The Next Best Thing

"I came back to St. Louis to find the next thing, and I found it," Jack Dorsey announced last Friday at his "tweetup" at Webster University. The man who created, co-founded and now serves as chairman for the micro-blogging phenomenon Twitter broke the news while on campus to receive Webster University's 2009 Person of the Year award.

According to Dorsey, the next best thing is already in the works and will be influenced by Twitter's themes of immediacy, transparency and approachability. Dorsey would not reveal many details but did say his hometown would play a large part in the new venture.

"Jack Dorsey is the future," Dean Akande remarked after meeting the 32-year old entrepreneur. "He is an individual who has come along, made life better for those around him and has enabled all of us to communicate in a way never done before."

Following his presentation at Webster, Dorsey and his family were welcomed at St. Louis City Hall by Mayor Francis Slay who gave the South St. Louis native the key to the city. He also proclaimed September 18, 2009 "Jack Twitter Day" with a 140-character proclamation written in true Twitter style: Whereas @Jack founded @Twitter Whereas that's a big deal Whereas Jack is ours Therefore I, @MayorSlay call 9/18/09 Jack Twitter Day in #STL.

The next stop for this die-hard Cardinals' fan was Busch Stadium where Dorsey threw out the first pitch for the night's game against the Cubs. It was there on the infield that Dorsey met Cardinals' manager Tony LaRussa.

Watch a recap of Jack's day. Watch Jack's presentation at Webster here. Click here to see the pictures. Read Dean Akande's introduction: Twitter – The New Mathematics. Review our more than 1,300 tweets from the "tweetup" @WebsterU. Read what the media had to say.