Silicon Prairie Social

SPS and ASA Present: Building a Referral Machine Bootcamp

Arthur Zards — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:38:49 +0000

Join us for a great opportunity to learn from Brian Marshal of the Alliance for Strategic Advantage on Building a Referral Machine! This 4-hour bootcamp event will teach you how to generate ongoing referrals. Included is the training session, followed by appetizers and an opportunity to network and immediately apply what you’ve learned.

I have taken this Bootcamp course myself and I can only say great things about how it has helped me, XNet, and the Silicon Prairie Social succeed. Further, ASA has offered Silicon Prairie Social attendees a 50% discount from the $99.00 list price for this event (only $49.95).

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Arthur Zards
President/Founder
XNet/Silicon Prairie Social

Building a Referral Machine Bootcamp
Wednesday, June 10, 2:00-6:00 P.M.

XNet and Silicon Prairie Social present Brian Marshal of the Alliance for Strategic Advantage in this groundbreaking 4-hour bootcamp. First, learn how to generate ongoing referrals for your business from the people who have trained XNet’s sales team. Afterwards, enjoy appetizers, networking, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you’ve learned.

Arrowhead Golf Club
26W151 Butterfield Rd
Wheaton, IL 60189

Silicon Prairie Social - Wrap-up and Thanks!

Arthur Zards — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:28:37 +0000

On behalf of XNet and our sponsors, Saper Law, Obtiva, Sun Microsystems, and maconRAINE, thank you to all who attended last night and made yet another excellent Silicon Prairie Social! We’re glad to be able to provide such an opportunity for you, the west suburban technology community, to relax and connect with each other.

Arrowhead Golf Club rolled out the red carpet for us with the food spread and superb hospitality. Congratulations to the winners of Arrowhead’s two golf twosomes: Mike Maddaloni and Nancy Munro.

Also, a huge thanks goes to our registration table volunteers who unselfishly gave some of their time networking at the event to help with checking people in and handing out drink and raffle tickets! Sachin Agarwal of Dawdle, Karen Greenland of Sun Microsystems, Shannon Bond of Saper Law, Mike Maddaloni of Dunkirk Systems, and Eric Waltmire of Erickson Law Group; you are all the best!

Keep in Touch:
Silicon Prairie Social isn’t just once every few months. Please keep in touch, ask questions and make new connections on our Facebook Group and LinkedIn Group as well.

Stay Tuned:
Finally, to receive updates on future events, take a moment to subscribe to this blog via RSS or via email via the right sidebar on this site, immediately below the sponsor logos. Also, be on the lookout for an exciting announcement next week for a special one-day educational event we’ll be hosting with a new partner!

Until next time,

Arthur Zards
Tim Courtney

XNet
Co-Hosts, Silicon Prairie Social

Saper Law, Obtiva, Sun Microsystems and maconRAINE to sponsor Silicon Prairie Social

Tim Courtney — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:11:17 +0000

We’re proud to welcome Silicon Prairie Social’s sponsors, Saper Law Offices, Obtiva, Sun Microsystems and maconRAINE. Join them Tuesday, April 28 from 6:30-9:30pm at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. For details and to RSVP for Silicon Prairie Social, click here.

Sponsors:

Saper Law Offices is an intellectual property and business law firm that represents creative entrepreneurs and innovative business organizations. Key industries served include technology, new media, and software.

Obtiva is a leading Agile based software development firm in the Chicagoland area, whose unique methodologies enable customers to manage risk and affect change dynamically. Obtiva develops software both at their Chicago office and onsite at their client’s location. As well, Obtiva shares their expertise through hands-on training programs throughout the country.

Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision — “The Network is the Computer” — Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Jumpstart your Startup today with Sun Startup Essentials.

maconRAINE is founded by Ben Bradley, formerly of the Bradley Wiltjer Marketing Group. maconRAINE helps B2B organizations with long sales cycles find new customers faster with high-touch and integrated PR, marketing and lead generation.

Event Host: XNet

XNet provides boutique data center services (colocation, dedicated hosting and managed services) as well as dedicated internet connectivity to small and medium-sized companies in the Chicago and western suburban region. XNet’s pairing of proactive, personal service with technical expertise has earned the trust of IT executives to not only keep mission-critical systems available and secure, but to also be the trusted advisor that helps their companies grow.

From us at XNet and on behalf of our amazing sponsors, we look forward to seeing you at Silicon Prairie Social!

Announcing the next Silicon Prairie Social

Arthur Zards — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:09:01 +0000

We’re pleased to announce the next Silicon Prairie Social, the technology networking event for the western Chicago suburbs! This time we’re excited to announce a step-up in venue…to Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. The event will be held Tuesday, April 28 and is a great opportunity to connect in a fun, informal setting with like-minded people in technology!

Why should I come?

Mingle, network, and learn with other successful tech oriented professionals like yourself.
Appetizers courtesy of Arrowhead Golf Club
Free admission (RSVP Required)
Win one of two twosomes including golf cart, provided by Arrowhead Golf Club

Who May Attend?

Silicon Prairie Social is specifically for upwardly mobile tech professionals, tech executives, tech entrepreneurs, technology service providers, Internet professionals, Web 2.0 and startup companies, and the mobile industry.

Please note: Silicon Prairie Social is not open to professional recruiters, staffing agencies, or job seekers.

Who’s behind this?

Silicon Prairie Social is founded and hosted by Lisle-based colocation provider XNet. XNet has shown its commitment to growing the suburban tech community by contributing both money and effort to continue to make this a success. The driving force behind Silicon Prairie Social is XNet’s Tim Courtney and Arthur Zards.

When and Where?

Silicon Prairie Social
Tuesday, April 28
6:30pm-8:30pm

Arrowhead Golf Club
26W151 Butterfield Road
Wheaton, IL 60189
(map this on Google Maps)

Just minutes from I-88 and Naperville Rd., Silicon Prairie Social is centrally located and easy to get to from all along the lllinois Technology and Research Corridor on I-88, the Golden Corridor on I-90, downtown Chicago and the western suburbs.

Want to attend? RSVP here.

The event is free to attend, and RSVP is required, so RSVP early as space is limited. Registration closes at noon on the day of the event, or once the RSVP list reaches its limit. Guests must be present during the time of the raffle and must be RSVP’ed to win the complimentary twosomes.

We look forward to seeing you in April!

Want to stay more connected with us? Join our LinkedIn Group and our Facebook Group.

Thank you for attending our Very Prairie Christmas!

Arthur Zards — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:25:15 +0000

A big thank you goes out to everyone who attended our second annual Very Prairie Christmas! For one of our smaller events this one was another great event filled with great people!

A special thanks for everyone who donated a few dollars (or more) for the family that we are sponsoring this Christmas, we raised $188.00, which will be going towards fixing the family’s car brakes. Your few dollars was much appreciated and is going to a good cause.

Keep an eye out in early 2009 for some big announcements from the Silicon Prairie Social. We have some exciting news and events that we will be sharing with everyone soon.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Arthur, Tim, and everyone else at XNet

Announcing Silicon Prairie Social’s “Very Prairie Christmas 2008”

Tim Courtney — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:27:59 +0000

It’s that time of year again! XNet, the hosts of the Silicon Prairie Social networking events, is throwing another Christmas gathering. Instead of meeting at Quigley’s like we did last year, we will be back at Mullen’s Bar and Grill.

What’s different from the July event at Mullen’s?
This is our Christmas gathering; it’s a smaller, more intimate event, not sponsored, and has a cash bar. Expect the same great energy that comes from the people who attend our large events: YOU!

Even though this event is cash bar only, Mullen’s Bar and Grill has offered to say “thank you” to us for the past events, by offering free pizza for everyone! First come, first serve. When these pizzas are gone, they’re gone!

Who can Attend?
Very Prairie Christmas 2008 is specifically for upwardly mobile tech professionals, tech executives, tech entrepreneurs, technology service providers, Internet professionals, Web 2.0 and startup companies, and the mobile industry. Note we are focusing the attendees of this event by limiting access of a couple categories: No professional recruiters, staffing agencies or active job seekers will be permitted.

When and Where?

Very Prairie Christmas 2008
Thursday, December 4, 6:30pm-9:00pm
Mullen’s Bar and Grill
3080 Warrenville Rd.
Lisle, IL 60532
(map this)

At I-88 and Naperville Rd., Mullen’s is centrally located and easy to get to from all along the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor on I-88, the Golden Corridor on I-90, downtown Chicago and the western suburbs.

RSVP Here, Please.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP so we can get a headcount and plan accordingly. Please RSVP at http://prairiechristmas2008.eventbrite.com. We are anticipating a large crowd, and we do have an attendance limit, which is smaller than our typical event, so please RSVP early!

We’re looking forward to seeing you again!

Sincerely,

Arthur Zards
Tim Courtney

XNet
Silicon Prairie Social

Silicon Prairie Social 3 Wrap Up & Thanks

Tim Courtney — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:47:31 +0000

From all of us at XNet, we had a great time at Silicon Prairie Social 3 last Thursday night. Thanks to everyone who came out, making the event what it’s become known as; the premier technology networking event in the Chicago suburbs.

Photos
Here are the photos taken by our photographer, Glenn Phenicie. We’ve uploaded them to Flickr with the tag ‘siliconprairiesocial3‘ (please tag your Flickr photos with the same so others can find them). We’ll also add them to the event’s Facebook group.

Prize Winners
Congratulations to our raffle winners, and thanks to our sponsors for some great prizes! The winners are as follows:

Grand Prize Winner: Matt Schwartz - 24.1″ LCD Flat Panel Monitor from Sun Microsystems
Terry Flanagan - Lunch and iPhone 3G from Obtiva
Stacie Berkmeier - Trademark Consultation, Research, and Filing ($1000 value) from Saper Law Offices
Stan Fisher - Iomega 1TB Desktop Hard Drive from Imprint Enterprises
Young Wang - 2GB iPod Shuffle from XNet

Keep in Touch:
Use the Facebook Group and LinkedIn Group to keep in touch with fellow Silicon Prairie Social attendees.

Thanks
From all of us at XNet, we’d like to again thank everyone who came out and made this event memorable by your presence. We’re honored that our simple idea of bringing the suburban technology community together has caught on to the degree it has. Also, special thanks to Stephanie, Scott, and the entire staff of Mullen’s Bar and Grill for the wonderful hospitality and smooth event.

We want to especially thank our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible: Premier Sponsor Sun Microsystems, along with Obtiva, Imprint Enterprises, Delivered Innovation, Saper Law Offices, M5 Networks, Heil & Heil Insurance, AMCORE Bank, Immigration Law Associates P.C., and Bradley Wiltjer Marketing Group.

Stay Tuned:
Finally, to receive updates on future events, take a moment to subscribe to this blog via RSS or via email by following the links below the sponsor logos to the right.

Until next time,

Arthur Zards
Tim Courtney
XNet
Co-Hosts, Silicon Prairie Social

Silicon Prairie Social 3 - This Thursday in Lisle

Tim Courtney — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:56:12 +0000

Silicon Prairie Social is back in style this Thursday evening, July 10. Come out and have a good time with area technology professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs at the premier tech networking event for the Chicago suburbs. For details on the event, including time and location, you can read the original event announcement here. Can’t wait to see you there!

RSVP Required
If you haven’t already, make sure you and your friends RSVP here for the event as it’s required to attend.

Speed Up Your Check-In
To minimize your wait in line when you arrive, print your EventBrite confirmation email and staple your business card to it. We will be sending people through the line to collect these and give you your wristband so you can go in.

Taking the train?
Mullen’s is just a 6 minute drive from the Lisle Metra station on the BNSF/Aurora line. Here are some quick links to the Outbound Metra schedule and inbound Metra schedule.

Need a ride? Have extra room? Carpool!
Feel free to use the comments below or the Facebook or LinkedIn Groups to link up with potential carpool partners.

Parking
Mullen’s has plenty of parking. If, however, their lot is full, you are welcome to park next door at the Wyndham hotel at no charge.

Special Thanks
We’d like to again thank our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible: Premier Sponsor Sun Microsystems, along with Obtiva, Imprint Enterprises, Delivered Innovation, Saper Law Offices, M5 Networks, Heil & Heil Insurance, AMCORE Bank, Immigration Law Associates P.C., and Bradley Wiltjer Marketing Group. Finally, a special thanks goes to event host company XNet.

Sun Microsystems looks forward to Silicon Prairie Social 3

Jeff Huber — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:58:21 +0000

Greetings, Jeff Huber here from Sun Microsystems, Premier Sponsor for next week’s Silicon Prairie Social. At Sun, we help bring people together to share and to succeed. Innovation, Participation, and Collaboration lead to Opportunity for all of us.

From the very beginning, sharing has been a key ingredient in Sun’s identity. In fact, it’s firmly rooted in our vision that The Network is the Computer. The true power of the network is in sharing ideas and technologies to drive innovation and create new opportunities - both social and economic - around the world.

We believe that core technologies should be shared building blocks that are available to everyone to create, compete, and innovate. That’s why we share key technologies such as OpenSolaris, GlassFish, MySQL, OpenJDK, OpenOffice, and OpenSPARC, just to name a few.

At Sun, sharing takes many forms. Whether it’s taking advantage of a free Try and Buy program, Downloading Software, or joining a community and exchanging information, we offer customers a wealth of resources with one goal in mind - to help them to succeed.

Please stop by the Sun Microsystems table where we will be showcasing programs, communities, and technologies designed to help you:

Launch your business FAST and at LOW COST with Sun’s Startup Essentials
Gain ACCESS to developer forums, tools, and on-line training through the Sun Developer Network (SDN)
Tap into the POWER of the GRID with Sun’s Network.com

Be sure to enter the raffle, as one lucky attendee will be taking home this 24.1-Inch LCD Flat Panel Monitor!

A big thank you to Tim Courtney and the team at XNet for the opportunity to participate in this outstanding event. See you all next Thursday, July 10!

Jeff Huber
Solution Architect
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
jeff.huber@sun.com

Silicon Prairie Social 3 - Suburban Chicago Tech Networking Event

Tim Courtney — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:01:33 +0000

Silicon Prairie Social, a technology networking event in the western Chicago suburbs is back by popular demand. The event will be held Thursday, July 10 at Mullen’s Bar & Grill in Lisle. This is a great opportunity to connect in a fun, informal setting with like-minded people in technology!

First we’d like to thank our sponsors; Premier Sponsor Sun Microsystems along with sponsors Obtiva, Imprint Enterprises, Delivered Innovation, Saper Law Offices, M5 Networks, Heil & Heil Insurance Agency, AMCORE Bank, and the Bradley Wiltjer Marketing Group. Be sure to pay our sponsors a visit as they’re the ones who make this all possible. Sponsor Slots Available: If you would like a table at the event, contact us at social [at] xnet {dot} com as there is limited availability for additional sponsors.

Why should I come?

Free admission (RSVP Required)
Free drinks and hors d’oeuvres!
Mingle, network, and learn with other successful tech oriented professionals like yourself.

Who Can Attend?
Silicon Prairie Social is specifically for upwardly mobile tech professionals, tech executives, tech entrepreneurs, technology service providers, Internet professionals, Web 2.0 and startup companies, and the mobile industry. Note we are focusing the attendees of this event by limiting access of a couple categories: No professional recruiters, staffing agencies or active job seekers will be permitted.

Who’s behind this?
Silicon Prairie Social is founded and hosted by Lisle-based XNet. XNet has shown its commitment to growing the suburban tech community by contributing both money and effort to continue to make this a success. The driving force behind Silicon Prairie Social is XNet’s Tim Courtney and Arthur Zards.

When and Where?

Silicon Prairie Social 3
Thursday, July 10
6:30pm-10:00pm (bar open until 1:00am)

Mullen’s Bar and Grill
3080 Warrenville Rd.
Lisle, IL 60532
(Get directions via Google Maps)

At I-88 and Naperville Rd., Silicon Prairie Social is centrally located and easy to get to from all along the llinois Technology and Research Corridor on I-88, the Golden Corridor on I-90, downtown Chicago and the western suburbs.

Want to attend? RSVP here.
The event is free to attend, and RSVP is required, so RSVP early as space is limited. Registration closes at noon on the day of the event, or once the RSVP list reaches its limit. No professional recruiters, staffing agencies or active job seekers are permitted.

We look forward to seeing you in July!