Registration Deadline is Today

Deadline is tonight to register your team in the annual Geeks on Ice hockey tournament.

To register your team and secure your spot today, please follow our instructions:

• Contact Michael Nied, Logistics Chair, by email at geeksonice@gmail.com expressing your intent to register.
• Provide Geeks on Ice with a $100.00 deposit or your entire $800.00 registration fee to reserve your spot.

**Note: Only teams that have provided a deposit or full registration will have a secured spot in the 16 team hockey tournament.

Draft Jim from Rim Deadline Today

Geeks have yet to hear from Jim Balsillie

Moncton, NB-- The deadline imposed by Geeks on Ice organizers for Jim Balsillie to respond to their invitation will expire tonight. The “Draft Jim from Rim” campaign has attracted the attention of the public as well as the local, national and international media outlets who want to know one thing… Will Mr. Balsillie accept the invitation?

The campaign kicked-off in late January with letters from local business and community leaders being sent to the business icon requesting he attend the annual hockey tournament benefiting local non-profit agencies. The group of leaders who participated included Whitehill CEO Paul McSpurren, Aliant CIO Ivan Toner, FatKat Animation President Gene Fowler, Business New Brunswick Minister Greg Byrne, Moncton City Councillor Doug Robertson and local MP Brian Murphy. Each letter is posted on www.GeeksonIce.com for the public to read.

Organizers have yet to hear from the Research in Motion co-CEO as of noon on deadline day. Many have speculated that Mr. Balsillie has no interest in playing alongside Atlantic Canada’s elite group of amateur hockey players and technology professionals. Know as a self described “hockey nut” and competitive golfer, Mr. Balsillie is best know for his attempt to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins in late 2006.

“Our committee determined that the combination of our tournament coinciding with Research in Motion’s one year anniversary in their Halifax office with the know fact that Mr. Balsillie is a hockey fan made him the perfect candidate for our goal to attract an industry icon”, says Trevor Macausland, Geeks on Ice Founder. “We are slightly disappointed that we have yet to hear from Mr. Balsillie, however; we are hoping to hear good news today”.

Should Jim Balsillie decide to pass on the opportunity to participate in this year’s event; the tournament committee has already set their sights on attracting another major technology icon for 2008 as part of their 5-year anniversary. Through media report in Europe the Geeks on Ice team has discovered that Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy is also a hockey enthusiast. The group has already contact Mr. McNealy about the tournament and he responded immediately. While Mr. McNealy has a conflict for 2007, he is interested in playing in Geeks on Ice 2008 as long as he does not have a scheduling conflict.

Registration Deadline Reminder

This is a reminder to all teams or organizations looking to register a team in the annual Geeks on Ice hockey tournament. Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 28, 2007.

FAQ:

Q) What is Geeks on Ice?

A) Geeks on Ice is an annual technology hockey tournament with a goal to promote networking among technology professionals, promote wellness and serve as a fundraising mechanism to help local non-profit agencies upgrade their computers and software.

Q) How many years has the tournament been played?

A) Four years.

Q) What is the skill level? Is this tournament competitive?

A) Geeks on Ice is recreational hockey tournament focusing on the networking through sport. The committee measures each team based on their roster skill level and places each team in the appropriate division based on the skills assessment. The tournament has a zero tolerance policy on fighting and strictly enforces non-contact rules. Organizers place emphasis on the family atmosphere of the tournament and its main focus is on sportsmanship, which is what makes the tournament a unique event.

Q) Does my team qualify for registration?

A) The tournament focuses on organizations that use technology for manufacturing or delivery of their services. Traditionally this includes call centers, R&D, insurance, banking, consulting, bioscience, gaming, animation, and software and hardware organizations.

Q) How much is registration?

A) Registration is $800.00 per team. Event organizers are asking for a minimum $100.00 deposit by February 28th.

Q) What does the registration fee cover?

A) 3 games, Geekfest admission, player liability insurance, sponsor specials, Rising Stars player gift prize bag and official 2007 Whitehill Technologies Geeks on Ice puck.

Q) To whom do I make the payment to?

A) Geeks on Ice

Q) Whom do I contact for registration?

A) Michael Nied, Logistics Chair (geeksonice@gmail.com)

Q) How many teams can play in your tournament?

A) Maximum 16 teams

Q) Can I register more then one team?

A) Yes

Q) Do I need to give you my full roster by the registration deadline?

A) No, but tournament organizers would like to have your roster as soon as possible after the deadline date.

Q) What are the dates of the tournament?

A) The event kicks off on Thursday, April 19, 2007 and runs until Sunday, April 22, 2007.

Q) If my team is from out of town, will I have to play on Thursday night?

A) Arrangements can be made with the logistics sub-committee, however; we do not guarantee your game times until after registration has passed.

Q) If I do not have a team and want to play, what can I do?

A) Geeks on Ice offer a free agent option. Send a request to geeksonice@gmail.com to express your interest in becoming a free agent.

Q) Who is your non-profit partner?

A) United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB Region

For more information please contact us at geeksonice@gmail.com

Geeks did not snub SUN for RIM

Seems like our "little" hockey tournament has attracted the attention of some individuals in England. I checked my network traffic this morning and notice a huge increase in traffic. I wondered why the spike? Then the answer...

It seems like Ashlee Vance of The Register, a UK online newspaper, has decided that our "Draft Jim from RIM" campaign is just a thinly veiled attempt to get a job with Research in Motion. The article can be found here: Article

Ashlee also insists that we snubbed Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy whom is also a hockey player and fan. Our decision to launch the "Draft Jim from RIM" campaign was never intended to be a snub to Mr. McNealy. Our campaign is based on Mr. Balsillie's widely known reputation for being a hockey enthusiast and coincide with the 1 year anniversary of RIM's Halifax, Nova Scotia office opening.

In order to rectify any perceived wrong on our part between Geeks on Ice and Sun Microsystems, I immediately contacted technology industry titan Scott McNealy to extend him a personal invitation to Geeks on Ice. I explained to him that had we known that he was such a huge hockey enthusiast, we would have contacted him earlier. Mr. McNealy replied within hours that due to a scheduling conflict, he cannot make the 2007 edition of our event. He did indicate that he was interested in participating in 2008, which would mark our 5 year anniversary.

Had Ashlee conducted research our event, he might have realized that Geeks on Ice is not about the individual. Geeks is about our technology community working together to build a better society through technology investments in non-profit agencies.

In closing, I owe Ashlee from The Register a big Atlantic Canadian thank you! Because of your post, Geeks on Ice has now attracted an international audience and a new team for 2008.

Sincerely yours,

Trevor Macausland
Geeks on Ice Founder

Disclaimer: Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Geeks on Ice committee, participants and sponsors.

Industry News: KIRA Call for Nominations

New Brunswick companies and individuals within the Knowledge Industry are invited to nominate individuals or organizations for KIRA 2007. KIRA is a province-wide event with awards in seven categories. We encourage companies to self nominate or have someone else nominate for you or your company.

Nominations close on
Friday, March 30, 2007.

Please visit www.kiraawards.com for more detailed information.

KIRA is an annual celebration recognizing the successes and innovations of individuals and companies within New Brunswick's Knowledge Industry. At the 2007 KIRA Gala, the outstanding achievements of companies and individuals within the knowledge industry across the province will be honoured.

Geek Community Needs Signatures

In January, the Moncton Technology Planning Group and the City of Moncton released the results of an extensive study on accelerating Moncton’s technology-based growth and entrepreneurship (PDF). Several challenges were identified in the study. Some challenges identified were recruitment and retention, the launch of start-ups, post-secondary education, career expansion, limited national and international visibility and a lack of common vision, branding and strategic plan.

Our committee was encouraged by the leadership displayed by Councillor Doug Robertson and the Moncton Technology Planning Group on the issues facing our local technology cluster. Our team immediately explored ways to the group address the challenges of visibility and branding of our beloved region.

In response to the report, Geeks on Ice launched the “Draft Jim from RIM” letter writing campaign in January to coincide with the launch of our 2007 hockey tournament and fundraising campaign. The objective of the “Draft Jim from Rim” campaign is to convince Research in Motion (Blackberry) co-CEO Jim Balsillie to participate in our April event. His acceptance would enable our region to showcase our technology industry to one of the most powerful individuals in the IT world as well as attract national and international interests.

We have enlisted the services of several key business and community leaders in this campaign and it is now time to ask the public for their assistance. Having our entire community rally behind the campaign would convince Mr. Balsillie that the Greater Moncton region and New Brunswick is serious about creating a sustainable technology cluster in our region. Even if you have not formal ties to the technology industry, we are asking you to sign our online petition requesting Jim Balsillie’s presence at the April Geeks on Ice event. Our goal is to get a minimum of 500 signatures.

Signing the petition takes only a couple of seconds and could be the final key to get Jim to come to Moncton. The petition can be found on our website www.GeeksonIce.com under the Draft Jim from RIM section.

Let’s show the world that Moncton and New Brunswick is technology driven and geek powered!

Trevor Macausland
Co-chair and Founder
Geeks on Ice
Moncton, NB

Draft Jim from RIM **Update**

Many readers have inquired on the progress of our GOI "Draft Jim and RIM" letter writting campaign since we announced we announced it in January.

The campaign has no doubt captured the attention of the local media and the public who want to know if Jim has accepted our invitation. Over a dozen letters have been sent to Mr. Balsillie by local business and political leaders in an attempt to convince the technology icon to register a team in the April event. Some of our letters can be found on this website under the Draft Jim and RIM section to the right of this entry. More will be uploaded soon.

To date we have not heard from Mr. Balsillie regarding his interests in the event. Our committee did expect a slow response, since there are many factor for him to consider before replying to our February 28th deadline. When we launched the campaign, we knew that Mr. Balsillie, recognized by Time magazine as a Builder and Titan of the global business world in 2005, has an extensive schedule that may conflict with our event. Regardless, we are confident that his silence thus far is due to his interest in our event and that he might be trying to work his schedule around the Geeks on Ice dates.

We will keep reaching out to Jim Balsillie with letters, by telephone and email to press him for an answer. Rumour has it that our "little" campaign has even peaked the interest of the Business NB Minister...

In an effort to step up our campaign, we would like to invite the public to sign our online petition to ask Jim Balsillie to attend our April event.

You can sign the petition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/draftjim/

Keep checking the website for updates...

GOI 2007 - Registration Deadline Reminder

Reminder, the deadline for registering your team, or as a Free Agent, is Wednesday, February 28!
To register download a registration form to email or print.

Any questions, please contact us via email.

Thanks,

2007 Geeks On Ice Organizing Committee

Property Guys Ready to Defend

Gair Maxwell interviews Property Guys CEO Ken Leblanc about his thoughts on the 2007 edition of his Geeks on Ice team and their chances of repeating. Send us your team's YouTube videos if you want to issue a challenge or make other teams take notice!

GREATER MONCTON UNITED WAY GETS GEEKY FOR 2007 EVENT

MONCTON, NB, JANUARY 19, 2007: Geeks on Ice and the United Way of Greater Moncton have announced a formal partnership for 2007. The group of local technology professionals and organizations will work with the non-profit community agency to meet the increasing demand for updated computers, hardware equipment and software products, in charitable non-profit community organizations in the region. In 2006, Geeks on Ice delivered on their promise to Moncton based Support for Single Parents, Inc. The group acquired $4000.00 worth of technology through in-kind donations and approximately $2000.00 in funds, to help the organization with their everyday operations.

"The United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB Region is extremely proud to be partnering with the 2007 Geeks on Ice. It is a wonderful opportunity to raise funds, and valuable computer resources that many of our community agencies simply do not have
the ability to acquire", explains Debbie McInnis, Executive Director of the United Way. "We strongly support the Geeks on Ice mission. Sharing expertise across sectors greatly benefits our region and is instrumental in building healthy vibrant communities".

This year’s event will feature 16 teams from across Atlantic Canada playing a total of twenty-seven hours of hockey accompanied by Geekfest, an annual networking event. One of the three objectives for event organizers is to serve as a fundraising mechanism for non-profit organizations. Several Greater Moncton United Way affiliated agencies have already submitted their request for new desktop and laptop computers, printers, wireless routers, LCD projectors and software.

“We’ve identify a tremendous technology deficit among our local non-profit sector. Using their expertise our participants, sponsors and committee members can help overcome those hurdles.”, says Trevor Macausland, founder of Geeks on Ice. “For most agencies it is a struggle to find balance between the delivery of key services with out-dated technology. Our objective is to make technology an accelerator, not a barrier to building a better community”.

The United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern NB and Geeks on Ice are asking the business community and the public for donations, in the form of monetary contributions, or in-kind technology donations, to meet requirements set by local agencies. Team registration for the hockey tournament is also open to any technology related organization wishing to enter a team. Registration deadline is February 28th.

Any inquiries concerning sponsorship, donations, registration or media relations can be sent to geeksonice@gmail.com. For more information on the event, please visit www.GeeksonIce.com or http://www.gmsenbunitedway.ca/.
-End-


(Version Française)

Geeks want to skate with Balsillie

DAVID SHIPLEY
Telegraph-Journal
Published Monday February 5th, 2007
Appeared on page B1


A high-tech hockey tournament in New Brunswick is hoping to draft a top player.

But organizers aren't looking for an NHL-quality ringer.

Instead, they're interested in someone who's more famous for building his communications company into a household name than he is for hockey skills. The Geeks on Ice have set their sights on Jim Balsillie, chief executive officer of Research in Motion and an avid hockey enthusiast. ....

For the rest of the article click here
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