Voce is proud to be part of an online auction benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which invests in blood cancer research and patient services. The fundraiser - appropriately named Out for Blood is running on eBay May 8-18. (Hat tip to Tom Foremski and the NY Times for writing about the campaign.)

There are some big ticket items up for auction, such as World Cup Soccer tickets; AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am tickets; autographed jerseys from Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig and Brent Jones; a customized racing bike from Specialized; and pre-show tickets to Saturday Night Live.

In addition, there are other unique items worth highlighting because they involve high-profile Silicon Valley executives who have graciously donated their time to support this fundraiser. Seagate CEO Bill Watkins, eBay President Bill Cobb, Symantec CEO John Thompson and Solectron CEO Mike Cannon have joined forces to support this fundraiser by creating one-of-a-kind opportunities for bidders to spend quality time with them, such as one-on-one lunch meetings and rounds of golf. (Specifics are listed below)

Communications consultants always encourage their executives to get involved in charities because it makes for good press. We can tell you that these men are involved because they are passionate about the cause. Here’s a press release quote from Watkins, who is also a member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Board of Trustees in the organization’s Silicon Valley & Monterey Bay Area Chapter:

"At Seagate, we strongly support the effort to find a cure for the devastating diseases the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society so diligently targets," said Seagate CEO and President Bill Watkins. "The online auction is a fun and effective way to get involved in the effort as well as offering people in the community to learn more about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its efforts to fund research and help those diagnosed with these debilitating diseases."

So, if you are an entrepreneur looking for a litmus test for your next "big idea" or if you are a recent graduate looking for a job, here’s your chance to get some time with leaders in the Silicon Valley.

Items Up for Auction:

• Lunch with Bill Cobb, President of eBay North America: Cobb overseas the marketing, strategic planning and business development for all of eBay’s North American businesses.
• Lunch with John Thompson, CEO of Symantec: Symantec is the global leader in information security and availability, helping customers secure and manage their data. Under Thompson’s guidance, Symantec went from a $632 million consumer antivirus company in 1999 to an enterprise security player with $2.5 billion in sales in 2004.
• A round of golf with Bill Watkins, President & CEO of Seagate Technology and Mike Cannon, CEO of Solectron: Under Watkins’ leadership, Seagate was named Forbes magazine’s Company of the Year in January 2006. Cannon recently addressed global business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.