Joe Acker

Background

About Joe Acker

Born & raised in Edmonton, graduated high school from O'Leary Composite and enrolled in Engineering at the University of Alberta. In 1970, having married Diane, I apprenticed with Canadian National Railways and completed certification as a diesel electric railway electrician. I transferred to CN/CP Telecommunications and completed my training as a teletype technician. Introduced to digital systems, I gained expertise in satellite weather systems, microcomputers, high speed data networks and photo optical systems - progressing to relief regional instructor on those specialized systems. In 1976, I was hired by the City of Edmonton as a computer communications analyst, becoming responsible for the city's rapidly expanding Sperry Univac computer network. As Edmonton Telephones was then entering the personal computer business, I was seconded to them to assist in training their sales force. I was transferred to Etcom, the international arm of EdTel and engaged in international sales efforts until EdTel merged with Alberta Government Telephones to create Telus. Having been elected to municipal office in 1977, I chose to leave the corporate environment and formed Acker & Associates to offer consulting services to business and government. With the explosive growth in the Internet and almost overwhelming advances in personal computing hardware and software, in 1992, I joined with my son Jeff to found Topham & Associates to provide website development and hosting services to my consulting clients and local municipalities. This initial work opened a multitude of opportunities in the municipal Internet environment and in 1995, we formed Broadport Canada Inc. to market and support our GroupLinks website management system - an enhanced website content management system which allows the website owner to fully manage their site without the need to have any technical or programming experience. Elected as municipal councillor in 1977 and then alderman when Spruce Grove became a city in 1986; I was elected mayor in 1992 and served in that capacity until 2001. I was appointed to the Municipal Government Board of Alberta and served in that capacity for 9 years. In 2014, with our children grown, my wife and I sold our home and moved to the Grove Seniors’ Village Housing Cooperative where I was elected president and served for 6 years in that capacity.