Drum Roll please.

The IPv6 Forum www.ipv6forum.com recognises the outstanding contributions of individuals to the cause of IPv6 development, promotion and deployment. We acknowledge the individuals with the award of the IPv6 Forum's IPv6 Pioneer status:

HyoungJun Kim (Seoul 2007) Geof Lambert. (Sacramento 2007) George Usi (Sacramento 2007)

Just a few short years ago, my business partner, Geof Lambert got all excited when reading something on the Internet and all we heard from him for months was IPv6 this and IPv6 that and we all rolled our eyes and said, "Oh good grief, what is Geof up to now?" But Geof just went about his business lining people up for events and meeting people worldwide on the Internet who also were excited about IPv6. And he quickly figured out that countries around the world were much further ahead of the US in preparing for IPv6, which by then I had figured out by actually listening to Geof at some point, was the new version of the Internet. Geof got in touch with Vint Cerf, one of the father's of the Internet, long before he joined Google, and Vint came to town to some IPv6 meetings. And Geof got a meeting with Clark Kelso, the CIO of the State of California, and got him to think about IPv6. And then Geof held meetings with first responders - I remember being at the Fire Department in Elk Grove - and got them all excited about what IPv6 could do for them. And then he even went to DC and talked to the Homeland Security people. And in the midst of this, he got George Usi of Sacramento all excited about IPv6 and he started getting involved in a big way. And all along Geof had an idea that everything that happens technologically in the United States doesn't have to happen in Silicon Valley. One day, he vowed, he was going to get Sacramento on the list.

Well, Geof, you just did. Check out the list above. Two guys from Sacramento getting a worldwide distinguished honor. You have my total respect. You kept at it, you did it on a shoestring and you really got people thinking and acting. And I am sure you have a few more of these ideas up your sleeve because you are always thinking about what's going to be big in the future. And you never let anything get in your way - not even all the people who roll their eyes at your 'new ideas'.

Gillian Parrillo Click to Open Web Page