Jade-Lin Chue, Director of Business Operations and Sponsorships, Internet Oldtimers' Foundation

The Internet Oldtimers Foundation acknowledges that one of the obligations for Interactive marketing's top industry gurus is to ensure the healthy, sustainable growth and development of the digital industry in which they have so successfully dominated. In trying to answer what it is like being a digital guy among traditional media types, Randy Rothenberg stated, it's like being "a digital native in a land of digital immigrants". For these reasons, the point of an Andy Bourland Internet Oldtimers Mentorship Program is to develop the industry's brightest up-and-comers into the responsible thought-leaders of tomorrow.
Who is Andy Bourland?

Priding himself as a husband and a father, Andy Bourland is primarily known for being the Co-Founder, former publisher, and former CEO of ClickZ, a web media company dedicated to digital marketing news, information, commentary advice, and opinion...a definitive forerunning of internet advertising. More importantly, Andy is known for opening the doors for many to be able to succeed in the Interactive marketing industry as responsible, accountable, and successful businessmen.

A few years after the creation of the Internet Oldtimers, Andy partnered with current OT Member, Tom Hespos, to help run the group. Without them both, the Internet Oldtimers Foundation would never have existed. We have named this Mentorship Program in honor of Andy and all of his accomplishments

In 1998, Andy passed out while running and was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and installed with a pacemaker. Four years ago, Andy collapsed, suffered three heart attacks in one day, and was given emergency quadruple bypass surgery that same night. Doctors discovered that the cause of his heart problems was due from radiation treatments in 1973 for his testicular cancer that literally burned half of Andy's heart, leaving it black, leathery, and useless.

Diagnosed with radiation induced cardiomyopathy and with burns affecting the inside of his body from his groin to his left shoulder, a few weeks later, Andy was told he was now suffering with congestive heart failure, which has caused him dozens of hospitalizations, and has progressively worsened his condition to the point where he is under constant hospice care.

The very definition of an industry thought-leader who maintained a strong sense of character and dignity, Andy made it a point to help others gain a foothold in an industry that is undoubtedly harsh to it's new comers. Instead of walking away from his responsibilities as an marketing powerhouse, Andy chose to lift and aid other marketers who just needed a chance to succeed.


"Interactive marketing owes you a debt of gratitude for your integrity and unerring instincts of what mattered and what was good and right about this industry." - Mike Crosson OT Member

"There are so many, in this silly industry of ours and I'm sure many beyond it, who owe you a huge debt of gratitude for your indomitable spirit, humor, and good will. " - Rick Bruner OT Member

"Above all, you are a man of character that has made the differences so many simply talk about. Thank you for living." - Dane Madsen OT Member

About the Program

In volunteering for the program, mentors will be matched with proteges based on a multitude of qualifications such as by industry, area of expertise, position, location, availability, age, and gender. This mentor/protege relationship will consist of the digital professional coupled with either another professional looking to rethink marketing perspectives through unfamiliar digital channels, or a young shining star looking to learn best practices from professionals at the top of the digital food chain.

While the particular goals of each mentorship pairing will vary according to the specific goals of the protege (which will be addressed within the first month of starting the program), there is a systematic approach to the program:

Protege

The potential protege will first fill out our Mentorship Application that will be reviewed by our Mentor Board once a month. If accepted into the program, the protege will be partnered with an OT mentor volunteer for a one year commitment. Here is a link to download the application: http://www.oldtimerslist.com/members/mentorship/BlankMentorshipApplication.xls

Responsibilities of the Protege:

1. The protege must agree to the one year commitment in order to be in the program.
2. The protege will meet/talk, preferably in person, at least once a month with their OT mentor.
3. The protege will be responsible for the creation of an industry-focused white paper/research document/case study. The research topic will be decided between the Mentor and Protege.
4. The protege will present the findings of the paper, most likely at an industry show.
5. The protege will be responsible for maintaining their live journal on the OT website.
6. The protege will also be responsible for filling out a pre-created, monthly check list sheet with comment spaces to monitor the process and progress of each mentor duo. These sheets will be reviewed and evaluated by OT administrators with comments back to both parties.
7. The protege will receive an exit letter and a plague upon completion of the program.

Internet Oldtimers Mentor Volunteer

Responsibilities of the Internet Oldtimers Mentor:

1. The Mentor will meet/talk, preferably in person, at least once a month with their protege.
2. The Mentor will be responsible for helping their protege get in touch with other digital professionals to provide information for the research document, as well as, overall supervision of the completion of the document.
3. The Mentor will be responsible for passing on their digital knowledge and expertise, particularly in the protege's specific area of interest, to their protege in order to help shape a responsible Interactive marketer that is not only aware of their accountability to the industry, but the best practices in which to work and succeed in it.
4. The Mentor will also (if not previously discussed with protege for an exception) provide recommended reading materials for the enhancement of the protege's knowledge.
5. The Mentor will also be responsible for filling out a pre-created, monthly check list sheet with comment spaces to monitor the process and progress of each mentorship duo. These sheets will be reviewed and evaluated by OT administrators with comments back to both parties.

The Program Also Includes:

Both the OT mentor and protege will be spotlighted on the Internet Oldtimers website, this is in addition to, the live journal that the protege is responsible for maintaining on the site. The mentor duo will also have a press release of the published research document. The document will also be published in the OT newsletter and will be shared with first the top 500 marketing gurus in the country and then shared with the entire online advertising industry through online publishing sites, industry shows, networking through the Oldtimers Foundation, and blogs.






Please, feel free to contact me, Jade-Lin Chue, Director of Business Operations & Sponsorships at jade-lin.chue@oldtimerslist.com or call, 919-835-2664. You can also contact my assistant, Leigh Morrison at leigh.morrison@oldtimerslist.com.