two fuel cells, two generators
and the power company so that if there is ever a disaster that
knocks out power, we have four backup power sources. Our customers
would see no down time." |
| One of
the more attractive elements of working for Zoot, however, is
employee down time. |
| "Each
department has a monthly outing," said Kneeland. "Last
month we played volleyball during the work day. We have a serious
job and take a lot of pride in our work, but it's important
to take time out, have fun then refocus." |
| The best
thing about working for Zoot just might be the business suit.
Zoot holds a dip and dye party where employees tie-dye T-shirts,
the Zoot business suit. |
| "We
at MSU of course wish 'Qapla' for Zoot and all our alumni,"
said Gamble, adding that Qapla means "success" in
Klingon. "Innovative businesses like Zoot are helping to
form a new knowledge-based economy that is making a positive
difference in our state, our community and our university." |
|
|
|
|
