Would you like to ask Paul Beeston a question?
In addition to his address of the sold out event, Beeston will be joined on stage with Canadians broadcaster Rob Fai for a host of questions that will be submitted by you via our team's twitter account @vancanadians.
Not sure what to ask the President and CEO of the Blue Jays? let's take a walk down memory lane together and learn a little bit more about the man who helped architect one of baseball's greatest Champions.
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Ask most Canadians in baseball where they were when the Toronto Blue jays won either of their World Series Championships and chances are they'll remember.
In 1992, many of us remember Joe Carter jumping up and down just steps from first base in Atlanta as Otis Nixon tried to drag a bunt up the first base line which didn't go according to plan.
In 1993, it was once again Joe Carter's stage as his home run in Game Six off of Philadelphia reliever Mitch Williams sent this country into baseball euphoria for the second straight year.
But men like Paul Beeston are rarely connected to the pinnacle moments of the Blue Jays because frankly fans remember the guys in the uniforms, and seldom those behind the scenes.
Now, ask anyone in baseball who helped bring the Blue jays from expansion obscurity and into baseball's spotlight and suddenly the names dwindle down to just a few - Pat Gillick and Paul Beeston.
Gillick may get the notoriety, but make no mistake, the first-ever employee of the Blue Jays had his finger prints all over the Jays going from American League doormats to the toast of Major League Baseball.
Hired in 1976, months before the Jays became officially Canada's second Major League Baseball property, Beeston's ascent through the Toronto organization came faster than the wins did on the field.
Within a year, the native of Welland, Ontario had received his first promotion becoming the vice-president of business operations, and then executive vice-president in 1984. This was just as the Blue jays were becoming contenders in the always tough American League East, home of the Tigers, Yankees and Red Sox.
His climb continued as the team moved from chilly and spacious Exhibition Stadium into the state-of-the-art Skydome.
After being named President and Chief Operating Officer of the Blue Jays in 1989, his climb to the top of the Blue Jays came just as Toronto was reaching their true potential on the field as well. In 1991, Beeston became the President and Chief Executive Officer just months before Toronto would become World Champions.
He would celebrate a handful of American League East pennants ('85, '89, '92 & '93), but bringing Toronto Back-to-Back World Championships solidified Beeston's place as one of baseball's top executives, something that did not go unnoticed by Major League Baseball.
In 1997, Beeston would leave Toronto and the only team he had ever worked for and head towards the bright lights of New York and the head offices of Major League Baseball.
Here, Beeston would work beside long-time Commissioner Bud Selig in helping the game take into the new millennium.
It didn't come without its challenges as baseball faced one of pro sports most lengthy and messy work stoppages as well as issues with performance-enhancing drugs and skyrocketing contracts and expansion.
But, the effervescent Beeston would help the game persevere and even brought the fans back to the game despite all of the attempts to tarnish it.
But the Blue Jays were 'home' to Beeston, a graduate of Western Ontario University, and despite the lush, lavish job within Major League Baseball, a second tour of duty with the Jays would become inevitable.
Beeston would return to what was suddenly known as Rogers Centre and a new generation of Blue Jays Baseball. Gone were the days of Roberto Alomar, Fred McGriff, Jimmy Key and Tony Fernandez. Now, it was Roy Halladay, Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells.
The Jays had dipped into their past to bring back a voice that could calm the disenchanted fans and corporate sector who had suddenly lost touch with Toronto's baseball club. Promises made and promises failed. The years Beeston had been away had ended up being some of Toronto's worst both on and off the field and now it was Beeston's to clean up as the organization's President and CEO replacing Paul Godfrey.
The move to eventually replace J.P. Riccardi and go with the young and inexperienced Alex Anthopoulos was a gamble, but one that to this point seems to be paying off. Gone were the public relation and media nightmares of Riccardi's tiffs with reporters and longtime fans. Suddenly a soft-spoken, honest and determined General Manager was on the scene and Canadian-born to boot. It seemed like the Jays had to clean up the Front Office before they could truly address the inconsistencies on the field.
They did helping Roy Halladay find a home in Philadelphia and Vernon Wells a place to compete in Anaheim.
Some would say the Jays couldn't keep the 'names' despite having Beeston back in the game, but to those who saw the cigar-chewing executive work to get Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter from the Padres in exchange for Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff, you can already see what is happening. The Jays are breaking it down to build it back up.
The farm, which includes a stop right here in Vancouver is brimming with talent. The bread and butter of the Blue Jays before they became World Champions. A rejuvenated effort within the community both locally and nationally have got many who disconnected from 'Canada's team' suddenly curious as to what the fuss is all about.
As Anthopoulos gets the ink, those in baseball's inner circle know that Beeston is behind the push to re-connect Canada with its baseball team and working to create the same family-friendly environment that had both players and fans happy to come out to the ballpark.
Can Beeston bring it all the way back?
With Roger's Communications at the helm and a story for every cigar ever smoked, it would be tough to bet again the Blue Jays employee whose badge number around the ballpark says #001.
Notes: In 1988, Beeston was named a Member of the Order of Canada. In 1998 he was elected to the board of directors of the Baseball Hall of Fame and in 2002 he was inducted in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario and was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1994 and an honorary doctor of social sciences from Niagara University in 2001. He was placed in the Blue Jays Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre on April 4, 2008 prior to the Jays' home opener versus the Boston Red Sox.