Revision 419493301 of "Eric Edmeades" on enwiki

{{Infobox person
|name = Eric Edmeades
|image = Eric-RedCarpet-K.jpg
|caption = Eric Edmeades
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|3|18}}
|birth_place = [[Pretoria]], [[South Africa]]
|death_date =
|death_place =
|nationality =[[Canada|Canadian]]
|residence = [[San Rafael, California|San Rafael]], [[California]], [[United States|USA]]
|occupation = [[Chairman]] of [[KernerFX|The Kerner Group]]
|salary =
|networth =
|spouse =
Divorced
|website =
|children = Daniel Thomas Edmeades (1997)
}}
'''Eric Edmeades''' (born 18 March 1970) is a Canadian businessman and professional speaker. Edmeades is best known for his international motivational speaking<ref>{{cite web | date =2009-09-08 | title = Top Motivational Speakers | url = http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/motivational-speakers/top-motivational-speakers.htm | publisher = Famous Speeches and Topics | accessdate = 2009-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | date =2009-09-08 | title = Marcia King, XL  Radio, Interviews Eric Edmeades | url = http://www.xl-radio.net/podcasts/Marcia_King_-_Interview_with_Eric_Edmeades.mp3 | publisher = XL Radio | accessdate = 2009-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | date =2008-01-10 | title = Triumphant Events Calendar | url = http://www.triumphantevents.co.uk/events?access=ee-ybye | publisher = Triumphant Events | accessdate = 2009-09-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | date =2008-06-20 | title = Intelligent Investor discusses Singapore Event | url = http://www.intelligentinvestorclub.com/personal-wealth-management-forum/personal-wealth-management-forum | publisher = Intelligent  Investor Club | accessdate = 2009-09-08}}</ref> and philanthropy. In August 2009, Edmeades acquired and became Chairman of [[Lucasfilm]] spin-off, [[KernerFX|The Kerner Group]]. Edmeades’ first successful business venture was The ITR Group, a supplier, integrator and maintainer of mobile computers, wireless networking technology and laser imaging technologies. He sold a majority share in the ITR Group in 2006 and retired from the IT sector.

Edmeades flew around the world 6 times in the years following the sale of The ITR Group. He conducts annual adventure expeditions, undertakes philanthropic projects and works to establish schools <ref>"Asia PR News", 26 August 2007. {{cite web | url= http://asiaprnews.com/2007/08/26/world-record-attempt-on-kilimanjaro/ | title=World Record Attempt on Kilimanjaro}}</ref> in East Africa.

Edmeades took up wildlife photography at 12<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.ericedmeades.com/Photography.html
 | title=Eric Edmeades Photography}}</ref> and is still a keen wildlife photographer with experience in India, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania and Canada.

==Early life==
Edmeades was born in [[Pretoria]], [[South Africa]], the son of South African [[lawyer]] Baz Thomas Edmeades and [[entrepreneur]] Delphine du Toit. His paternal great-grandfather,<ref name="Baz Edmeades">{{cite book | date =2005-10-11 | title = Extinct Megafauna - The First Victims of the Human-Caused Extinction | url = http://www.megafauna.com/author.htm | publisher = Baz Edmeades | accessdate = 2009-09-06}}</ref> Thomas Dreyer, discovered the [[Florisbad Skull]]<ref>{{cite web | date =2005-10-11 | title = Daily News: Skulls Not Ours to Keep | url = http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=502&fArticleId=2941051 | publisher = DailyNews.co.za | accessdate = 2009-09-06}}</ref> and his maternal great-grandfather, Jakob Louis van Wyk, proposed the formation of the [[Kruger National Park]] in the South African [[Volksraad]].<ref name="Baz Edmeades"/> This family history has influenced Edmeades and his interest in nature conservation, wildlife photography and nutritional anthropology.

Edmeades was educated at Queen Elizabeth High School in [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax, Nova Scotia]] and [[Saint John's School of Alberta]]. He also studied [[Archaeology]] at the University of Bristol in the west of England but did not complete the degree program.

Edmeades is dyslexic but argues that, while some may see dyslexia as a disease or weakness, it can be a strength.<ref>"Lexxic.com", June 2008, section 1. {{cite web | url= http://www.lexxic.com/resource/18/ | title=Lexxic - Adult Dyslexia Consultancy}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Edmeades is the elder of two bothers. Nik Edmiidz (changed his name to phonetic spelling) is 2 years younger and now lives in Japan with his wife and three children.

Edmeades was married to Amanda Pope; their only child, a son, was born in 1997. The couple are now divorced.

Edmeades has lived in [[South Africa]], [[Canada]], [[Ireland]], [[England]] and the [[United States]]. He is now living in [[San Rafael, California]] and maintains a home in [[Turks and Caicos]].

==Early Professional Life==
Edmeades started his business life immediately following school when, in 1988, he was recruited to sell Kirby Vacuums in [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. He often refers to this time in his speeches, citing the experience as integral to the development of his sales and business skills. {{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

Edmeades went on to join, as the first full-time employee, Ryzex Re-Marketing, a Vancouver-based tech start-up that specialized in hand held computers and bar code readers. After significant personal and business success with Ryzex, including the launch of their European operations, Edmeades resigned his position citing broken promises of equity.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto110920071500012721 | title=Interview by Mike Southon - 9 Nov 2007 | publisher=Financial Times}}</ref>

While working at Ryzex, Eric also published the Internet's first e-zine focused on business and personal development. The magazine was inspired by [[Napoleon Hill]]'s work and was called the Success Express Journal. It was published from 1994 to 1996 and claimed circulation of 15,000 people from 70 countries.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://sejarchives.wordpress.com/ | title=An Internet Original: SEJ Archives}}</ref>

Edmeades went on to co-found, with his then wife, The ITR Group (then known as Tera-Technologies Limited<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.textileweb.com/buyersguide.mvc/CompanyDetail/428094 | title=Textileweb Buyers Guide}}</ref>) in Bristol, England. The company, like his previous employer, focused initially on the purchase and resale of hand held computers and quickly grew to become a leading integrator of mobile computing, wireless networking and laser imaging technologies. Edmeades was nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year by the Bristol Evening Post in 2005{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} and went on to sell the business to private buyers for an undisclosed sum in 2006{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}.

==Motivational Speaking==

Edmeades claims to have overcome a fear of public speaking<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUa1jH1sYuY | title=YouTube - Eric Edmeades talks about public speaking.}}</ref> and now speaks, internationally,<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.triumphantevents.co.uk/events?access=ee-ybye | title=Triumphant Events - Edmeades speaks in 12 countries.}}</ref> on a variety of topics ranging from business success to health.

==Quotes==
{{Wikiquote}}
* Success, in life, is most easily measured by the number of days you are truly happy.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://sejarchives.wordpress.com/1995/11/01/sej-volume-3-issue-1/ | title=Success Express Journal: Volume 3, Issue 1 – November 1995.}}</ref>

* To accomplish great things, we must not only believe and dream, but also plan and act.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.triumphantevents.co.uk/events?access=ee-ybye | title=Triumphant Events - Your Best Year Ever 2008.}}</ref>

==Kerner Group==
In August 2009, Edmeades purchased a majority interest in, and became CEO of, Kerner Optical.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007825.html?categoryid=1009&cs=1/ | publisher=Variety |title=Edmeades cuts in at former Lucasfilm Tech Shop - 27 August 2009 | first=David S. | last=Cohen | date=2009-08-27}}</ref>
Kerner Optical, a [[Lucasfilm]] spinoff, was previously the practical and physical effects division of Industrial Light and Magic. The company was purchased from [[Lucasfilm]] in 2006 by the management team<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.fxguide.com/article451.html/ | title=
FX Guide - 8 October 2007}}</ref> who opted to retain the name "Kerner" as a tribute to Lucas's use of the name as a subterfuge to keep [[Star Wars]] and movie fans from rummaging through the rubbish bins and snooping around the property.<ref>{{cite news | date =1989-07-02 | title = NYT: FILM; Secret Lair of the Jedi, the Grail and Green Slimers | url = http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/02/movies/film-secret-lair-of-the-jedi-the-grail-and-green-slimers.html | publisher = The New York Times | accessdate = 2009-09-26 | first1=David A. | last1=Kaplan}}</ref>

Eric has since founded a number of other companies that, together, comprise The Kerner Group, including Kernerworks, a prototyping and research company that undertakes government projects including the design and manufacture of life-like medic training dummies for training military medics, and Kerner 3D Technologies, a 3D Camera system manufacturer.<ref name="marinij.com">{{cite web | url= http://www.marinij.com/ci_14445909? | title=MarinIJ - Marin's Return to Film-making | accessdate = 2010-02-22}}</ref>

Edmeades also plans to move into feature film production, with a focus on 3D movie development.<ref name="marinij.com"/>

In November 2009, [[Emily Carr University of Art and Design]] and Kerner 3D Technologies announced the establishment of a stereoscopic 3-D research studio.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Kerner+Emily+Carr+University+team+produce+movies/2243161/story.html | title=Vancouver Sun - Kerner, Emily Carr University team up to produce 3-D movies}}</ref>
The studio will undertake local film production, experimental film and the establishment of certification and degree-level education of stereographers. Edmeades signed the agreement to establish the center at a ceremony on 20 November 2009.

==Humanitarian Works==
[[File:Java-Earthquake2004-University.jpg|thumb|right|Picture of a broken university building in [[Yogyakarta]] taken by Edmeades]]

Edmeades was traveling in Bali in May 2006 when a major earthquake struck on the island of [[Java, Indonesia]]. He rented a truck, filled it with food, water and medical supplies and—against government advice—went to Jogja to undertake first hand relief work.<ref>{{cite web | date =2006-05-31 | title = Earthquake Relief Work; For Real | url = http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Java/Yogyakarta/blog-64641.html | publisher = TravelBlog | accessdate = 2006-06-01}}</ref> After undertaking the relief work the driver he hired stole his rented truck and everything in it, stranding Edmeades in Java.

Edmeades’ experience in Java lead him to establish the Build a School initiative{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} with his partner, Elise Crozier. The couple travel to East Africa once a year to climb [[Kilimanjaro]] and establish community schools.

==Hurricanes Ike and Hanna==
In September 2008 Edmeades was at home in [[Turks and Caicos]] when [[Hurricane Hanna]], the deadliest storm of the [[2008 Atlantic hurricane season]]<ref>{{cite web|author=KMBC-TV Kansas City|title=Haiti's Hanna Death Toll Jumps; US On Alert.|year=2008|publisher=KMBC-TV Kansas City|accessdate=2008-09-05|url=http://www.kmbc.com/hurricanes/17365619/detail.html#-}}</ref> hit Turks and Caicos twice. Immediately after [[Hurricane Hanna]], [[Hurricane Ike]], the third costliest hurricane in history, also hit the Turks and Caicos Islands doing approximately $500 million in Damages.

Edmeades was featured on and interviewed by [[CNN]] throughout the storms after uploading a number of videos to [[iReport]].<ref>{{cite web | date =2008-09-03 | title = Hanna Hits Turks and Caicos | url = http://rss.ireport.com/docs/DOC-75592
 | publisher = CNN | accessdate = 2009-09-11}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[KernerFX]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*[http://www.EricEdmeades.com/ Official website.]
*[http://www.Kerner.com/ Official website - Kerner Group.]

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME              = Edmeades, Eric
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH     = 18 March 1970
| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[Pretoria]], [[South Africa]]
| DATE OF DEATH     =
| PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmeades, Eric}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Canadian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Living people]]

[[he:ריצ'רד ברנסון]]