email to Jones Day seeking Non-profit status for REALNEO, not pursued

This was sent by Peter Holmes to Jones Day on November 15, 2005, showing it was the intent for REALNEO to be establsihed as a non-profit. I have not seen and documents indicating this was ever pursued in any formal way.

15 November, 2005

Memorandum For E. Halfon, Jones Day

REALNEO

Summary of REALNEO.

   REALNEO,  a Cleveland-based not-for-profit organization, in
formation, operates social networks for economic development.

     Social networks are important!  Why?  They differentiate regions
of prosperity from those in decline.  How?   Their use transforms the
processes that people and organizations use to manage activity and
knowledge.  Regions' competitive advantages are defined by
organizations' and individuals'  intellectual property - their unique
value - collectively.  The outcomes that result from the operation of
social networks can product great benefits to participants and the
region in which they live.  Where?  Social networks are commonplace in
region's with dynamic economies:  New York, Boston, the Bay Area, San
Diego, Stockholm, Oslo and Tallinn, among them.

   Since October 2004, the REALNEO network has validated concepts and
behaviors upon which this application is based.  Moreover, claims made
for the benefits of network participation are based upon broadly
distributed social and economic benefits during a year-long period of
research and development.

   Examples of REALNEO sponsored events that encourage people
organizations to participate in the network:

   On October 31st and November 1st, 2005 REALNEO hosted events at the
Cleveland Institute of Art and the Palace Theater, respectively.  These
events demonstrated techniques for building individuals' network
participation, as well as harvesting content.  The programs'  master of
ceremonies, Rebecca Ryan, is a nationally-known futurist, whose focus on
attracting and retaining  "Gen X & Y" correlates with regions' need to
create competitive advantages, and to retain and attract people born
since 1961. Such events recognize the need for organizations to have
access to a pool of talented people who possess "unique value," in order
to prosper.  Regions'  successes are directly linked to their retention
and attraction of young adults.  For validation, look to the  role that
museums and culture have in attracting well-educated younger people to
growing regions.

   Since the Spring of 2005, REALNEO has hosted the weekly
NEOEXCELLENCE Roundtable luncheons held Tuesday's, at the City Club of
Cleveland.  These programs, with as many as 60 participants, have
demonstrated how process change leads to unplanned outcomes.  Hundreds
of attendees have championed particular topics and the collaborations
ensuing have acquainted individuals and organizations with social
computing.  Examples include collaborations in arts & culture, economic
development, education, the  environment, technology and health.

   Some outcomes:  Recruiting organizational clients and their networks
to REALNEO.  Examples include the CEO Search Committee of the Cleveland
Metropolitan School District; the Greater Cleveland Lead Advisory
Council, the City of East Cleveland, and the McGregor Foundation.  In
these examples, REALNEO creates networks for government and
non-for-profit organizations.   REALNEO  also supports ad hoc groups
that are championing such activities as wind power, a signature bridge
over the Cuyahoga River Valley, and ex-Clevelanders with a passion for
the region residing in New York and Washington.

   REALNEO  provides the context, and in some situations, content, on
the network.  By connecting people and organizations, the process by
which activities and knowledge are managed changes.  As the process is
transformed, the outcomes possible are enhanced by the ensuing
collaborations between unaffiliated individuals and organizations.  The
overarching force that prompts people to participate in such networks
are their passion or commitment to actions and outcomes.   Implicit in
this behavior is the recognition that network interactions increase the
value of intellectual property introduced to the network.

   REALNEO also operates, maintains and hosts nodes on the network.
This is done on both dedicated and shared servers.  REALNEO  developes
interfaces and experiences that encourage participation by network
members.

    Recruiting participants occurs at the wholesale and retail levels.
REALNEO  recruits as network participants  clients who may, in turn,
recruit their members.  At the retail level, participant recruiting is
done through the aforementioned events and from the day-to-day operation
of internet searches that acquaint others with REALNEO.

   REALNEO  may receive revenue from the following:  sponsors;
commissions on goods and services sold;  advertising; and other such
opportunities that arise in the course of its activities.

   Unique applications designed for REALNEO customers are provided by
REALinks LLC a for-profit entity that provides proprietary functions
operating on open source software.  It also provides custom graphic
design solutions.  Implementation of customers' solutions are done by
both  independent contractors and on-staff personnel.  Open source
software's benefits are numerous and ensure that the world's best
knowledge and activity management solutions are in use by its clients.
REALinks updates continuously software modules that enable a wide range
of functions.

   REALinks provides consulting services to users of its technologies
and other for profit and not-for-profit organizations that perceive
benefits from using tools of action management and collaboration.
REALinks is a consultant to  REALNEO networks.