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|portrait  = RobHallPortrait.jpg
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|affiliation = Momentous.ca
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|linkedin  = https://www.linkedin.com/in/robhall5/
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'''Rob Hall''' is the CEO of [[Momentous]], a holding company of internet-based and entertainment businesses with over US$30 million in annual revenues. [[Zip.ca]] is a Momentous company, as are Canada’s largest internet domain name companies, Internic.ca, DomainsAtCost.ca, [[NameScout]].com and [[Pool]].com. Together, these companies have over 1,000,000 individual and corporate customers.
'''Rob Hall''' is the CEO of [[Momentous]] and served on [[ICANN]]'s [[NomCom]] as its 2012 Chair Elect.<ref name="linkedin">[http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=73924 Rob H.], LinkedIn.com.</ref><ref name="announcement">[http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-22nov11-en.htm Announcement], ICANN.org. Published 22 November 2011.</ref> He acts as the Chairman of various Momentous subsidiaries, such as [[Pool.com]] and [[Zip.ca]]. In 1998, he founded [[CIRA]], the registry in charge of Canada's [[ccTLD]], [[.ca]].<ref name="dnjournal">[http://www.dnjournal.com/columns/cover060604.htm DNJournal.com]</ref> Momemontous' companies bring in over $30 million in annual revenue from its clientelle of over 600,000 individual and corporate customers.<ref name="zip">[http://www.zip.ca/ContentViewer.aspx?ktid=%009&kid=%002%004%007&pt=%00Z%00i%00p%00.%00c%00a%00+%00-%00+%00A%00b%00o%00u%00t%00+%00U%00s# Zip.ca]</ref>


Mr. Hall was an early Internet pioneer. He founded Ottawa’s first internet service provider and the Canadian Internet Registry Authority or [[CIRA]], which now manages the .ca Internet domain names. At the same time, he hosted a radio show called “Surfing the Net” and wrote a weekly column about the Internet for the Sun Publishing chain of newspapers.
Hall is an early Internet entrepreneur and the founder of the first Canadian [[ISP]].


His leadership has led him to various roles within ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the organization tasked with managing the Internet on a global basis. Today he is the Vice Chairman of the Registrars Constituency of ICANN.
==Background==
Previously, Mr. Hall was the CEO and founder of Echelon Internet Group, and Internet Access Inc. The latter was an Ottawa-based ISP that became a regional leader, cornering 40% of the Ottawa market; it eventually merged with Hookup Communications and went public.<ref name="dnjournal"></ref><ref name="zip"></ref>


Prior to founding Momentous.ca, Mr. Hall was CEO and founder of Echelon Internet Corp. and Internet Access Inc., an Ottawa based ISP that quickly grew to be one of the largest in the region, capturing over 40% of the Ottawa market. In 1996, Internet Access Inc. merged with Hookup Communications and began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Hall founded [[CIRA]] in 1998, and was its founding chair until 2000 when he resigned. CIRA was started after his work with the Canadian Government's "E-Commerce and Domain Name Taskforce". He also founded the [[CAIP|Canadian Association of Internet Providers]], which represents all Canadian ISPs; he served as its Vice-Chair and as a Board member for 4 years. He has frequently consulted with the Canadian Government, the U.S. Government, [[WIPO]], [[ICANN]], and other international organizations.


For the past 16 years he has been the Chairman of the Ottawa Competitive Volleyball League (OCVL) and served on other non-profit boards such as the Ottawa Carleton Ultimate Association (OCUA), the world’s largest Ultimate league.
In the mid-'90s, Rob hosted a radio show, "Surfing the Net"; he also had a weekly column on the Internet that ran in Sun Publishing's chain of newspapers.<ref>[http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=24361261&privcapId=23775172&previousCapId=23775172&previousTitle=Momentous.ca%20Corporation Momentous.ca], Investing.BusinessWeek.com.</ref>


Mr. Hall, who favors volleyball, skiing and piloting his own plane, is a devoted Rush and Van Halen fan as well as a founding season ticket holder to the Ottawa Senators. He attended the University of Ottawa for Computer Science (honours).
==Momentous==
Rob is credited with building Pool.com's unique idea of allowing multiple people to backorder the same domain name, and then settle the conflicting interests with an auction between all interested parties. They now deal with hundreds of auctions every day,<ref name="dnjournal"></ref>


==Employment History==
Hall is known for his focused, no-nonsense management style; as an employer, he is looking for the strongest individuals and stresses that the company is a team, not a family.<ref>[http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/bold+mission+Momentous/4271246/story.html?cid=megadrop_story OttawaCitizen.com]</ref>


* Ottawa Competitive Volleyball League
A grocery list of tips for success on the Internet from Rob can be found [http://www.dramatispersonae.org/DesignEconomics/PersonalWebSiteRobertHall.htm here].
* [[Momentous.ca]] Corporation
 
* [[ICANN]]
==ICANN==
* Drake Domains Corp
Rob has been involved with ICANN in a number of roles; he has been the Vice-Chair of the [[Registrar Constituency]],<ref>[http://www.domaindictionary.com/konfuciy.asp?tda=dt&t=6980&fs=rob+hall DomainDictionary.com]</ref> and has also worked as a contractor at [[ICANN]].<ref name="linkedin"></ref> In 2011, he was a voting member of the [[NomCom]] and was appointed by the [[Registrar Stakeholder Group]], which he has been involved with since its inception.<ref>[http://www.icannregistrars.org/about/staff.php Staff], ICANNRegistrars.org.</ref>
* [[NameScout]] Corp
 
* [[Internic.ca]]
He was NomCom's 2012 Chair Elect<ref name="announcement"></ref> but resigned from the position in October 2013, while speaking out about flaws in the NomCom. He cited an internal culture that promotes friends and colleagues rather than qualified candidates and discards formal advice from the [[ICANN Board]]. He also noted that the group attends [[ICANN Meetings]] on a purely travel basis and does not hold meetings at the events, and that increased lobbying threatens the organization further. "We are starting to see lobbying inside the NomCom: 'If I support this candidate will you support this one for me'. We are seeing the politics of GNSO play out in the NomCom," Hall said.<ref name="dot-nxt">[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/10/12/sickening-nomcom-must-be-refor "Sickening" NomCom must be reformed, says ex-chair], Dot-Nxt.com. Published 12 October 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.</ref>
* [[CIRA]] (Canadian Internet Registration Authority)
 
* Internet Access Inc.
Some solutions Hall suggested implementing include changes in the way Committee members are chosen, removing secrecy, including Board members on the Committee, bringing in professional recruiters, and reforming the selection process, but he cites acknowledgment of the problem within the ICANN community as the prime impetus for change.<ref name="dot-nxt"></ref>
* [[Zip.ca]] Inc
* [[Pool.com]]
* Echelon Internet Corp
* Canadian Association of Internet Providers


==Board Memberships and Affiliations==
==Board Memberships and Affiliations==
 
*Founder, [[Momentous.ca]] Corporation
*Founder, Momentous.ca Corporation
*Voting Member, ICANN
*Registrar-Appointed Member of Budget Committee, ICANN
*Registrar-Appointed Member of Budget Committee, ICANN
*Board Member, Drake Domains Corp
*Vice Chairman, Registrars Constituency of ICANN
*Vice Chairman, Registrars Constituency of ICANN
*Founder, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
*Founder, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
*Board Member, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
*Former Board Member, [[CIRA|Canadian Internet Registration Authority]]
*Founder, Canadian Association of Internet Providers
*Founder, Canadian Association of Internet Providers


==Education==
==Education==
*University of Ottawa for Computer Science, Honors<ref>[http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Hall_Rob_342282209.aspx Business Profile of Rob Hall]</ref>


*University of Ottawa for Computer Science<ref>[http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Hall_Rob_342282209.aspx Business Profile of Rob Hall]</ref>
==Fun Facts==
Mr. Hall has been the Chairman of the Ottawa Competitive Volleyball League for 16 years, and has served on the board of the world's largest Ultimate league, the Ottawa Carleton Ultimate Association.<ref name="zip"></ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


[[category: People]]
[[category: Canada]]
[[category: Canada]]
[[Category:Former NomCom Delegate]]
[[Category:Regular ICANN Attendee]]
[[Category:RrSG]]
[[Category:Featured]]
__NOTOC__

Latest revision as of 16:31, 3 February 2023

Affiliation: Momentous.ca
Country: Canada
LinkedIn:    Rob Hall
Twitter:    @MomentousRob
Currently a member
of ICANN's RrSG


Formerly a member
of ICANN's NomCom


Has attended 30+
ICANN Meetings

Rob Hall is the CEO of Momentous and served on ICANN's NomCom as its 2012 Chair Elect.[1][2] He acts as the Chairman of various Momentous subsidiaries, such as Pool.com and Zip.ca. In 1998, he founded CIRA, the registry in charge of Canada's ccTLD, .ca.[3] Momemontous' companies bring in over $30 million in annual revenue from its clientelle of over 600,000 individual and corporate customers.[4]

Hall is an early Internet entrepreneur and the founder of the first Canadian ISP.

Background[edit | edit source]

Previously, Mr. Hall was the CEO and founder of Echelon Internet Group, and Internet Access Inc. The latter was an Ottawa-based ISP that became a regional leader, cornering 40% of the Ottawa market; it eventually merged with Hookup Communications and went public.[3][4]

Hall founded CIRA in 1998, and was its founding chair until 2000 when he resigned. CIRA was started after his work with the Canadian Government's "E-Commerce and Domain Name Taskforce". He also founded the Canadian Association of Internet Providers, which represents all Canadian ISPs; he served as its Vice-Chair and as a Board member for 4 years. He has frequently consulted with the Canadian Government, the U.S. Government, WIPO, ICANN, and other international organizations.

In the mid-'90s, Rob hosted a radio show, "Surfing the Net"; he also had a weekly column on the Internet that ran in Sun Publishing's chain of newspapers.[5]

Momentous[edit | edit source]

Rob is credited with building Pool.com's unique idea of allowing multiple people to backorder the same domain name, and then settle the conflicting interests with an auction between all interested parties. They now deal with hundreds of auctions every day,[3]

Hall is known for his focused, no-nonsense management style; as an employer, he is looking for the strongest individuals and stresses that the company is a team, not a family.[6]

A grocery list of tips for success on the Internet from Rob can be found here.

ICANN[edit | edit source]

Rob has been involved with ICANN in a number of roles; he has been the Vice-Chair of the Registrar Constituency,[7] and has also worked as a contractor at ICANN.[1] In 2011, he was a voting member of the NomCom and was appointed by the Registrar Stakeholder Group, which he has been involved with since its inception.[8]

He was NomCom's 2012 Chair Elect[2] but resigned from the position in October 2013, while speaking out about flaws in the NomCom. He cited an internal culture that promotes friends and colleagues rather than qualified candidates and discards formal advice from the ICANN Board. He also noted that the group attends ICANN Meetings on a purely travel basis and does not hold meetings at the events, and that increased lobbying threatens the organization further. "We are starting to see lobbying inside the NomCom: 'If I support this candidate will you support this one for me'. We are seeing the politics of GNSO play out in the NomCom," Hall said.[9]

Some solutions Hall suggested implementing include changes in the way Committee members are chosen, removing secrecy, including Board members on the Committee, bringing in professional recruiters, and reforming the selection process, but he cites acknowledgment of the problem within the ICANN community as the prime impetus for change.[9]

Board Memberships and Affiliations[edit | edit source]

  • Founder, Momentous.ca Corporation
  • Registrar-Appointed Member of Budget Committee, ICANN
  • Vice Chairman, Registrars Constituency of ICANN
  • Founder, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
  • Former Board Member, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
  • Founder, Canadian Association of Internet Providers

Education[edit | edit source]

  • University of Ottawa for Computer Science, Honors[10]

Fun Facts[edit | edit source]

Mr. Hall has been the Chairman of the Ottawa Competitive Volleyball League for 16 years, and has served on the board of the world's largest Ultimate league, the Ottawa Carleton Ultimate Association.[4]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Rob H., LinkedIn.com.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Announcement, ICANN.org. Published 22 November 2011.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 DNJournal.com
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Zip.ca
  5. Momentous.ca, Investing.BusinessWeek.com.
  6. OttawaCitizen.com
  7. DomainDictionary.com
  8. Staff, ICANNRegistrars.org.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Sickening" NomCom must be reformed, says ex-chair, Dot-Nxt.com. Published 12 October 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  10. Business Profile of Rob Hall