Rick Schwartz was just awarded with the 1st Pioneer award at the Epik Conference in Seattle today.
In a tribute video, 15 domainers around the world congratulated Rick on the well deserved award.
Although Rick was not at the show to accept the award in person after the tribute video was put together it was my honor to take it to Rick and show it to him just a couple of days ago.
I can tell you that Rick was very emotional as he watched some of his good friends and colleagues congratulate him on receiving the award.
It was quite touching seeing how moved Rick was by the video, it was certainly a great moment for him and its a moment I will remember all my life.
It took Rick about 1/2 hour to compose himself and after we toasted his award with some champagne, Rick sat down and filmed an acceptance speech.
The acceptance speech follows the video tribute below.
While I enjoyed the small role I played in this, huge credit and thanks go to Rob Monster of Epik for creating this award, Owen Frager who took the reigns and organized getting all the domainers you see in the tribute and Danny Pryor who put the video together.
Congrats Rick!!!
Yup, no doubt no one deserves this more than Rick. Congrats, and thanks for everything!
Congratulations Rick!!!
You are a visionary and I feel lucky to have crossed paths with you at such an exciting time in history.
Steve Cheatham
Congrats….you can now put your footprints on the Walk of Domains .
We need to think of a place where we have the footprints. How about….on the beaches of Gulf Coast?
Congratulations Rick,
What a wonderful tribute to you – it gave me “goose bumps” watching it. I’m sure it could have gone on for hours. Danny and Owen did a terrific job and Michael – thanks for sharing – and Judi, Judi, Judi, a perfect ending – what more can I say 🙂
Miss you guys,
Barbara Neu
Congratulations, Rick!
Hey Partner
You really deserve this recognition of your dedication to the domain industry and how you were instrumental in having it become an industry. Until your board and the foresight that you continually imparted on it, everyone was just sitting alone in front of their computers “mining” for gold. Thanks for everything.
Congratulations Rick! Great video, nice to be able to see this although I missed the EPIK conference this week…
Congrats, again 🙂
The Domain King gets his crown … congratulations Rick 🙂
I always loved the name “web father” for you. You truly are the father of this great industry.
We are all very luck to know you and be able to learn from you…especially me 🙂
Congratulations Rick. Believe it or not I do think it was well deserved 🙂 Congrats and enjoy the award. You have contributed more than anyone could ever have asked in this industry by any measure. Congrats again.
Congrats Rick! 🙂
Congrats Rick!
There are certainly a lot of deserving people in the industry that should get this Pioneer Award from Epik.com and I accept it in behalf of every one of them. Nobody can pioneer an industry alone. It takes a lot of people pushing something that has yet to prove itself and have some level of success doing it. So for all the pioneers, this is for you. I am merely one spoke in a wheel that few understand just how big and meaningful it is. Time will prove that. History will prove that. The numbers are proving that.
As I have said since the get go, “Domains are a unique opportunity in time” and “no commodity in the history of mankind will go up so far so fast” and continues to skyrocket. There is no doubt that the best years are still in front of us.
I know not everyone has liked my style or my thoughts. But I also hope they notice they have benefited from all the pioneers that put themselves out there and push things along. Sometimes we have successes, and sometimes we have failures. But even in failure we know that progress is made. That we are just a little closer to the goal for the next attempt.
Babe Ruth was the best Baseball Player in history. But he did not make the most money. The big dollars came many decades later. So no matter what domains sell for today, it is but a fraction of what they will be in a decade from now. That is why there is still so much opportunity. While other asset classes are losing value, or even imploding, domains keep increasing and going against every thing else.
So I want to thank Rob Monster and the other members of the selection committee of Epik for choosing me to receive this very special award of recognition. I have worked thousands of hours in behalf of the future of domains and what we all do and love. This makes it all worth the time, effort and arrows.
The video tribute was quite moving. It brought me to tears. So good to see such good friends and qualified domainers saying such nice things. Priceless. So a special thanks to each of you and the comments here. Special Thanks to Mike and Judi Berkens who went way out of their way to make this happen. Danny Pryor for putting it together and Owen Frager for jumping on another windmill.
Plus such kind words from all of you. Ari Goldberger, Warren Royal, Rob Grant, Mike Zappy Zappolin, Chuck Hatcher, Frank Schilling, Dr. Chris Hartnett, David Castello, Michael Castello, David Carter, Monte Cahn, Grant Keiser, Aron Meystedt, Bruce Marler, Vern J, Ron Jackson, Owen Frager, Mike Mann, Danny Pryor, Howard Neu, Mike Berkens, Judi Berkins and Bandit.
Thank you! Truly Priceless.
Rick Schwartz
Oh the windmalls of my mind. If only someone had a pill to shut down the jets once in awhile.
It was my pleasure working with Rob and Danny to get this done. You should know that three times as many domainers were contacted, some (including footage from Traffic Dublin) didn’t make it’s way to us in time, others wanted to participate but were not happy with their video craft, and some like Tia Wood who posted above, weren’t used due to time and audio quality. My own video footage was rejected. Danny and I will make all these out takes available to you.
The Epik Conference is certainly different, interesting and compelling. Lots of different faces converging from different worlds, all of whom have been working out there but never together. For example, the keynote speaker had collected thousands of domains over seven years and not only never considered himself a domainer, but until 2008 didn’t even know there was a domain industry out there! Based on development and the value of the brand he built, he just leased territory rights to ShopBirmingham for $220K to an x- newspaper sales pro, retains the domain and has 7900 others that had no traffic or monetization prowess in their on right, wouldn’t sell for more than a thousand bucks on their own and now with development can command six-figures and earn up to 1 million year in recurring subscriptions.
This was all part of Rick’s vision. He said “the hole is dug, the bulldozers are here and the cranes are ready to rise>” Now history is demonstrating what was very hard previously to explain.
Congratulations! Get to board the boat for tonight’s sunset cruise.
Congratulations Rick! It’s a recognition that has been well known among the domaining community for sometime now and one well deserved.
I have not always agreed with you, but you have obviously done a lot for this business. Nothing more rewarding than being appreciated by your peers. Kudos.
Rick, congratulations on a well deserved honor. Thanks for helping to pave the way.
Rick – congratulations on a very well deserved honor! You have truly been a pioneer in every sense of the word. Every connection, every opportunity, every relationship I have ever had in the domain industry has its roots in the TRAFFIC events you created. I am sure the same is true for many, many people. Thank you for shining the light on such a fantastic industry — and for continuing to be a light that guides the industry forward. Nice job Rob for honoring Mr. Schwartz — and Owen for the awesome video! (And thanks to Mike & Judi Berkens for the comedy break !)
: )
Congratulations, Rick.
You’ve been one of the most important domain “encouragers” to myself and many, many others (even with your sometimes salty language 🙂 over the years.
Thank you.
Often tough being a pioneer; not least of all in a field like domains.
Like all the great pioneers, though, you continue on; while pulling out of your back all those misplaced arrows the non-believers have shot–and continue to shoot–at you.
Keep pioneering.
Keep pulling those arrows out.
Keep fighting the good fight.
Congrats Rick!
It was a no brainer that you should be the one to get this award, well done from all of us domainers Down Under!!
You are the Henry Ford of the domain indusrty for sure!
Cheers
Ed Keay-Smith
OzDomainer.com
My congratulations to you too Rick. You’ve contributed a lot to this industry, and the first Pioneering Award is fitting and deserved. Keep it polished!
welcome back , Sahar , i miss u
—))
Congratulations on a very well deserved award, you are “the” trail blazer and your straight talking approach is refreshing.
ps, Well said SteveM
“What is to give light must endure burning”
Keep on shining bright Rick 🙂 congrats
Congratulations, Rick. I have learned a lot from you over the years and you never cease to amaze me.
Great entertainment, that video was gold – a lot of the “legends” associated with the domain industry were present, and it was a fitting tribute. Well done Rick, your accomplishments deserve this award.
The video is Gold … good job for Owen, Rob and Danny
and thanks for making it 🙂
Congrats Rick and want to say thankyou for all your hard work over the years for all of us.
Rick,
Who else but you could have won this award? You have raised the Bar when it comes to selling
Internet Investment Property! Congrats…xoxox ilze
Congrats Rick…if not for reading about you and domaining about 6 years ago I probably wouldn’t have a maxed out credit card and would be a few friends poorer 😉
Congratulations, Rick. And Thank you for all you’ve done in domaining.
Congratulations Rick. Here’s to the next 15 years!
Rick,
Congratulations, you deserve it!! And thanks for years of good advice from someone new to the domain industry!!
Awesome, Rick! See you in Miami.
Rick, Congratulations on your award. You have always been a hard worker
and a visionary. I have always been proud to be your friend.
Hello Mike,
Rick Schwartz is a priceless commodity in our pioneering Industry. It is my pleasure and honor to interact with him. He has a heart the size of a light year and shines his brilliance for us all. Thank You Brother!
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)