John Taylor | President and CEO
Howie Spielman | Chief Technology Officer
Mark Phillips | Chief Financial Officer
George Giatzis | SVP Advertising Sales
Lisa Tiver | SVP Business Affairs
Bob Cooney | VP Manufacturing Business Development
Steve Kellam | VP Network Sales
David Schmidt | Senior Director of Advertising Product Marketing

John Taylor
President and CEO

John Taylor brings over eighteen years of executive management experience in both Fortune 500 and startup companies to Ecast. John has a proven track record developing new markets and generating revenue growth for leading companies such as Macromedia, Sun Microsystems and NCR and creating new products and technologies for enterprise and new media markets. Most recently, John was the senior director of new business at Macromedia and led the company's effort to enter the enterprise communications market. Prior to joining Macromedia, he was Vice President of broadband at Quokka Sports and was responsible for the company's broadband product and business development efforts. Previously, John was the vice president of sales and business development for Dimension X, a Java multimedia tools company that was acquired by Microsoft. Prior to Dimension X, he held sales and management positions for Illustra Information Technology (acquired by Informix), Sun Microsystems and NCR. John holds a B.S. from Cornell University.

[ top of page ]

Howie Spielman
Chief Technology Officer

With more than 25-years of experience developing and implementing redundant, fault-tolerant, enterprise class information technology systems for Fortune 500 companies, Howie Spielman brings extensive software development and system integration expertise to Ecast's interactive media network. With nearly ten years of hands-on experience building electronic fund transfer systems for blue chip wholesale and investment banking concerns, Howie applies the data security standards of cash transactions to the distribution of digital entertainment content over Ecast's location-based broadband network. Prior to joining Ecast in April 2002, he was chief technology officer at Viant Corp., one of the top information technology companies in the world, according to Business Week's annual "Info Tech 100" report and one of the 20 best-managed, fastest-growing tech companies, according to Forbes. Before that, Howie held executive positions at Bankers Trust, Teknekron, Zeta Gen and Logica. He is a native-New Yorker with a bachelor's degree in biology from Brooklyn College.

[ top of page ]

Mark Phillips
Chief Financial Officer

Mark Phillips spent the first seven years of his professional career with Micrographic Technology Corp, a manufacturer of high technology capital equipment. Following MTC's acquisition by SoftNet Systems Inc., a publicly traded holding corporation, Mark spent the next three years as an officer of SoftNet, holding such positions as chief accounting officer and treasurer. During this period, he was instrumental in managing mergers and acquisitions and the management of over $250 million of raised capital. After leaving SoftNet in early 2000, Mark spent the next four years working in the venture capital-backed start-up environment, managing the financial operations of such companies as Knowledge Networks Inc. and Vertical Networks Inc. He holds a bachelor's degree in Business/Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

[ top of page ]

George Giatzis
SVP Advertising Sales

George Giatzis brings over 20 years of advertising and new media experience to Ecast.  He has been involved in programming, corporate strategy and research decisions for leading companies such as Discovery Communications, Oxygen Media and the College Television Network. Most recently, George was the senior vice president of advertising sales at Premier Retail Networks (PRN) where he helped monetize a network of more than 6,000 stores including retail chains such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, SAM'S CLUB, Costco, ShopRite and Albertsons. George holds a B.A. in Economics from Muhlenberg College.

[ top of page ]

Lisa Tiver
SVP Business Affairs

Lisa Tiver brings twenty years of IP experience in law, business affairs and business development to Ecast, where she has served for nearly six years. Lisa's experience draws from her key roles overseas as the general counsel for ESPN Star Sports in Singapore and then Formula One Motor Racing in London. Prior to that, she was the head of business and legal affairs for News Corporation's Mushroom Records in Australia. Lisa also practiced law, working initially in litigation then migrating to licensing and Internet protocol, in Australia and in the United Kingdom.

[ top of page ]

Bob Cooney
VP Manufacturing Business Development

Electronic gaming and location-based entertainment veteran Bob Cooney is responsible for business development with Ecast's manufacturing partners. With more than a decade of experience marketing and providing pay-per-play entertainment to consumers, operators and venues -- first as chief executive of NASDAQ-traded infrared communications gaming technology provider Laser Storm, and later as vice president of business development for coin-operated amusement manufacturer Global VR - Bob has been the driving force behind the licensing, development and introduction of numerous top-earning arcade games, including products based on Electronic Arts Sports PGA Tour, X-MEN and Stargate.

[ top of page ]

Steve Kellam
VP Network Sales

Steven Kellam comes to Ecast with over 15 years of direct sales experience in the high-tech sector for companies including Canon, Adaptive Switch Labs and Invacare Corporation.  During his tenure at the industry leading medical supplier Invacare, Steven managed sales teams that provided the disabled community with integrated computer and communication devices for the home. He was ranked the number one sales producer nationwide and helped secure major government contracts for clients including the Veterans Administration.  While at Ecast, he helped build a national sales department that has expanded the network footprint by over 1000% nationwide. Steven holds a B.S. in Marketing from Virginia Commonwealth University.

[ top of page ]

David Schmidt
Senior Director of Advertising Product Marketing

David Schmidt brings over 15 years of technology and product experience to Ecast.  As an engagement manager at Viant Corporation, he led Internet strategy and implementation projects for clients in the financial service, high-tech, and retail sectors. Prior to Viant, David was a vice president at the New York investment bank Bear Stearns, where he rolled out global IT systems. David developed his expertise engineering satellite systems for NASA and marketing software products for IBM.  He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and an M.B.A. in Marketing and International Business from New York University.

[ top of page ]