In this segment, Matt Kaulig speaks with the HPIB (Hockey Players in Business) an international, not-for-profit network designed to help former and current hockey players build their business networks, continue their professional development, and most importantly, give back to the sport that has helped shape them.

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What a great idea for hockey players and an ability to connect and get back to the game of hockey.

– Robert MacKinlay

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Narrator
Each month, Kaulig Giving and Fox 8 will highlight people, organizations and charities making a difference in northeast Ohio. It’s time to celebrate Cleveland’s Own.

Matt Kaulig
Hi, I’m Matt calling. I’d like to introduce you to the toughest, fastest growing business network in the world, created exclusively for those that have played the toughest, fastest sport in the world. Their motto. Network. Learn. Give back. Welcome to Hockey Players in Business. An international, not for profit network designed to help former and current hockey players build their business networks, continue their professional development, and most importantly, give back to the sport that has helped shape them. They say the best business relationships are built on trust, mutual respect, philanthropy and frozen water. Let’s get to know Rob McKinley and Hockey Players in Business.

Matt Kaulig
Rob, thanks for sitting down with me today. So you’re a kid from Mentor, Ohio that started an international hockey business organization in Cleveland.

Robert MacKinlay
Was born and raised in Canada and my dad moves to Sierra to start playing hockey when I was three years old. And we started Hockey Players in Business about two and a half years ago.

Matt Kaulig
What is Hockey Players in Business?

Robert MacKinlay
So a good friend of mine, Aaron Grossman, I don’t know if you know him.

Matt Kaulig
I do know him, Yeah.

Robert MacKinlay
…didn’t rely on staff. Yep So he was a big time wrestler in college and he was telling about this organization he started called Wrestlers in Business. And he started it 9 or 10 years ago. He’s telling about it. I see it grow. And him and I keep talking about it. And I’m thinking myself, well, they’ve got 5000 members. They got 20,000 through social media. What a great idea for hockey players and an ability to connect and get back to the game of hockey. You know, we started with a group of people here in Cleveland, good friends of mine in the hockey community and leaders in the business community. And then from there, we launched it in July of 16. And now we’ve got 650 plus members around the country.

Matt Kaulig
You all wear your jerseys?

Robert MacKinlay
I wear this every day and this is what I wear into work. I mean, my wife gets really frustrated with, it’s holding up pretty good, it’s been washed a number of times, but it’s actually from our charity Hockey tournament that we run every year. And this year, our upcoming tournament is April 6th and 7th, at Gilmore Academy. You got to be a member to play in the tournaments, it’s a members only event. It’s our biggest fundraiser. We got some great networking and amazing sponsors behind it.

Matt Kaulig
Let’s talk about the ways that your organization gives back.

Robert MacKinlay
Our biggest donations go to USA Hockey Foundation because it’s their sole mission and USA Hockey does a great great job. Their biggest thing is to grow the game hockey but then we’ve given money to the Penn Foundation, various other foundations. The Organizational Gliding Stars, which is in Toledo, which helps kids who have some physical disabilities to help them play the game of hockey. Donated to an organization in St. Louis is called Man Advantage, which save one of their parent’s passes away, it helps pay for their dues and then sponsoring other important things like the Hockey Humanitarian Award that is given out the NCAA tournament. Basically trying to grow the game a hockey and help people in the game of hockey connect. You go to Hockey Players in Business event wherever it is in the country and everybody in the room has something in common. No matter if you’re the CEO of X company or you’re just a first year person out of college, you’ve got something in common and that is really, really powerful.

Matt Kaulig
So in your opinion, what makes hockey so special?

Robert MacKinlay
Once you’re in the locker room, If you’re if you’re acting out of sorts or you’re doing something isn’t appropriate, the locker room lets you know. It teaches you the value of hard work. It teaches the fact that you can’t cut corners. It teaches you personal accountability? So I know as a business man, if I hold myself accountable, nobody else has to. And that’s how I’ve addressed my entire career. And I think that’s something that hockey has taught me and I’m incredibly thankful for. It’s turning into the man I am today. And it’s a blessing.

Matt Kaulig
To learn more about getting involved or how you could donate. Go to hockeyplayersinbusiness.org. Make it a great day!