Tag: events

Edmonton Notes for 1/27/2013

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Edmonton Landscape (winter)
Edmonton Landscape (winter) by Brennan.

Here are some upcoming events:

%$^& It i'm going for it.
Justin Piercy says he has been “eyeing this shot up for literally a few years” and finally went for it. I’m glad he did!

Media Monday Edmonton: Oprah comes to town

Oprah Winfrey was in Edmonton tonight for the first of three Canadian stops on a mini speaking tour that will also take her to Calgary and Vancouver later this week. She has been the talk of the town lately, with thousands of Edmontonians looking forward to hearing from the TV icon herself (and spending a lot of money to do so). I was fortunate enough to attend with Sharon courtesy of EEDC, one of the event’s sponsors. While I didn’t exactly grow up watching Oprah, many people around me regularly watched her show, such as my Mom and Grandma. I think most of the people in attendance tonight (primarily women, it’s true) are fans of Oprah because of the good she does in the world, because of what she does for other people, but for me the appeal has always been her larger-than-life personality. I wasn’t hoping for a life-changing moment tonight. Instead, I was hoping to gain a better understanding of what makes Oprah the woman she is.

Oprah in Edmonton

Tonight’s event was hosted by Global Edmonton’s Carole Anne Devaney. She admitted to being extremely nervous, and shared with us some of her own memories of Oprah’s show. She then got the crowd fired up by sharing a few “favorite things” from Edmonton that Oprah will be going home with. She chose sausage, a photo/painting of the river valley, a basket of goodies from Duchess Bake Shop, and an Edmonton Oilers jersey with #1 and Winfrey emblazoned on the back. Oh and a purse shaped like truck nuts. “Ok maybe that’s not one of Edmonton’s favorite things,” she joked.

Oprah in Edmonton

I thought Carole Anne did a great job, and she looked absolutely smashing. “We’re all going to leave a little bit more inspired, a little bit more motivated, and a little bit more enlightened,” she said before she left the stage.

After an official introduction from CIBC’s Gary Mayzes, it was finally time for Oprah to come out on stage. Here’s a look at what it was like:

It was pretty incredible! As you can see, she decided to humor us and Carole Anne with the truck nut purse.

Despite all the chatter about Oprah coming to town, and despite the show being sold out, no one really knew what to expect. Oprah herself addressed this when she got on stage. The program explained that the event would provide “an intimate personal profile of someone who has touched people across the globe for more than a quarter century as one of the most powerful voices in media, resonating with and bringing hope to people of all walks of life.” Oprah set the record straight. “I am here because I have a glorious life; and I want that for you.”

Oprah in Edmonton

The next couple of hours seemed to go by pretty quickly. Using clips from her show, photos from her childhood, but mostly just stories, Oprah shared with us how she got from Kosciusko, Mississippi to Edmonton. I felt at times as if I were in a church sermon, especially with the various Oprahisms she shared. Here’s a taste:

  • “I come from the power, I have access to the power, but I am not the power.”
  • Purpose is Spirit seeking expression.
  • “Figure out what your defining thread is, and then share it in service to others.”
  • “The defining question, the thing everybody wants to know is, ‘do I matter?’”
  • “Life isn’t happening to you, it’s happening for you.”
  • “Failure at its most poignant is simply a push in a new direction.”

It’s kind of hard to read those statements out-of-context, I realize. Integrated with stories from her life and things she has learned from other people, they make a lot more sense. Based on the reaction from some folks on Twitter, you could look at Oprah’s remarks as simply popular psychology, but in the room, listening to her speak, they were something more. I think many people did in fact walk away feeling inspired. She’s a powerful storyteller, if nothing else.

She didn’t talk too much about the media part of her career, but there were a few tidbits I picked up. She talked about the recent interview with Lance Armstrong of course, and said that it wasn’t about making him say something a certain way, but rather it was offering him the space to share the truth. She talked about the countless hours of research and preparation that went into that interview, and told us that she had 112 questions prepared.

Oprah in Edmonton

Oprah also talked about the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). She said that 2012 was a terrible year, that she got slaughtered in the press for the network’s struggles. Reflecting on the last few years, she said a change happened when she began to look at herself rather than those around her for answers. “I had gotten comfortable with being successful,” she admitted. That realization led to what she described as a paradigm shift – a shift back toward the founding philosophy of, “how can the network be of service?” And she made a bold declaration: “In three years, the network will be a force for positivity.” She sounded positively energized by the challenge.

After her remarks, George Stroumboulopoulos joined Oprah on stage for a brief sit-down interview. I don’t think the interview was long enough for George to get into a rhythm, and given that Oprah likes to talk she dominated the time. Still, in the short amount of time he had, George managed to impress Oprah. After she described a recent experience with children, he asked, “What did you learn about yourself through that experience?” To which Oprah responded, “Ooh, that’s the kind of question I would ask!”

Oprah in Edmonton

Given that Oprah was such a major supporter of Barack Obama’s in 2008, many wondered why she was in Canada today instead of back in the US for his second inauguration. It turns out, a simple mix-up is to blame. She thought the inauguration was yesterday (which technically it was), though she quickly added: “because I’m here in Edmonton with you!”

The interview ended rather abruptly, but Oprah didn’t skip a beat, standing to offer some final words. She described her prayer for everyone in attendance, and said she hoped the kindness shown to her tonight is returned a thousand-fold to everyone. “What you have to offer is needed,” she declared.

Oprah in Edmonton

I really enjoyed the event tonight, probably more than I expected to. Yes at times Oprah was a little too new-age-preachy for me, but it’s clear that what she says comes from an honest and heartfelt place. I enjoyed hearing her talk about her struggles and her successes. I admire her ability to learn from experiences and her devotion to becoming a better human being. And I’m glad I got to see even just a little bit of the real Oprah – from the recognition that she has an ego, to her funny voices as she told us stories. It was a great night!

Oprah in Edmonton

You can see more photos here.

Edmonton Notes for 1/20/2013

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Untitled
Great nighttime skyline shot by Dejan Galetic. Here’s another one.

Here are some upcoming events:

Dawson Bridge
The Dawson Bridge, by oudzo.

Recap: Edmonton’s Economic Impact Luncheon 2013

Today more than 900 local leaders filled Hall D at the Shaw Conference Centre for EEDC’s Economic Impact Luncheon. It was Brad Ferguson’s first luncheon as the new CEO of EEDC (you can read my interview with Brad here). Peter Silverstone, Chair of EEDC’s Board of Directors, told us that Brad wanted to go big with the luncheon this year. I think it’s safe to say he delivered, and not just because of the giant screen that dazzled everyone in attendance.

eedc impact luncheon

The program began with remarks from the Province and City. Minister of Finance Doug Horner was on hand to bring greetings from the provincial government. He sounded positive, declaring that Alberta would remain Canada’s growth leader, but also realistic. “You’ve heard over the past few weeks about the province’s fiscal challenges,” he said. “You’re going to hear more.” Next up was Mayor Stephen Mandel, and he too sounded upbeat, calling Edmonton “the most entrepreneurial city in the country.” Both men talked about the incredible opportunity that Alberta affords.

Brad followed the dignitaries and he brought a more even tone to the event. He delivered EEDC’s Statement of Intent for 2013-2015, which you can download here. The highlights are that EEDC intends to:

  • “Refocus and re-engage the organization” and will “get back into the industry development business.”
  • Become the change they want to see in the marketplace, which means being competitive vs. complacent.
  • “Fundamentally change the value we deliver to the market.”
  • Bring clarity and confidence in the structure of the organization.
  • Redefine stakeholder relationships within the economic development system.

There’s also a section on “being accountable” that reads:

We believe strongly in building a performance-based culture, and will be working throughout 2013 to build a reporting process of transparency and accountability. To build high-performance business units, each division will focus on its objectives, goals, strategies, and measures – a change from the past to a future focused on a new level of predictable performance. 2013 will be a year of transition, new leadership, new processes and new accountabilities.

Of course the big highlight is the new organizational objective:

To ensure Edmonton and the Capital Region outperform every major economic jurisdiction in North America consistently over the next 20 years – no matter if the price of oil is $40 or $140.

That objective is all Brad, and it speaks to his commitment to competitiveness.

Reading through the longer version of the Statement of Intent, it is clear that major change is on the way for EEDC in 2013. The section on EEDC’s divisional approach makes clear that each division, from the Shaw Conference Centre to Edmonton Tourism, must be held accountable and perform well. It also opens the door for one or more of those divisions to leave EEDC, something that has been discussed with growing frequency. “We are organized to maximize operating efficiency, with proactive orientation and resource allocation along with clear exit strategies…” Furthermore, the list of priorities highlights that alignment with the City of Edmonton and an organizational restructuring is on the way. Perhaps EEDC needs to become a leaner organization in order to execute on its new objective (for the record, I believe it does).

EEDC Impact Luncheon 2013

Here’s what Brad said in the press release for today’s luncheon:

“We are upfront and clear in outlining what we are about and what we will do this year,” says Ferguson. “Edmonton is a great northern city with unlimited entrepreneurship, education and energy — we will be a beacon toward which people who crave opportunity will come.”

Far more interesting is what he said during his remarks. Here are a few quotes I made note of:

  • “When the head of EEDC and the Mayor are in sync, great things can happen. When they are disconnected, the city perishes.”
  • “The self-esteem of Edmontonians is just as volatile as the price of oil, and that has to change. Our self-esteem issues must be conquered.”
  • “When the going gets tough, the tough gain market share. Now is our time.”
  • “We need to have less bravado about Alberta and more about our contribution to the country.”
  • “We need to start talking about what the premier isn’t talking about – and that’s a stable revenue framework.”
  • “I can promise you we’ll never fail because we didn’t try hard enough, or because we lost focus.”

Brad talked about why Edmonton is Canada’s economic and entrepreneurial powerhouse, but he also highlighted some of the dark cloud he sees looming. The message was the same one he has been reiterating since he took the job: we cannot be complacent. It wasn’t all so heavy though. Brad also joked about possibly needing to save the Oilers again, and remarked that we may or may not have a new mayor in October (which I don’t think was meant to be funny, even though the crowd nervously chuckled). He finished with a call-to-action: “come build it here.”

The guest speaker was former Suncor Energy CEO Rick George. He shared some thoughts on Alberta and the future we have ahead of us. Though he touched on some of the topics discussed in his book, Sun Rise: Suncor, The Oil Sands And The Future Of Energy, he didn’t get into too many details about the oil sands. He did challenge everyone to look far down the road, echoing Brad’s earlier call for a plan for Alberta. Rick described himself as “a hopeless optimist” and said we need both optimism and imagination to succeed. “Without optimism, there’s little room for contrarianism and the outside-the-box thinking needed to turn the corner,” he said. Everyone in attendance took home a copy of Rick’s book.

I loved the giant screen and the reorientation of the stage at today’s event. As we ate lunch, images and factoids about Edmonton’s past and present danced across the screen. The event was live-streamed, and it sounds like that was a big success. There was a lot of discussion about the event on Twitter too, using the #yegimpact hashtag, and that always makes these things more interesting.

Most of all I enjoyed the refreshing approach that Brad brought to today’s luncheon. Even, measured, realistic, honest. Sure there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks. We can’t take our eye off the prize.

Want to compare to years past? You can read my recaps of previous EEDC luncheons here: 2012 Annual Luncheon, 2012 Economic Outlook Luncheon, 2011 Annual Luncheon, 2010 Annual Luncheon, 2010 Economic Outlook Luncheon.

Keep an eye on this URL for speaking notes, video, and other materials from today’s luncheon. Be sure to follow @EEDC and @EEDC_BRAD on Twitter for updates.

Edmonton Notes for 1/13/2013

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Idle No More WEM Grand Entry
Idle No More at West Edmonton Mall by Paula Kirman

Here are some upcoming events:

High Level/Dudley B. Menzies at night
Great shot of the High Level and Dudley B. Menzies bridges by Brian Truscott.

Recap: DemoCamp Edmonton 20

Tonight was Edmonton’s 20th DemoCamp, a pretty great milestone for an event that began back in early 2008. The event still manages to attract both new and familiar faces, which makes it a great opportunity to connect with others in the community. We had a really strong turnout tonight and a very solid lineup of interesting demos.

Tonight’s event was held at the Telus Centre on the University of Alberta campus, and featured six demos (in order of appearance):

  • Dan Haight showed us the EMS analytics application that Darkhorse Analytics has built. It runs on an iPad and provides emergency services professionals with insights into the data they already collect (every time you call 911, that information is recorded, along with response times, lat longs, hospital information, etc). The app is very attractive and the UX seems really intuitive. It could easily be adapted to markets other than EMS as well.
  • Next up was Gezim Hoxha who showed us Team Do List, a super simple task list sharing application. With a focus on simplicity the app doesn’t let you do much more than create a list and add tasks to it, but that’s the idea. You don’t even need to create an account to create a task list, you can just start adding tasks. When you’re done, you can share them via email or SMS.
  • Neil Lamoureux was up third and he showed us CodeBaby’s suite of tools for creating intelligent virtual assistants. I have to say, it looked a little too good to be true! In just a matter of minutes, Neil had created an animated, lip-synced virtual assistant for TD Insurance, it was really impressive. The application features a friendly drag & drop interface, and includes the ability to preview an assistant on a live site without making any code changes. Very slick!
  • Our fourth demo was from Ashley & Dana Janssen and Matt Riemer who showed us Tradetacular, a platform for trading Magic: The Gathering cards online. I thought they did a good job of showing us why Tradetacular is better than the alternatives that already exist. I also really enjoyed the fact that they had multiple accounts and browsers setup and open to facilitate demoing a trade. While they are focused on Magic: The Gathering right now there is no reason that Tradetacular couldn’t be used for other collectibles in the future. They’re on to something!
  • Jeff Marvin was up next to show us BioWare’s N7 HQ, an online companion site for the popular Mass Effect 3 game. The site lets players track challenges and awards, view characters, inventory, and leaderboards, and explore profiles of other players. I was hoping for a little less talk and a bit more demo, but it was interesting to gain some insight into a big company like BioWare.
  • Our final demo of the night was from Sam Jenkins and Estyn Edwards who showed us WellNext, an interactive service that helps organizations implement employee wellness and engagement programs. Tonight they focused on a specific integration they built that uses data from a blood test to provide insight into how healthy an individual is, and then provides the organization with an aggregated view of the health of their employees. It was really neat to see it in action!

I think most people in the audience were impressed by how smoothly all of the demos went tonight, so great job to all of the demoers! I’m a sucker for analytics, so I really enjoyed Darkhorse’s demo. But we’ve seen them at DemoCamp before, so I’m going to go with Tradetacular as my favorite of the night, followed closely by WellNext. I loved the attention to detail in both, as well as the confidence in how to address their respective markets. Also, as Cam mentioned, the Tradetacular demo was really well done:

Some of the announcements from the event include:

DemoCamp Edmonton 20

This being a milestone event, I thought some of you might like to go back in time and revisit our past events, so here are my recaps and links for all 113 demos:

See you at DemoCamp Edmonton 21!

Edmonton Notes for 1/6/2013

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Here are some upcoming events:

Muttart Roof
Beautiful Muttart/Skyline shot by Darren.

Edmonton Notes for 12/23/2012

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Frosty Sunset
Frosty Sunset by Ian McKenzie

Merry Christmas!

Edmonton Notes for 12/16/2012

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Alberta Legislature Christmas Lights
Fantastic shot of the Alberta Legislature by Patrick Beronilla.

Here are some upcoming events:

Ice Sculptures
An ice sculpture at the NextGen Outdoor Patio Party, photo by Alistair Henning.

Edmonton Notes for 12/10/2012

I’m back in Edmonton for the rest of the year now after trips to London, Dublin, and Miami over the last two weeks. It was an unplanned but welcome break from writing!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

I <3 YEGDT
The new I ❤ YEGDT banner on the side of City Centre Mall.

Here are some upcoming events:

Snow Bench