Portland State Magazine Fall 2012

TODAY, THE DRU PAL ASSOCIATION is a $3-million operation with 19,000 members and eight full-time staff. They share space wich 25 scare-up science and technology companies at the 50,000-square-foot Accelerator, which facil– itates business incubation and advancement through a range of support services, while serving as a "living laboratory" for the Universiry. "The Accelerator also allows us to nerwork with companies here," says Redding. "We're a stare-up. We've grown fast and need people. Bueche knowledge-sharing goes both ways." Drupal Association members also learn from each ocher, at the organization's annual events: Its rwo international conferences each draw about 2,000 to 3,000 participants, with one coming to Portland for the first time in May 2013. Then there's the largest code sprint in the world, where 500 Drupal developers sit together in a room writing software, generating new innovative technologies. "What normally would take months or years, we can do in one to rwo days," says Redding. There are also trainings and www.drupal.org, which is visited by 2.5 million people every month. When he's not "making sure the association is in line with what the open-source community expects us to do," he says, he's Ripping steaks on the grill or taking in Portland's vibrant jazz and blues scenes. Oh, and don't forget the bike. "Portland is great for cycling. There are a lot of good bike paths, smooch roads and patient drivers," a big plus for Redding, who zips around town commuting to work and clicking off 100 or more miles some weekends. "I do miss New York," he confesses. "It moves faster, including the technology. But here is where I live." For how long, he doesn't know. "I love this ciry, but eventual ly I'll end up on the East Coast again, closer co all my family." For now, it's the West Coast, wide open and waiting. While bicycling to the beach, Redding may be pondering those icy waves he'll surf, buc you can bet he's also dream– ing about Drupal. What excites him the most? "Sofrware technology moves faster than any ocher industry. You always have sand beneath your feet, so you have to keep changing and innovating. And you can do that faster when you give the blueprints of a sofrware program to sociery. That's where the magic happens." ■ Claire Sykes is a freelance writer based in Portland. FALL 2012 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 25