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61 Comments

Toast to Thorsten Heins... for one year on the job as the CEO of BlackBerry!

By Kevin Michaluk on 22 Jan 2013 12:01 am
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It was January 22nd, 2012... one year ago... when the press release hit that Research In Motion, maker of BlackBerry had a new CEO. It was out with the old co-CEOs -- Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis -- and in with the new, Thorsten Heins.  

Thorsten Heins impressed us immediately. Literally within minutes of being named CEO, he gave CrackBerry a call. We were literally the first phone call Thorsten made as CEO. It was a symbolic gesture that made a huge statement with CrackBerry Nation. In over five years of covering the BlackBerry beat intimately, we had never once had a proper sit down or interview with the former CEOs. Heins rectified that immediately and we'll never forget it.

That was the first of many, many, many changes within Research In Motion we have witnessed over the past year. Under Heins' leadership, the company has a renewed energy, is laser focused and on task. They're working hard, and they're having fun as they hustle to bring BlackBerry 10 to market. We'll have a more indepth "one year later" post coming up soon, but for now I just wanted to get in here and make a toast to Thorsten.

Congrats on one year on the job, and all the best on the BlackBerry 10 launch. Now hit the video above to watch us shoot back some Jägermeister. Cheers!

Topics: BlackBerry 10 Thorsten Heins News & Rumors Editorial

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Kevin Michaluk Kevin Michaluk 3684 (articles) 3023 (forum posts)
61 comments

bizzyqu

Cheers!

ianbordas

Cheers!!!

Ian
Bold 9900 & PlayBook 64GB Wifi

Kuttysark

HAha, when they panned around I saw me! BB Dev TO meet up. #BBElite

Kevin Michaluk

Sweet. We'll do another meetup before we head out of Toronto. You'll have to swing by for that!

Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes

Is the next meetup going to be invite/essentially unanounced, or will there be a general community one?

Kuttysark

This coming Monday (Jan 28th)I helped get RIM to come out to #DevTO , which is the biggest and most regular Dev (all platforms) meetup I know of in the City. You guys should come out!

willwnet

Haha looks like I made it in the video too. Hope the CrackBerry crew is having fun in Toronto.

Rootbrian

I sure wanna be there even if it's to shake the hands of everybody!! :)

Brianflys

+BB10!! Congrats, Thor!

z1nsane

That gesture/call from Heins is insanely significant! Never knew it happened till you mentioned it now.

Stocklone

Last time I did a shot was when Apple's pinch to zoom patent got rejected. Celebrating the man, the myth, the legend who has turned around Blackberry seemed equally appropriate.

axllebeer

* BlackBerry by choice *
Thor will bring good things. :)

It's hammer time!

Jimcmf

Good work Thor. And remember,,,,,,the less you say sometimes the better. You know how the media can twist words around.

carlyincanada

Congratulations! Nice to see RIM on the upswing and looking forward to BB10! I hope it blows everyone away and silences the critics lol.

G-bone

Cheers! Thor, you have my respect and admiration...

#BB10Believe

Culex316

The funny thing is I remember clearly how a lot of people started criticizing the decision to name Thorsten as the CEO because he was "part of the old guard", but it was just unmerited and ridiculous.

But after one year I gotta say that the guy has done pretty well trying to rescue a sinking ship. I honestly cannot remember ever reading more positive news about RIM than lately, so this shows that the guy can turn it around.

Will it too. Android and Apple and become the dominant smartphone OS? Not anytime soon. Will it achieve third place and possibly find a foothold in enterprise? You bet!

ILUMINATIUNDEAD

dude im tryin not to drink and then this!!

BruvvaPete2

I understand why this was done, but professionally, for a blog with so much influence, it should not have been done. We need to set a higher standard. Just imho.

BB_Bmore

Thor has my respect. Thor stated that they were laser focused many months ago and BlackBerry10 looks to be the end result and man does it look SWEET! Congratulations Thorsten Heins and thanks for a very promising looking product!

MrLynd54

Congratulstions Thorsten Heins. May your next year be even more enjoyable. Thanks for all you do.

Superfly_FR

Well done Thor ! May the force stay with you !!! :)

BBVegasGirl80

Congratulations on your first year as RIM's CEO, Mr. Heins. Here's to many more successful years! *toasts along with Team Crackberry* :-)

kdna

Cheers. To BlackBerry 10 and beyond!

nt300

Good work the the RIM Team. You have a Visionary CEO that the will help BlackBerry 10 propel to 1st place.

KyonCoraeL

Good Job, Thorsten Heins and the new executive team.
Keep up the good work. I knew I should have bought stock when the iphone 5 came out.

ricky124

I second what KyonCoraeL said "Keep up the wood work Thor!".

Cheers! Man, I wish I was taking a shot too, woooo hooo!

A little more than a week till January 30. Can't wait to see what RIM has in store for us :)

chrissym68

I have to agree with BruvvaPete2. This video is hardly professional and does nothing to enhance the image or reputation of Crackberry. I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe too many shots were consumed beforehand? I love you guys for all the work you do to bring us everything BlackBerry but...you just look like a sad motley crew and I hardly think Mr Heins would be impressed. On the subject of the CEO...yes he is doing a great job but its going to be the NEXT twelve months that are critical to RIM. Let's maybe save a toast till then? Love Chris's Action top though!

Kevin Michaluk

Lol. There's a time to be professional and a time to have fun. This was a fun post. The site is called CrackBerry... we've been doing stuff like this for years and we're not about to change now and quit having fun. 

I appreciate that not everybody will like everyone of our posts. Scroll down to the next one. 

kozmo68

+10!

Don't change a thing...

BBThemes

the only unprofessional thing was that i wasnt invited! haha i kid i kid, im guessing this person hasnt seen the `sexy and i know it` blog post :)

also, note for everyone, its not +1, +10 or +1000

its +BB10

QuIcKsIlV3r

I completely disagree... Why can't the crackberry team have a drink or 2 and celebrate Heins' first year on the job?

Are you telling me that you have never gone out for drinks with friends to celebrate something?

I have seen on places like CNN and even here in Toronto having drinks on air for very special occasions. This is no different.

CTV news here in Toronto back in the fall had one of their top news anchors retire after 30+ years with the station, and they have pretty much the entire set crew come on at the end of the news to wish her fair well and drank champagne on tv. Nothing wrong with that.

It was professional in the sense that they weren't slurring or being jack a$$'s on camera. Just a proper toast.

If you don't like it, oh well, as Kevin said, they aren't going to quit having fun while keeps us well informed of all things BlackBerry.

Esgetn2hoT

dude pull that hampster out of your rectum, it's not like they all got naked and started having an orgy.... geez

lorax1284

...not that there's anything wrong with that...

DocDRM

For those who don't know, one of our most beloved members lives her life in a pantsless manner, and the most popular thread on CrackBerry invites all to become "pantsless" and post away as we shoot for 100K.

Nothing wrong with some guys sharing a toast that is on our behalf in a video so we can share in the celebration.

Cheers all!

chrissym68

Sorry guys. Never meant to upset anyone. I've said it before and will say it again the Crackberry team are the best and the greatest on the planet and we are all super excited about what will unfold in just a few days time! I've been waiting to get my hands on a BB10 device for months like we all have. I just can't decide on which one to get! My visa card is ready and willing to be swiped ASAP! All my friends moan about how I talk non-stop about how BB10 will be amazing. My job now will be to show my new device to everyone and show them how BlackBerry are now the new top dogs in the mobile world. Hopefully they will ditch their iPhones and Android devices when their contracts are up and change to the new brave BlackBerry World! Education is required now. So many people see blackberry as yesterdays tech when, as we all know, its tomorrows tech but you can have it right now! Well in a few weeks! :)

Maxey05

Wow! Crazy how it's already been a year with Thor at the helm!.. It has all been positive since he has taken over and I hope RIM and BlackBerry continue to progress and grow!

JMDBERRY

To Thorsten Heins,...Here here!

mnc76

Thooooooorrrrr!!!!! :)

BlackJack-21

Interesting that you guys chose Jager shots. Is it because the drink is German and that Thor is from Germany? Now, if he was Mexican. Would you guys would have chose Tequila shots? I sense a connection there.

Congrats to Thor! Without him, there would be no Crackberry nation ;)
History in the making.

Kevin Michaluk

Yep! Jager because he is German

beavertail2

Congratuations to Thorsten Heins for saving an important company for the world!

Cheers!!!

InjCla

Glückwünsche Thorsten Heins

Shintocam

I truly hope BB10 turns around RIMs fortunes. I'm all in with it. Love my playbook, cannot wait to get a Z10 or X10. Thor has done an amazing job. I honestly believe that if BB10 fails it is not his fault at all. He did everything he possibly could. If BB10 succeeds its all on him. And I feel if it fails - it has everything to do with having been in such a hole when he took over no one could have dug out.

What he is done is nothing short of amazing.

notinbeta

Nice! Cheers as well for an amazing C.E.O.! :)

revtech

Danke sehr, Thorsten Heins, vielen dank! =)

DJM626

Congrats Thor! You certainly deserve all good things you have coming to you. You have done so much for all of us die hard BB Believers, and next week your greatness is going to shine in the long awaited release of Z10 and the up and coming BB's . Let your good work be an example for everyone to see. GO RIM

THBW

It was a year ago that Thorsten Heins become CEO of a very challenged company. I'm not sure what I thought of him at first. I was cautious and as stated above I viewed him as an insider. Perhaps, I started to form a impression of him when he started announceing the company downsizing and the delay of BB10. Boy, I was downright angry, just more bullshit from RIM. But a couple weeks later after I calmed down and thought rationally, I couldn't helped but be impressed. That took guts and it is what a CEO should do to right the ship and get it moving forward. I started to pay alot closer attention to Mr. Hein's and frankly he is masterful at his job. Calm, deliberate and focused. He displays a level of confidence in his company, employees and customers that inspires.

My father who was an investment counselor once told me that he never invests in companies with good ideas. He invests in companies with good ideas and sound management. Thorsten has brought this third element to RIM and it is something sadly lacking from the other major players. The California crowd is stuck in groupthink mode.

Over the next year, I would like all BB fans to think very hard about one key question. Why can't RIM be the dominant player in the wireless field. Is their really something special about Android? No, there isn't and their are alot of negatives which prevent it from maintaining its dominant position. This is the time to think big and let's not be constrained by a static vision of wireless communications. It has taken me sometime to see Thorsten's view of the wireless industry. We should all consider the word "platform" very very carefully. He is not joking around, it isn't hype and he is miles ahead in implementing it. Apple and Google are visionless and consumed by the present. Good luck to all.

pmich

I think this may be a bad thing that you guys came to Toronto. I think no work and all drinking for 2 weeks is about to happen :)

Jonesy1966

May the Hammer of Thor(sten) smite all thy enemies!

Bolderholder

Though we've yet to see the uptake of BB10 in the market, from what Thorsten has managed to achieve to date and developing a product that has been met with extremely positive news so far from critics and BB fans alike...congratulations is well deserved.

I am truly hoping and looking forward that everything we've come to expect from BB10 really does materialize and RIM completely emerges as an invigorated organization poised to continue the momentum its built for itself. Kudos to Thorsten and everyone at RIM.

Lastly, kudos to Crackberry and everyone within the team. From the time RIM announced BBX, then BB10, to the delays in launching, and finally leaking information bit by bit of the nearly complete end product...CB has provided an excellent platform to temper and manage expectations of BB enthusiasts alike and keeping the masses engaged with relevant and entertaining news.

CB is an excellent venue not only for BB users, abusers, etc...but a resource for RIM to gain the feedback that is core to their target market. Good stuff all around and keep up the great work Kevin. I look forward to all the new threads opening up under BB10 to help us proud new owners of BB10 devices how to do this, and how to do that...

Jan 30th can't come soon enough.

begley1

The CFO at RIM is pretty darn good as well. Didn't he oversee the reorganization?

scmcc16

Awesome video and toast guys! Thors and all the C"X"Os and VP "x"s have been doing an awesome job! The Titanic may have missed the iceberg and my gut feel is that BB10 is going to rock.

That being said.... Bla1ze and Adam, NO second shots??? WTF????

Eli_B

Congratulations on a wonderful first year, Mr. Heins.

I'm looking forward to an even better second year.

Can't wait for BlackBerry 10 and the devices to come out 1/30!

BlackBerry By Choice! :)

L'chaim!