Charlie Pesti Increases Bespoke Logistics and Supply Chain Media & PR Offerings with Addition of Hariesh Manaadiar
Sim&Cure Announces the Appointment of Dan Raffi as Chief Operating Officer and Board Member
Comcast Names John Keller Senior Vice President for the Mountain West Region
Delphix Appoints Josh Harbert as Chief Marketing Officer
Goodway Group Names Micheal Hayes as Inaugural Chief Growth Officer, Expanding Leadership Team
Channel Factory Continues EMEA Expansion with New Hires and Team Growth in Poland
Expertscape Names Lyndon Jones as the Decade’s Top Contact Lens Expert
Comcast Names John Keller Senior Vice President for the Mountain West Region
Edison Interactive’s Nick Stanitz-Harper Wins Denver Business Journal Award
Channel Factory Targets APAC Growth with Key Hire
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Tech Company Hires Powerhouse Female Leaders to Launch Ethical Dating APP
Ethical Social Group has appointed two powerful women as co-founders, heading up the group’s senior leadership team as it prepares to launch its ethical dating app Fluttr. Ethical Social Group, based in Macclesfield, was created with a vision to transform the landscape of social media, to give people the safety and control they deserve. The company is rebuilding social platforms by taking the parts that are fun and exciting and putting them in a trusted space within the apps it is developing. New CEO Rhonda Alexander, who is also a Board Member of Ethical Social Group, is a native New Yorker. Now living in central London, she earned an MPhil in Sociology, Politics and Economics of Development at the University of Cambridge and has a wealth of experience operating in different global markets. Rhonda served as International Director and Senior Vice President of World Congress in the ‘90s driving its expansion into Europe and Asia. She is also the Co-Founder of The Chemistry Club, forging business connections for members fundamentally powered by the chemistry between people. She led initiates aimed at bringing together top venture capitalists, investors, government ministers, industry leaders and screened technology sector entrepreneurs, and also helped launch The Climate Change Forum and Networking Master Classes. Her more recent roles have included Chief Connections Officer at The WealthiHer Network, Partner at The Ballistra Group and Advisor at Cherry London. In 2016, Rhonda founded The Maven Group, offering consultancy and advisory services at board and shareholder level specifically to start-ups, SMEs and non-profits. As a fierce advocate for diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities, Rhonda currently serves as a board member for a number of not-for-profit organisations, including Perform Workshops, Rambert and is supporting the establishment of the She’s That Woman Foundation. Rhonda, whose appointment as CEO became effective as of 1st June 2021, said: “I am thrilled to be stepping into the role of CEO for this exciting new digital platform grounded in purpose, with the ability to affect real change and have meaningful social impact. Fluttr represents an opportunity to bring together all of my experience in curating meaningful connections to help shape building everything that a dating app should be. Fluttr will be a fun and safe space where people can be their authentic selves and find what they are looking for. I can’t wait to help introduce Fluttr to the world!” Appointed as Chairperson of the Fluttr Board is powerhouse Louise McCarthy, a widely recognised, award-winning industry leader, who champions results-driven, innovative and ground-breaking transformational work with businesses and organisations of all sizes. Currently serving as a CXO board advisor and Non-Executive Director for companies such as Recognise Bank, Louise has guided numerous complex organisations through creating their Global Digital IT transformation strategies. Louise is a renowned architect at board level for her strategic design of complex technology and digital transformational policies which enable multifaceted organisations to align their digital transformation plans with their commercial business objectives. Louise’s background in finance powers her deep ability to see the wider picture and inject commercial creativity into the process. Louise is a role model for women in tech across industries. Louise, whose appointment as Board Chairperson for Fluttr became effective as of 1st April 2021, said: “I am thrilled to be taking on the position as Chairperson of the Board for Fluttr. Having worked for many established, corporate businesses, I relish the opportunity to join the company at this exciting time of growth and expansion. I look forward to working closely with the team and its stakeholders, as we together deliver an app anchored in a safe ecosystem that will represent the new benchmark for online dating.” Fluttr is an exciting new dating app launching in 2021 with integrated ID verification required to join so that members really are who they say they are. It will create a community of members who feel safe and protected, wherever they are on their dating journey, as they seek out the chemistry of connection. For more information, visit fluttrdating.com
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Velocity Global hires tech operations leader Eric Schroeder as Chief Operating Officer
Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions, added technology operations veteran Eric Schroeder as chief operating officer. Schroeder applies two decades of operations leadership to support clients, their distributed workforces, and scale Velocity Global’s worldwide team. “Eric led global safety operations for Uber, one of the world’s top tech companies that combines complex infrastructure with a simple human experience,” said Ben Wright, Velocity Global founder and CEO. “His global operations expertise aligns directly with our global work platform for an always-on connection between employers and the talent who rely on us for everything from timely, accurate payroll to customized compliant solutions in global markets.” Schroeder most recently was vice president of operations for autonomous driving company, Ghost. Prior to that, he was head of global safety operations for Uber and also held roles as General Manager for Utah and Northern California. Before Uber, he spent three years with McKinsey and Company in the U.S. and South Africa. Schroeder is also a proud Army veteran where he served in Special Forces and completed two combat deployments to Afghanistan. “My experience at Uber inspired a passion for the future of work — the balance of opportunity and owning how, when, and where you work,” said Schroeder. “I’ve long been impressed with Ben and the team at Velocity Global where I now direct that passion in a way the world has not yet experienced. The team built and maintains the backbone of global employment, enhanced by a first-class technology experience. The multifaceted platform connects employers with talent anywhere in the world.” The company’s global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience through proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, personalized expertise, and unmatched global scale. Users access a streamlined technology interface as well as partner with a dedicated experience team for individualized solutions and expertise. As the largest global Employer of Record (EoR) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, Velocity Global manages a client’s workforce and provides in-country and in-state compliance, payroll, and benefits for the supported employees. The company also offers Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors globally. Schroeder leads the customer experience and delivery team, global payroll and benefits, and worldwide operations with employees across five continents.
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BettorEdge Announces Reddit's Andrew Abbott as New Company Advisor
BettorEdge, a Minneapolis-based online no-fee sports betting marketplace and social platform connecting sports fans, today announced the addition of Andrew Abbott to its advisor team. Abbott will tap into his experience as agency development and strategy lead for social platform Reddit as he advises the BettorEdge team on growing the social aspect of their sports betting marketplace, while also making it profitable. “We are extremely excited to have Andrew join our team as an advisor,” said Greg Kajewski, Co-Founder and CEO of BettorEdge. “We are moving fast to democratize the sports betting experience. Andrew’s unique expertise in successfully scaling social platforms such as Reddit and Snap, will be invaluable as we continue to innovate our platform for sports bettors.” Prior to his current role as a Global Agency Lead at Reddit, Abbott headed up Sports Brand Partnerships at Snap, Inc., where he worked on various partnership deals including the NFL, NBA, PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games, and FIFA World Cup. He focuses on driving revenue growth and diversification, channel partnerships, and high-performance team formation. “Betting is a social medium, and the future of sports betting is returning to that foundation,” said Abbott. “BettorEdge understands that and has created a space where sports bettors can trade bets with no fees attached, all while connecting with a community of like-minded bettors. I’m looking forward to working with the team to maximize this powerful model.” In July, BettorEdge announced it surpassed $3.5 million in sports betting orders in just its first six months in operations.
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Pedro Mona Joins ForwardPMX as Global Director of Martech and Data to Lead Proposition and Product Service
Global data and technology-driven marketing services company, ForwardPMX, today announced that Pedro Mona is joining the agency as its new Global Director of Martech and Data. This global role will be based in London and will see Pedro lead ForwardPMX’s Martech and Data proposition globally, further strengthening the agency’s capabilities across each region and solving challenges for its extensive global client base. With a strong background in consulting spanning over 15 years, Pedro brings with him an extensive wealth of experience from similar senior leadership roles in global companies such as Publicis, Mediacom, Somo, and most recently at iProspect, where Pedro was Managing Director of Platforms and Engineering. Within this role, Pedro he commercial opportunities, and lead tech partnerships, as well as the data insights and advanced activation channels teams for the agency. With client relations at the heart of the agency’s offerings, Pedro has the vision to join the business and influence this area with his extensive knowledge, particularly surrounding the legal aspects of extremely complex data practices that many clients sometimes struggle to articulate. Tom Manning, Global Head of Consultancy, commented, “Pedro’s experience in supporting the delivery of scaled data-driven solutions will be crucial in helping to further develop ForwardPMX’s Consultancy and media capabilities, and help us solve the complex challenges our clients are increasingly faced with.” Manning added, “Pedro’s hiring is a sign of our continued investment in the ad tech and media landscape, and to becoming the leading global data and tech marketing services business across the globe.” On the new role, Pedro commented, “I am extremely thrilled to be joining ForwardPMX, in this new role particularly at this time of change within the data landscape. It is an honour to be part of a forward-thinking senior management team and an agency that is very passionate about keeping ahead of the changes that occur in the data world whilst keeping their clients front and center.”
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CIPIO Appoints AI and Big Data Pioneer Dr. Jin Yu as CTO and Launch 2.0 of Next-Gen Subscriber Experience Platform
CIPIO, an AI company that is Humanizing SubscriptionsTM, today announced the appointment of Dr. Jin Yu as its CTO as it gets ready for its next phase of growth with Next-Gen Subscriber Experience PlatformTM 2.0. With 25 years of experience in big data, AI, and distributed computing, Dr. Yu is a seasoned technologist and a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded multiple startups including Kyndoo, an influencer marketing software platform with 2,000+ influencers and 90 million social user profiles, eBrain, an AI platform, and Portaura, a social data platform with 100 million location-based social user profiles. He started his career with HP (DEC) Systems Research Center, where he worked with several Turing Award recipients on distributed file systems and other cutting-edge technologies. Dr. Yu, who holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Masters from Stanford University, and a BS in Computer Sciences and a BA in Mathematics from the University of Texas, Austin, has authored several papers in AI, Big Data and Cloud Computing domain. Dr. Yu is also a serial entrepreneur, co-founded two startups, Portaura in social mobile big data and Martsoft in e-commerce search engine. Early in his career, he spent a number of years in HP(DEC) Systems Research Center, one of the top research labs in the world, where he worked closely with numerous Turing Award recipients in browser technology, search engine, multimedia, and distributed file systems. “We are currently living in a subscription economy, with little insight into the relationship between subscribers and their subscriptions,” said Dr. Yu. “That’s why I’m beyond thrilled to be joining a pathbreaker like CIPIO that obsesses over the subscriber journey. Our next-gen Subscriber Experience PlatformTM helps digital subscription businesses and organizations create lifelong customers by strengthening and deepening the connection between a subscriber and their subscriptions. The platform incorporates patent-pending AI technology to supercharge any organization with the equivalent power of hundreds of data scientists.” As digital businesses look beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, they can no longer afford to leave acquisition, retention, and growth to chance. Digital businesses are faced with increasing competitive pressures as consumers have a plethora of choices and switching costs are nominal. CIPIO’s Subscriber Experience PlatformTM enables these organizations to shift from a reactive approach to these challenges to a proactive one, allowing them to manage dynamic market pressures as well as aggressive competition. “CIPIO is proud to welcome onboard someone as highly decorated and revered as Jin; it’s an immense honor to have someone of his caliber join us as we reframe the digital subscription economy. Given our mission for Humanizing SubscriptionsTM, we couldn’t have asked for anyone better to lead our product and technology roadmap and execute on our vision,” said Sundeep Sanghavi, CEO, CIPIO. “In the new norm, Hyper-Personalization is a must for every digital subscription organization and Jin’s deep knowledge, AI skills, and experience in processing social media data of structure, unstructured and deep learning is the key for our customers to augment their subscriber data and leapfrog in an ever-changing digital world.” On the heels of its explosive growth following its inception, CIPIO is now rapidly gaining momentum and leveling the playing field in media and entertainment, digital fitness, eLearning, eSports, and financial services by providing enhanced AI capabilities to players of all sizes.
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Logitix Names CEO, Announces New Executive Chairperson, CFO, and Head of Engineering
Logitix, the leader in live event ticketing technology and analytics, continues to strengthen its positioning in the marketplace by announcing enhancements to its leadership team. With a deep background in ticketing analytics and product, Stuart Halberg has been promoted to CEO. Sports and entertainment executive Kurt Schneider has been named Executive Chairperson. Additionally, Logitix furthered its leadership team with the hirings of Eric Ingram as CFO and Trent Stewart as Head of Engineering. Logitix optimizes ticket sales through proprietary dynamic pricing and distribution. Its unique platform analyzes millions of real-time data points, providing up-to-the-minute insights within the live event marketplace. Since 2013, Logitix has partnered with 18 concerts and live event promoters, 16 NFL teams, 14 NBA teams, 19 NHL teams, 16 MLB teams, 22 NCAA entities, five primary ticket providers, and more. Halberg has spent the last seven years as Logitix’s SVP of Strategy & Analytics, overseeing data and product strategy, as well as playing an integral role in developing its Pricing Intelligence Platform. He started his career with five seasons at the NHL’s Florida Panthers serving both hockey operations and business analytics. “We have an incredible team here at Logitix and I’m thrilled to take on the role of CEO,” said Halberg. “This is an exciting time as our partners welcome fans back into venues around the world. Our industry is ready for evolution and innovation, and we look forward to bringing our platform and services to our partners.” Schneider is the former CEO of the Harlem Globetrotters, where he rejuvenated the iconic brand and introduced the organization to a new generation of fans around the world producing record revenue and ticket sales year after year. Previously, he was EVP for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he oversaw the live events, marketing, international, and pay-per-view businesses. Schneider joins Logitix’s current board advisors, and industry veterans, Danielle Maged and Kraig Fox. “With the thousands and thousands of live events we produced at WWE and the Harlem Globetrotters, I’ve seen the evolution of the ticketing industry from waiting on the box office to open to up-to-the-minute dynamic pricing across all outlets,” said Schneider. “Logitix brings an offering of unique services to benefit every ticket seller in 2021 and beyond.” Logitix focuses on four unique services aimed to provide a single solution to all stakeholders in the live event ticketing industry. Logitix Lift focuses on optimizing pricing and yield management strategy. Logitix List is a distribution and fulfillment automation platform connecting ticket holders with all available sales channels. Logitix Live is a B2b ticket exchange bringing secondary ticket buyers and sellers together and Logitix Insights is a central hub for engagement of ticketing data. “I’m confident we have the team in place at Logitix to continue driving incremental revenue for our partners while protecting their brands and strengthening the core of their business.,” said Jordan Turkewitz, Co-Chief Investment Officer & Managing Partner at ZMC, the New York-based firm founded by Strauss Zelnick. Ingram comes to Logitix after serving seven years as CFO at TractManager, a SaaS provider for insights and compliance in the healthcare sector. During Eric’s time at TractManager, he led several initiatives resulting in 4x revenue growth. Eric previously spent nine years at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Stewart joins Logitix after spending more than two years with Salesforce as a Director of Software Engineering, where he was responsible for infrastructure build services and leading the development efforts for Salesforce Government Cloud to support the US Government's adoption of Salesforce. Prior to that, he was with Microsoft for close to two decades holding various development and technology roles across the company.
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Synchronoss Names Christina Gabrys Chief Legal Officer
Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCR), a global leader and innovator of cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced the appointment of Christina “Chrissy” Gabrys as Chief Legal Officer. Gabrys succeeds Ronald Prague who is stepping down after 15 years with the company to pursue other interests. In her new role, Gabrys will oversee all legal affairs for the company. “Ron has played a significant role in shaping the Synchronoss that we are today. His leadership in negotiating and closing customer agreements, completing acquisitions and the company’s other financial endeavors – including his contribution to the successful recent recapitalization of the company – has been invaluable and he will be greatly missed,” said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. “I would like to thank Ron for all he’s contributed to the business. We will always consider him part of the Synchronoss family and wish him well in his new endeavors. Ron also has put in place a thorough transition plan that will allow Chrissy to quickly assume her new responsibilities as we welcome her to the senior leadership team.” Gabrys most recently served as Synchronoss’ Assistant General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer where she worked with global customers and partners. As the company’s Chief Compliance Officer, she updated its compliance program to ensure best practices for corporate policies and procedures and governance across the organization. Gabrys joined Synchronoss as part of its acquisition of Openwave Messaging where she was legal counsel for the Americas and APAC. “I am honored to assume the position of Chief Legal Officer and look forward to working with Synchronoss team members across the globe to empower our customers to connect with subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways,” said Gabrys. “I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Ron. His mentorship and diligent planning has paved the way for a seamless transition as I begin this new role.”
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Jeremy Ostermiller, CEO & Co-founder of Edison Interactive is accepted into Forbes Business Council
Jeremy Ostermiller, CEO & Co-founder of Edison Interactive, a connected mobility platform that focuses on enhancing the customer experience in trains, planes and automobiles and everything in between, has been accepted into the Forbes Business Council, the foremost growth and networking organization for successful business owners and leaders worldwide. Ostermiller was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. “We are honored to welcome Jeremy Ostermiller into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Business Council. “Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.” As an accepted member of the Council, Jeremy has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum and at members-only events. Jeremy will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts. Finally, Ostermiller will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership-branded marketing collateral, and the high-touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team. “I am honored to join this amazing group of global business leaders as we make value-added contributions to the markets we serve,” said Ostermiller. “The Forbes Business Council community is among the very best in business and I am proud to bring my experience to such an elite group of professionals.”
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Agora Data Announces Antonio Rajan as Chief Revenue Officer
In its continuing mission to provide Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) dealers and small to mid-sized finance companies access to abundant and affordable capital, Agora Data is pleased to announce the appointment of Antonio Rajan as Chief Revenue Officer. Antonio has served the BHPH community in various roles for more than 12 years. In addition to his loyalty to the industry, expertise in overall sales strategy and energy in helping dealers grow to the next level, his values are closely aligned with Agora Data’s purpose. Antonio’s broad expertise in the industry includes Dealer Management Software, CRM, Underwriting, GPS, and Finance Solutions. Prior to joining the industry, he served as Vice President of Sales at LexisNexis. He is a thought leader with an entrepreneurial vision and an exceptional record of positively transforming sales, marketing, operations, and go-to-market strategies. Throughout his career he has achieved remarkable revenue results, improved performance tracking, and implemented methods for leadership to gain important key business insights. Steve Burke, CEO of Agora Data, commented, “Antonio brings Agora Data a wealth of knowledge about BHPH dealer operations and a keen appreciation of the needs to help grow the dealers’ business while enabling them to have a level playing field with the large dealer groups. He’s a great asset to the strong leadership team already in place at Agora. We are very excited to have a person of his caliber as part of the Agora Family.” Antonio Rajan commented, “I would like to thank Steve and the Agora Leadership Team to entrust me with the mission of helping small to medium-sized finance companies and BHPH dealers with their capital needs. Agora Data is the first technology company that frees up dealers spending countless hours on collecting and instead spending more time on growing their operations, inventory, or business development centers. Having access to capital with no recourse will allow forward thinking dealer principles to grow rapidly. When Steve described the unique solutions Agora has and his vision for disrupting the industry with innovative products, I knew I wanted to be part of the team. I’m relishing this opportunity and invite anyone that thinks they’re the best of the best to come and join us in this incredible journey.”
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Comcast Hires Dave Mandapat to Lead Comcast Business Marketing in Washington State
Comcast today announced Dave Mandapat as the new Director of Marketing for Comcast Business in Washington. In this role, he will be responsible for the overall marketing and sales efforts for Comcast Business across the state. "The business community in our state is seeking ways to innovate and improve as it reopens, and connectivity and technology are resources they need now more than ever," said Robert Brenner, Vice President of Comcast Business Washington. “Dave’s experience and background give him an innate knowledge of the needs and pain points of this community. As our new marketing leader, he will help us fine-tune our approach and find new ways to support businesses as they bounce back and plan for a better future.” Mandapat brings more than 20 years of expertise to the role. He previously worked at Seattle's iconic Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Microsoft. His experience in leadership roles spans program management, intellectual property, sponsorships, marketing and public relations. At Microsoft Mandapat worked as the Senior Program Manager for the Microsoft Aspire Experience. In this position, he worked with senior leaders to develop communication strategies to drive greater awareness, participation, and positive sentiment for the program. At the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass, Mandapat served in a variety of positions including the Director of Marketing and most recently the Director of Public Relations. In these roles, he led the public relations, marketing, and special events strategies to support the business’ sales and marketing goals. This work included creating and leading events such as the “Base 2 Space – Seattle’s Most Iconic Climb” and the annual “New Year’s at the Needle” fireworks show. Mandapat has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Public Relations, and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Washington in Seattle. His expertise and background will infuse Comcast Business’ marketing department with creativity and innovation to drive key growth goals for the organization in Washington state. “I’m honored to join a national company that has a strong Washington state presence and is passionate about supporting the local community and its customers,” said Mandapat. “Comcast Business offers best-in-class services and products to its clients and proactively seeks out and provides opportunities that strengthen businesses and the communities in which they reside. When you combine that with our local team’s knowledge, expertise, and care for its customers, it’s easy to see that we’re an ideal Pacific Northwest partner.” Comcast Business is the largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and a leading service provider to the enterprise market. Its services also support businesses across a variety of industries, including healthcare, biotechnology, manufacturing, retail, dining and hospitality. The company delivers up to 10 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) of network capacity to businesses. The portfolio of multi-Gigabit Ethernet internet options meets the day-to-day demands of all organizations, including those requiring large amounts of bandwidth, looking to link multiple sites or branch locations, or planning to connect their offices to a third-party data center. In addition to connectivity and network services, the company offers a suite of communications, voice, cybersecurity, wireless, managed cloud solutions, and more. Through Comcast Business’ technology and services, businesses can embrace innovation that improves operations, eliminates waste, and creates a better experience for their employees and customers. To learn more about Comcast Business services and their availability across Washington state visit https://business.comcast.com/local/washington
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Comcast’s Elizabeth Bierman Selected as Women in Business Honoree by Minneapolis/ST. Paul Business Journal
Today, Comcast announced the selection of Elizabeth Bierman, vice president of Engineering, Comcast Twin Cities as one of the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journals 2021 Women in Business honorees. To view the complete article, visit https://bizj.us/1qb399 The Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal is recognizing 51 women, plus one Career Achievement honoree, for their professional achievements and contributions to the Twin Cities community. They represent a broad range of industries, including technology, education, real estate, health care and insurance, and include entrepreneurs at startups and C-level executives at large corporations. All of the honorees will be featured in the Oct. 15 Women in Business special publication, and celebrated during a Monday, Oct. 18 event at Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot.
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Hollywood Movie Director Neill Blomkamp Joins Gunzilla Games As Chief Visionary Officer
Gunzilla Games, a video game developer established to create the next evolution of multiplayer AAA shooters with a strong emphasis on narration, is welcoming Neill Blomkamp, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, director and producer as the studio’s new Chief Visionary Officer. Neill Blomkamp joins the company to define the in-game vision of an yet unannounced multiplayer AAA shooter title for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, that Gunzilla is developing in its offices in Frankfurt, Germany (HQ); Los Angeles, USA; and Kyiv, Ukraine. “Gunzilla has a strong vision that clearly stands out. With a team of incredible talents and long-time industry veterans, it is creating a new, exciting multiplayer AAA shooter game that pushes the boundaries of gameplay, player freedom, customization options as well as narrative experience within the shooter genre. My own big screen film experience will hopefully help shape new ways of interactive storytelling and next-generation visuals. And by making best use of everything today’s video game development technologies have on offer we will jointly create an immersive experience like we’ve never seen before”, states Neill Blomkamp. “As Chief Visionary Officer, Neill will be a key member of our team. Adding the perspective of filmmaking to video game development brings interactive entertainment to the next level. We all share the same vision, and Neill is the perfect completion to the narrative and visual art lead roles in our team. We are extremely proud that he is joining us - while we are creating our own universe, some of our inspiration originates in his works. We always hoped we can add a bit of his magic to our game - now this is happening. The team have been working hard on pre-production over the past year - having Neill joining us at this stage is bringing us closer to fulfilling our mission of delivering the next evolution of shooter games”, adds Vlad Korolev, CEO and co-founder of Gunzilla Games. Neill Blomkamp is the director and screenwriter of numerous critically acclaimed movie productions, including the science fiction thrillers District 9, Elysium and Chappie, and many more. His newest title, Demonic, will be released in theatres and on streaming channels on August 20, 2021. For more information, please visit Gunzilla Games. You can also follow Gunzilla Games across social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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Comcast Names Kalyn Hove Regional Senior Vice President for The Twin Cities Region
Comcast today announced that Kalyn Hove, currently Vice President of Comcast Business in the Twin Cities Region, has been appointed to Regional Senior Vice President of the Twin Cities Region. Effective today, she replaces J.D. Keller, who now leads Comcast’s Mountain West Region. In this role, Hove is the top executive responsible for customer experience, sales, operations and financial performance for the region. Hove will report to Rich Jennings, President of Comcast’s West Division, and will oversee Comcast’s employees and operations serving customers and businesses in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Missouri. Kalyn has led the Comcast Business team in the Twin Cities for seven years. Her Comcast Business team is a Power Rankings leader, has achieved four consecutive years as #1 in year-over-year revenue growth for the company, and is currently #1 in Comcast’s West Division. In 2018 and 2019, Twin Cities won the Comcast Business Award as the top-performing region in the West Division. Before joining Comcast, Kalyn was Global Vice President – Collaboration at Lumen (formerly Global Crossing), where her team was a top performing business unit, and led consistent double-digit growth. Her career at Lumen spanned nearly 16 years, where she held progressive sales and sales operations leadership roles. Before Lumen, Kalyn started her career at WorldCom. “As connectivity becomes the epicenter of our connected lives and businesses, Comcast’s Twin Cities Region is leading the way by offering innovative products that connect people and businesses to what matters most, and I’m delighted to be the team’s new leader,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Twin Cities. “I’m excited to continue the great work we have underway in enhancing the customer experience, delivering best-in-class products and services, and sharing the company’s commitment to investing in the communities where we work and live.” “One of Kalyn’s greatest strengths is her people-focused leadership style, providing support and feedback in a way that uplifts and drives individual and team success. In addition, with more than 30 years living in the Twin Cities area, she knows and is strongly connected to the local community,” said Jennings. Among Kalyn’s accolades are being named as one of the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal’s Women in Business honorees and one of the 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Minnesota from Minnesota Monthly. She is a graduate of South Dakota State University and has completed executive education courses at both Harvard Business School and The Wharton School.
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Lzzy Hale Joins Gibson As First Female Brand Ambassador and Gibson Gives Advisory Board Member
For 127 years, Gibson has shaped sound across generations and genres of music, becoming one of the most relevant, played, and loved guitar brands around the world. Gibson is proud to officially announce today that Lzzy Hale, frontwoman of the GRAMMY® Award-winning hard rock band Halestorm will join Gibson as the first female Brand Ambassador. The new Collection will span acoustic and electric guitars across Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer. Hale has partnered with Gibson and Epiphone luthiers to design two sold-out guitars including the Gibson Lzzy Hale Explorer and the Epiphone Lzzy Hale Explorer. Today, July 15, Lzzy was officially welcomed into the Gibson family as a brand ambassador onstage by Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands at the Gibson Garage in downtown Nashville, TN. Hale will also help drive the culture of giving back as part of the Gibson Gives Artist Advisory Council where artists present philanthropic opportunities that fulfill the Gibson Gives foundation’s mission of creating, developing, and supporting non-profit organizations to advance musicians, youth-focused education, and wellness initiatives. “I am beyond honored to be named a Gibson ambassador,” said Hale. “Ever since I was 16 years old, it was my dream to someday be a part of the Gibson circle. It’s an incredible feeling to know that this dream has become a reality. Something magical ignites within me when I hold a Gibson guitar in my hands, the same guitars that my forefathers and foremothers of rock slung over their shoulders. With Gibson, I am the Rockstar I’m meant to be. It is a privilege to represent my genre, my gender, and the incredible power of music that unites us all, with my beautiful Gibson Family.” “It’s an honor to welcome Lzzy Hale as our newest Gibson Ambassador,” adds Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. “Lzzy is an ambassador of music, not just Gibson. A powerhouse singer, badass guitarist, and an influential force in music, Lzzy is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. From early on in her career, Lzzy had a clear vision of what she wanted to achieve and put in the hard work to get there, without compromising. She has and continues to pave the way for other artists leading by example, breaking down barriers, and elevating Halestorm into a GRAMMY-Award winning band with a faithful fanbase worldwide. Jenny Marsh from the Gibson Entertainment Relations team connected with Lzzy and Halestorm when they began and recognized that Lzzy was different, driven and a one-of-a-kind singer, musician, and performer. Since then, we have developed an ever-growing partnership that we celebrate today with Lzzy’s new chapter as our Gibson Ambassador. We are equally excited to have Lzzy join our Gibson Gives Advisory Board where she will help us shape philanthropic programs and lead the way for artists across generations and genres of music.” As the powerful and commanding frontwoman of Halestorm, Hale has become a champion of women in rock, hosting the 2020 She Rocks Awards and serving as a judge on the upcoming Hit Parader show “No Cover” alongside Alice Cooper, Gavin Rossdale, and Bishop Briggs. At the release of the band’s latest album, Vicious, which earned the group their second GRAMMY nomination, Rolling Stone said of her, “Lzzy Hale cements her status of one of hard rock’s most vital voices.” As a band, Halestorm has shot four singles to #1 at rock radio, and their last two albums have debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. Their dynamic sets have earned them a reputation as an incredible live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world. Currently at work on their fifth studio album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Mastodon), Halestorm will tour with Evanescence this fall. For all Halestorm tour dates, visit: https://www.halestormrocks.com/tour
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John Steven Joins ThreatModeler's Advisory Board
John Steven is joining the advisory board of ThreatModeler Software, Inc. Mr. Steven has over two decades of software security experience including notable achievements in threat modeling, cloud security, architectural risk analysis, and security testing. In 2015, he founded Codiscope, a spin-off of Cigital which was acquired by Synopsys. He will be working closely with ThreatModeler’s executive team to help shape and guide the company’s planning and go-to-market strategies. “Threat modeling can frustrate organizations because they’re advised to over-rely on singular tactics, such as data-flow diagramming, and because they implement threat modeling as a point-in-time activity. I encourage organizations to treat threat modeling as a capability, incrementally maturing activity throughout their DevOps lifecycle,” said Mr. Steven. “ThreatModeler is uniquely positioned to help teams facilitate threat modeling capabilities throughout their SDL. from secure design, to security test planning, to defect or vulnerability triage and remediation.” Mr. Steven, currently the Chief Technology Officer at Concourse Labs and Founding Principal of Aedify Security LLC, possesses extensive knowledge in managing innovative security firms. His capabilities include identifying and solving cloud risk problems through automated cloud governance, as well as creating efficient threat modeling and security architecture. Mr. Steven is a keynote speaker, co-author of the BSIMM study and has helped several CISOs define and implement their security initiatives. “We’re delighted to welcome John Steven to ThreatModeler. We’re continuously striving to innovate and making one click threat modeling a reality. The experience and insights he brings to our mission will be invaluable,” said Archie Agarwwal, co-founder and CEO of ThreatModeler.
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Martin Bernstein Joins Synchronoss Board of Directors
Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCR), a global leader and innovator of cloud, messaging and digital solutions, is pleased to announce that Martin Bernstein has joined its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Bernstein was appointed to the Board in connection with the recent recapitalization of Synchronoss, and serves as a representative of B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY) (B. Riley), the company’s largest shareholder. “On behalf of our entire Board, I am pleased to welcome Marty to our team,” said Stephen Waldis, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Synchronoss Board of Directors. “Marty’s extensive experience in capital allocation strategies, corporate governance and financing will serve our organization well. I have no doubt that his impressive knowledge and extraordinary track record will not only benefit our already strong board, but I fully expect his impact will be key to helping Synchronoss achieve its strategic growth objectives.” Bernstein represents B. Riley Principal Investments, an affiliate of B. Riley that makes direct investments in companies with proven platform technologies with significant near-term growth potential. He currently serves as Head of Private Investments at B. Riley and is responsible for sourcing, underwriting and managing company investments in addition to leading distribution to the firm's syndication partners. Bernstein has extensive experience leading investments across technology, transportation, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, power, infrastructure, and other sectors. Bernstein commented, “It is an honor to join the Synchronoss board after working closely with Steve, Jeff, and the entire Synchronoss team on the recent recapitalization. I share management’s excitement and vision for the company, rooted in continued innovation and a best-in-class suite of white label products for leading telecom customers. We believe the Synchronoss business is at an inflection point and is well-positioned to execute on its growth strategy following the refinancing. I look forward to continuing to work with the team as a member of the board as we endeavor to create value for stakeholders and customers.” Prior to joining B. Riley in March 2021, Bernstein was with Anchorage Capital responsible for leading investments across capital structures, including public equities, private equity, performing credit, bank debt and distressed debt, and restructuring situations. He previously worked as an analyst at Bocage Capital, and was on the investment team for the endowment at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Bernstein earned an AB in history from Dartmouth College. He is based in Connecticut.
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Edison Interactive Appoints Digital Transformation Changemaker David Cook as Chief Technology Officer
Edison Interactive, a leader in connected mobility solutions, today announced David Cook as the new Chief Technology Officer. Having spent much of his career focused on connected vehicles, the addition of Cook reinforces Edison’s mission to deliver customer-centric, connected mobility solutions in planes, trains, automobiles and everything in between. Cook will be responsible for leading the technology team and will oversee every aspect of Edison’s product and engineering efforts. His extensive experience within telematics, connected cars and fleet management will be invaluable in driving the company’s overall technology strategy forward, and ensuring the company is positioned for long-term growth and success. David Cook, Chief Technology Officer at Edison Interactive David Cook, Chief Technology Officer at Edison Interactive: “I’m excited about solving complex issues that will help the company with our core mission of delivering digitally transformative technology,” said Cook on his new role. “Edison has a great culture and great culture brings great people – I’m looking forward to leading and mentoring this team of talented engineers and developers.” Cook held previous leadership positions within Mercedes-Benz mbrace®, Hughes In-Drive®, OnStar, SiriusXM, Verizon, Oracle and Hyundai Blue Link. Additionally, he was the 2012 recipient of Best Telematics Service Provider and a finalist for the TM Forum Business Innovation Award. With his past experience and accomplishments in connected mobility, Cook will be well-positioned to lead Edison through continued digital transformation and provide a fresh perspective on Edison’s core pillars that include infotainment, asset tracking, telematics and monetization. “The addition of David Cook will mark a new chapter for Edison. Our company has experienced rapid growth and evolution since our inception. The chief technology officer is a crucial role within our organization and Cook brings a vast amount of experience that aligns with our mission,” said Jeremy Ostermiller, CEO and co-founder of Edison Interactive. “He will be instrumental in accelerating our innovation and building a world-class team. I’m tremendously excited to see how our technology continues to transform under his leadership and confident he will have an immediate, positive impact not only for our team but our clients and partners as well.”
