I was fortunate to be invited to Boulder for the 4th annual ideas and leadership conference,  SCIENCE+ NATURE+ART+PEOPLE (SNAP!). This is the name of a gathering hosted by a quartet of early and highly successful pioneers of the natural products industry.

Renewal's CEO Joel Solomon was recently profiled in his hometown paper The Chattanoogan. 

Joel reflects on his start with Northgate Mall in Chattanooga, Tennessee here.

The following is an excerpt from a letter to Joel Solomon. Daniel Harris is a student who spent this past summer in Vancouver, visiting from Nashville, volunteering his time on a number of different initiatives including Gregor Robertson's mayoral nomination campaign.

I had a memorable experience a couple of weeks ago in San Francisco at the stimulating Momentum Conference, produced by the Tides Foundation.

Momentum gathered activists, philanthropists, and intelligentsia, drawn primarily by the call to consider strategies for solutions around the most challenging issues of the times, in light of the looming leadership change in the White House. The brainchild of Tides founder and CEO Drummond Pike (also board chair of the Endswell Foundation and a founding board member of Tides Canada Foundation), Momentum was patterned on the renowned TED and Idea City conferences, all with a progressive agenda focus.

Renewal is deep in the build out of the interior with Penner and Associates. They are driving us towards the highest level of LEED we can reach for commercial build out of office space. Fitting modern offices into the irregularities and charm of a 19th century space tests our patience and pocketbook.  The charm of the 100+ year old brick, massive windows, central light well, and the 8 or 9  walk in vaults with original steel doors, hold tales we'll have fun for years creating and embellishing.

We are seeking a full-time Administrative Assistant for our dynamic multi-company office for an upcoming maternity leave. This position will start in early August 2008 for a 12 month period. (The possibility of ongoing employment may exist for the right candidate.) 

I'm heartened by the response to Renewal2, our new social venture investment fund. Along with my colleague Nicole Bradbury, I've recently made trips to San Franciso and Seattle. We met with interested prospective partners, and new introductions who are committed to or are exploring mission based investing as changes in their portfolios.

Sunday, June 15th was an exciting day for me. My friend Gregor Robertson won a resounding victory over two strong candidates, turning out an astounding 3,600 members to vote in the party nomination meeting. Vision Vancouver candidates have signed up enough new folks to become the largest municipal party in Canada.

Bill Weaver, who runs Media that Matters each May at Hollyhock, produced a film some 15 years ago called The Heart of Business. It featured, among others, a Victoria entrepreneur named Heather Fox who had begun a line of hand-painted clothing. Heather had once been a hospice worker.

I'm back on Cortes Island for a long weekend and several business meetings related to Renewal Land Company's conservation land efforts as well as hosting some old and new friends.

The gardens of Hollyhock and the island are explosive in colour, scent, and the plants are soaking up the longest days of the year. With 11pm feeling like late dusk, critters on the move everywhere, and humans full of curiosity and prowling, it's a pure symphony of life.