Alex Reid

Now:

For over 12 years, I’ve been managing over 500 clients of New Winnipeg Media, a small but successful web hosting company.

In 2009, the web hosting company branched out as Mezzo Host to Vancouver and I began my role as Chief Technology Officer. My role was to oversee the successful execution of the hosting company’s business mission through deployment, development and support of the company’s presence – both online and offline.

In 2007, I started a boutique visual art agency representing and managing several Canadian photographers and painters, selling their art work and finding work opportunities on commission. I co-host and produce art.tech.culture, a video series discussing art and technology. For the last three years, I’ve been one of the Media Liaisons with The Burningman Project.

I’m a neighbour, writer, thinker, CTO, strategist, project manager, photographer, open data advocate, gardener, producer, web developer, video editor, wine-maker, artist, geek, bicyclist, an idealistic sort and I like to think I transform ideas into action.

My interests generally lean towards the Internet, art, technology and law.

Before:

I volunteered as a video camera operator with Videon TV in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1996-97 for the regular sports show.

When I was 21, I ran for Mayor of Winnipeg. My platform was reduced transit fare, enhanced recycling and debt reduction. I didn’t win but I gained a lot of education about politics, media and the general workings of a large city.

The next year, I was one of the six founding candidates for the Green Party in Manitoba. Immediately after the election, I began working at City Hall in Winnipeg as a political aide for an inner city City Councillor. From 1999 to 2002, I often met with community leaders, police, a wide range of bureaucrats and city staff, as well as other members of City Council.

Most of my job entailed constituency work, media relations, policy research and marketing (electioneering). The last issue I worked on was the Animal Testing Ban By-law, effectively cancelling the practice that saw lost animals sold to the University of Manitoba for animal testing. After assisting in a successful re-election campaign, I resigned to focus more time on my business ventures.

While I worked at City Hall – in 2001 – I also established the Skateboarding Association of Winnipeg to lobby the three levels of government and the private sector for a world-class skate park to be built in Winnipeg. From this experience, I learned even more about public relations, media management and lobbying.

After gaining 9,000 signatures on petition and meeting with public and private stakeholders, letters to the editors began to flow in support of our cause which further snowballed popular opinion. Within a year, we received public support from Mayor Glen Murray, the majority of City Council, key community stakeholders, the Forks group, several provincial cabinet ministers and a prominent local MP which quickly led to the City of Winnipeg officially endorsing our group (September 2002) and our mission to build a massive skate park in downtown Winnipeg.

Suddenly the idea was so popular, everyone started proposing community skate parks and for the first time, “skateboarding” in Winnipeg was finally recognized by the City of Winnipeg via the 2004 Public Use Facility Study; adding skate parks to the official city list of recreational priorities. In 2005, Winnipeg got the multi-million dollar 44,000 square foot skate park built at the Forks we lobbied for. The lobby organization was disbanded quickly thereafter, having reached our goal and more.

I was also the community co-ordinator for the West Broadway Citizen Patrol in central Winnipeg for a couple years, and assisted in lobbying for funds for various community projects in the neighbourhood.

Do what you love, and the rest follows.

And I’m Canadian, eh.

Why does this web site exist?

I use this web site as my primary form of digital identity; my central point of personal expression. And it’s a blog.

There are probably thousands of individuals named “Alex Reid” on this planet. There are certainly over a hundred of the same in Canada. I may be the Alex Reid you’re looking for, or you may be confusing me with another Alex Reid. Feel free to contact me if you’re unsure, and I’ll try my best to help!

Thanks for taking the time to read this.