The Bird
The Raven is a powerful bird that ranges across the world. At approximately 24 inches from beak to tail, the raven is considerably larger than its cousin the crow. The raven has black legs, black feet and black glossy feathers with iridescent green highlights. The Raven is one of the smartest of birds and uses its brainpower to solve problems more complex than can be handled by lower mammals. Ravens mate for life but join in flocks, in which they can make use of their extensive vocabularies. They are proficient fliers and can be observed playfully tumbling, rolling and conducting aerial acrobatics, including mating dances.

Raven in Lore
Raven is featured in many stories and myths. Raven talked his way onto Noah's Ark and after the forty days of rains he disgraced himself by attending to his own needs rather than searching for dry land.

In Norse legend Odin depended upon a pair of ravens, Hugin and Munin, to fly around the world and return with news.

In Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven the bird shrieked "Nevermore" to millions of perplexed readers.

For us, Raven's character is best expressed in the rich storytelling tradition of Pacific Northwest Native Americans. It was Raven who flew to the east to bring the light of the sun to the west. It was Raven who discovered the first human beings hiding inside a clamshell. It was Raven, a trickster and shapechanger (able to assume any human or animal form), who used his wiles to acquire fire, clothing, shelter, food and other essentials. However, to the delight of many listening to the stories Raven's mischief also could backfire providing amusement - and lessons.

Synthesis
As we learned about the various attributes of Raven, the beauty, intelligence and power of the bird intrigued us, while the entertaining stories of raven lifted us. Claude Levi-Strauss in the Preface to The Raven Steals the Light captures the two sides of raven, "In a universe undergoing constant change, the Raven is both the ultimate rebel and the foremost maker of laws." And therein lies the spirit of Raven Business Group: in a complex 24-7 world demanding adaptability we respond by combining creativity and problem-solving, on the other side we are dedicated to performance efficiencies that reflect world-class practices. However, far more than ingenuity enabling survival, Raven Business Group looks to sustain organizations as an integral expression of our love of life.

Here is a site on Raven in Pacific Northwest lore:
http://www.eldrbarry.net/rabb/rvn/rvn.htm

Here is the site of Evon Zerbetz, printmaker, writer and raven devotee:
http://evonzerbetz.com/stationsraven.html