Company: Research In Motion, Waterloo, ON Canada
Entry Submitted By: Brodeur
Company Description: RIM is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information. RIM was founded in 1984.
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Management Team

Nomination Title: Research In Motion Co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie

   1. Tell the story about what this nominated management team achieved (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

          Over the past 18 months, co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie have led
          Research In Motion to record-setting success.  In addition to launching more
          BlackBerry devices and services in 2007 than in any single year prior, Lazaridis
          and Balsillie also continued to transform the BlackBerry smartphone from a
          business-focused device to a feature-packed, lifestyle companion.  With this
          renewed approach, BlackBerry smartphones are now in the hands of more users in
          more countries worldwide than ever before.

          EXPANDED MARKET FOCUS
          In 2007, under the direction of Lazaridis and Balsillie, RIM grew the BlackBerry
          market for consumers, prosumers and traditional business users.  The
          introduction of the BlackBerry Pearl and BlackBerry Curve marked a change for
          RIM by incorporating the BlackBerry solution’s renowned, robust smartphone
          capabilities into sleek, slim form factors.  With Lazaridis’ creative direction,
          RIM’s design team pushed engineering limits to include more features, such as
          WiFi and GPS, without sacrificing style or compactness.  These new consumer
          devices were extremely well-received by both customers and top tier technology
          media (please see Section Two for links to product awards).

          CONTINUED GROWTH
          The strength of Lazaridis’ and Balsillie’s leadership is evident through RIM’s
          continued economic success and the explosive adoption of BlackBerry smartphones
          around the world.  RIM’s revenue for fiscal year 2008 (ended 3/1/2008) was $6.01
          billion, up 98% from $3.04 billion in the previous year.  The company shipped
          approximately 14 million smartphones during FY’08 and had a subscriber base of
          more than 14 million users at the year’s end – up from 8 million subscribers at
          the close of FY’07.  RIM also expanded its number of carriers and distribution
          channels, resulting in a total of over 350 carriers and distribution channels in
          135 countries at the close of FY’08.

          RIM expanded its Dallas, TX office in December 2007, making it the company’s
          U.S. headquarters, and also opened an R&D facility in Bochum, Germany in April
          2008. 

          POSITIVE CORPORATE CULTURE
          Almost 10 years after the BlackBerry solution was introduced, the drive for
          innovation still pervades RIM.  The creative culture created by Lazaridis and
          Balsillie encourages open dialogue and idea-sharing among employees.  The
          company holds regular team brainstorms, during which all team members are
          encouraged to think collaboratively about ways to enhance the BlackBerry experience.

          Under the leadership of Lazaridis and Balsillie, the RIM team is dedicated to
          supporting science, engineering and business education programs, such as the
          Waterloo-Wellington Science and Engineering Fair, Scientists in School and FIRST
          Robotics.  RIM also provides generous benefits and opportunities to graduate
          students conducting research and to student teams participating in innovative
          engineering and business activities.

          RIM offers over 1,000 co-op and internship positions annually.  These students
          gain valuable skills in the technology sector, and are exposed to the
          environment of a highly successful company.  RIM also supports educational
          outreach programs to high school students.

          RIM’s success has enabled co-CEO’s Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie to make
          substantial personal investments in facilities that have carried major
          educational, cultural, and health benefits to the Waterloo region and beyond.
          These include the establishment of the Perimeter Institute For Theoretical
          Physics, the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, the
          Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), The Balsillie School of
          International Affairs and the Balsillie Family Building at the Grand River
          Regional Cancer Centre, among others.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

          NEWS STORIES
          o BlackBerry Maker Launches Consumer-Focused 'Curve' (Wall Street Journal, 5/3/07)
          http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117816131161290557.html?mod=home_whats_news_us
          o RIM Courts Broaded Market with BlackBerry Curve (Reuters, 5/7/07)
          http://www.cnbc.com/id/18424873
          o BlackBerry Curve blurs consumer, business lines (SearchMobileComputing, 5/9/07)
          http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid40_gci1254253,00.html
          o RIM pitches new BlackBerrys for play as well as work (USA Today, 5/10/07)
          http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2007-05-09-blackberry-verizon-curve_n.htm
          o Smartphones: RIM reaps consumer market, Palm skidding (RCR Wireless News, 8/23/07)
          http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/SUB/70823006
          o BlackBerry Goes Web 2.0 with Facebook App (Newsfactor Network, 10/26/07)
          http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=010000ZEFOYI
          o Push to get consumers to pick BlackBerrys pays off (USA Today, 12/20/07)
          http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20071221/rim.art.htm
          o RIM bosses make list of world's 30 best CEOs (National Post, 3/24/08)
          http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=394942
          o BlackBerry Maker RIM Blows Past Street Estimates (TheStreet.com, 4/3/08)
          http://www.thestreet.com/story/10410426/1/blackberry-maker-rim-blows-paststreet-estimates.html?puc=lhhome
          o BlackBerry maker's sales and profits double (CNN Money, 4/3/08)
          http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/2008/04/02/news/companies/Research_earnings/index.htm?section=money_news_companies
          o BlackBerry: Innovation Behind the Icon (BusinessWeek, 4/4/08)
          http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/apr2008/id2008044_416784.htm?campaign_id=rss_innovate
          o Leaps of Faith (Globe and Mail, 4/25/08)
          http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080423.rminnolaz0423/BNStory/specialROBmagazine/
          o BlackBerry Thumbs a Ride With Home Users (US News, 4/30/08)
          http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/technology/2008/4/30/blackberry-thumbs-a-ride-with-home-users.html?s_cid=rss:blackberry-thumbs-a-ride-with-home-users
          o 25 Most Influential People in Mobile Technology (Laptop Magazine, June 2008)
          http://www.laptopmag.com/business/feature/25-most-influential-people-in-mobile-technology.aspx?page=23

          BLACKBERRY CURVE AND PEARL PRODUCT AWARDS
          o Datamation Product of the Year (Handheld Device) – BlackBerry Pearl (February
          2007)
          http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/cnews/article.php/3660631
          o Laptop Magazine Editor’s Choice Award – BlackBerry Pearl (February 2007)
          http://www.laptopmag.com/review/cell-phones/blackberry-pearl-att.aspx
          o PC Magazine Editor’s Choice Award – BlackBerry Curve 8320 (September 2007)
          http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2189011,00.asp
          o Laptop Magazine Editor’s Choice Award – BlackBerry Curve 8320 (September 2007)
          http://www.laptopmag.com/review/cell-phones/blackberry-curve-8320.aspx
          o PC Magazine Editor’s Choice Award – BlackBerry Curve 8310 (November 2007)
          http://www.pcmag.com/search_results/0%2C1208%2C%2C00.asp?qry=blackberry+8310&site=3
          o Andrew Seybold Awards –  Most Innovative Wireless Device (April 2008)
          http://www.andrewseybold2.com/winners.html
          o PC Magazine Editor’s Choice Award – BlackBerry Curve 8330 (May 2008)
          http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2290415,00.asp

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of the nominated management team:

          Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, founded RIM in 1984 while a student at the
          University of Waterloo.  Lazaridis is responsible for product strategy, research
          and development, product development, and manufacturing.  He traces his passion
          for his work to his hometown of Windsor, Ontario where his family and school
          environments nurtured his love of science and electronics.

          Jim Balsillie, co-CEO, is responsible for driving corporate strategy, business
          development, marketing, sales, and finance at RIM.  A native of Peterborough,
          Ontario, Balsillie earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto
          and an MBA from Harvard University, and is a Chartered Accountant.