Digitalsmiths has added two senior executives to its senior management team. William Stratton, a former Turner Broadcasting exec, has joined the video content and advertising optimization firm chief operating officer (COO), and Petra Weishaupt-Smith, an expert in operational conditioning for fast-growth companies, has been named chief financial officer (CFO). The announcement was made by Digitalsmiths CEO Ben Weinberger.
Digitalsmiths’ technology solutions enable internet video publishers to extend average session times, increase the average volume of content consumed, and increase ad revenue. Five out of six major Hollywood studios currently use Digitalsmiths-developed technology for content indexing or other digital business processes.
COO Stratton was vice president of business development for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) prior to joining Digitalsmiths. While at Turner, he was responsible for developing and executing all non-linear platform partnerships and technology relationships across the web, mobile and VOD platforms. A 12-year Turner veteran, Stratton has played a key role in launching broadband and wireless products for CNN, Cartoon Network, Turner Sports, Adult Swim and Gametap, among others. He was also instrumental in forging relationships with strategic partners such as Amazon, AOL, Qualcomm, Yahoo, Google, Microsoft and Cisco in addition to all major wireless carriers and cable operators. Stratton received a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and M.B.A. from Wake Forest University.
CFO Weishaupt-Smith brings nearly two decades of financial experience in software and Internet technology to Digitalsmiths. She joins most recently from electronic medical records software company A4 Health Systems, where she was the CFO prior to the company’s sale to Allscripts Healthcare Solutions in 2006. Prior to that, Weishaupt-Smith served as principal financial officer of Total Sports Inc., an online sports media company, and held senior financial positions at SEER Technology/Level 8, Maxm Systems Corporation and BSG, Inc., a subsidiary of Medaphis, Inc. She has also served as a senior accountant and consultant at Ernst & Young International in Stuttgart, Germany and Raleigh, North Carolina. Weishaupt-Smith is a licensed CPA and holds a B.S. in Accounting from St. Leo College.
Originally posted on January 28, 2008 @ 8:28 pm