Mobile Messenger is a leading global provider of technology and services for mobile content management and distribution. At the forefront of the Premium SMS market, Mobile Messenger currently operates successfully across the USA, Australia, UK, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland.
Mobile Messenger is a fast-moving, young, and dynamic company. Industry knowledge, multi-market footprint and expertise from around the globe combined with complete service, from inception through to implementation, offers the most successful mobile entertainment campaign possible. From its creation in 1999 with one employee, Mobile Messenger's ground-breaking business model has allowed the company to remain at the top of this exciting industry.
As Executive Director of Business Operations, Darcy Wedd is responsible for the day-to-day revenue assurance management of Mobile Messenger's business streams, and analysis of global business operations. Darcy spearheads carrier relations, consumer call centre and works closely with MM's compliance and sales teams to ensure industry guidelines are met.
Mobile Messenger would not be the company it is today without the dedication, business knowledge and expertise of Darcy Wedd. Since joining Mobile Messenger in 2004, Darcy has had a key role in the continued international success of the business.
Darcy takes personal pride in developing strategies and balance so that MM and its clients are profitable, whilst remaining compliant to industry guidelines and creating a great end-user experience.
Mobile Messenger has been an active member of the MMA since 2005. Attending most events, increasing sponsorship in 2007 and involving CEO Steve Taylor as a guest speaker - Mobile Messenger is dedicated to increasing the relationship and importance of the Mobile Marketing Association.
As a company Mobile Messenger has been operating in the Global Mobile industry since 1999. Both the company and particularly Darcy are advocates of the longevity of the mobile and premium SMS business around the globe.
Darcy offers the MMA full cycle knowledge from creation through to user consumption. Whenever there is a change to any industry standards or guidelines he is the first to be an internal advocate for these changes to be made.
Darcy has been active in industry working closely with global regulatory bodies and direct communication with Carriers for four years.
He offers the MMA a vast spectrum of knowledge in;
As a member of the Board of Directors of the MMA - Darcy would bring;
Dave Oberholzer is requesting your consideration for the North American MMA Board of Directors.
Dave is a seven-year veteran of the wireless data industry, and has been a consistent leader in its development. Dave is uniquely qualified for a leadership role in the MMA due to his experience working in a infrastructure provider )InphoMatch), a Tier 1 Carrier )Verizon Wireless), and in his current role in the leading advertising supported mobile entertainment community )Limbo).
During this time, Dave has been at the crux of the most significant issues facing MMA member companies including the growth and management of the off-deck business in the U.S., and the emergence of the mobile advertising model. Dave has worked on implementing the fundamental infrastructure of these businesses and is an expert on mobile technologies, capabilities, and business models. Specifically, Dave has intimate knowledge of the content, marketing, promotional, legal, and regulatory aspects of the mobile content business.
A consistent and passionate advocate for the entire mobile ecosystem, Dave has continuously worked for the development and growth of the mobile data content business beyond the status quo of existing business models and technologies.
As a MMA Board member, Dave will continue to focus on a balanced approach toward the development of the mobile content business with particular emphasis on growth, openness, innovation, and consumer protection during this era of wholesale changes in the mobile and content businesses.
MMA Participation:
Currently, Dave is a member of the executive management team at Limbo, the largest non-premium mobile entertainment community. Previously, in leading the direct-to-consumer data business at Verizon Wireless, Dave drove the content programming team that was responsible for all off-deck content, in addition to various on-deck content responsibilities. Before Verizon, Oberholzer was a director at InphoMatch and general manager for Predictive Systems. As the chairman of the Consumer Best Practices Committee, Oberholzer helped pioneer the development of mobile content and off-deck community in the U.S. marketplace. Prior to his work in the mobile industry, Dave served as an officer in the U.S. Navy where he flew carrier-based aircraft. Dave studied computer science at Villanova University, and has an MBA and an MIS from the University of Maryland.
About Limbo
Limbo is the world's largest mobile entertainment community. The company leverages its patent-pending platform - which includes SMS, mobile web, mobile video, web, and email - to seamlessly integrate brands throughout unique games, content and community. The Limbo platform delivers over 50 branded interactions per consumer as well as provides unparalleled increases in purchase intent. The award winning, privately held company, is headquartered in Burlingame, California.
David Wachs is the founder of Cellit Mobile Marketing, where he strives on a daily basis to improve the quality and value of mobile solutions in the marketplace. Cellit continues to develop best-of-breed platforms for specific vertical markets. Starting in the property marketing space with House4Cell, the first true text-for-info-and-photos system in the United States, Cellit has built a market-leading position, with over 15,000 properties currently activated with its technology. With its recent relationship with For Rent magazine, the nation's largest aparment marketing publication, Cellit will continue to transform the industry as it adds an additional 15,000 aparment complexes to its platform nationwide over the coming year.
Cellit also holds a major position in live, in-venue promotions, with nearly 60% of all Broadway shows using Cellit technology, including Legally Blonde the Musical, Blue Man Group, Avenue Q, Spamalot, Curtains, as well as shows in Las Vegas and touring productions and arts houses nationwide.
David has been a member of the MMA in good standing for over two years and is currently a member of the IVR subcommittee. Being an engineer as well as a business person, David's mix of technical and industry knowledge make him a nice fit for the Board. David currently is filing a patent on proprietary technology involving voice and mobile integration.
Prior to forming Cellit, David was an equity analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston. Prior to CSFB, David spent several years as a management consultant for DiamondCluster International, where he focused on new venture strategy and technology management for Fortune 500 companies.
David is a dual cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School and a B.S.E. in Computer Science Engineering from the School of Engineering. David is a frequent speaker on mobile technology and has presented at the California Association of REALTORs conference, the Advertising Research Foundation, and has been quoted in numerous articles, including Inc Magazine, the LA Times, USA TODAY and US Banker Magazine.
David would like to join the Board to help streamline the rules and regulations around mobile marketing, while keeping the consumer's rights front and center. By streamlining and improving the processes for mobile marketing, we will make it possible to launch programs that aren't being realized now due to slow approval times and confusing legal requirements. David is passionate about the technology, and even more passionate about the opportunities this technology creates.
Derek Handley )29) is one of the mobile world's leading young entrepreneurs and has been at the forefront of some of the industry's most successful, innovative and technological ventures over the past seven years.
In 2000, Derek founded mobile marketing and media company The Hyperfactory, with his brother Geoffrey Handley. Now based in Los Angeles, Derek is responsible for The Hyperfactory's global strategic growth and direction.
The company has grown exponentially since its inception and now has seven offices worldwide - an International Headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand, US Headquarters in New York, and sales and operations offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Hyderabad. Clients include Toyota, Motorola, Vodafone and Coca-Cola and many of the top agencies globally, playing a critical role in evangalising and advancing the cause of mobile marketing worldwide.
The Hyperfactory is the world's most awarded mobile marketing brand. In 2007 The Hyperfactory had a clean sweep of successes at leading awards ceremonies, such as the Cannes Lions, the Clios, Best Use of Mobile Marketing: Branding and Best Use of Mobile Marketing: Product/Services Launch categories at the MMAs, Best in Show, Best Print and Best Wireless at the Adweek Buzz Awards, Best In Show and Best Mobile Campaign at the OMMA Awards, Best Use of Mobile Gold for its 'Say Goodbye' campaign for Motorola in Hong Kong, as well as two bronze awards, at the Asia Pacific Digital Media Awards.
Derek Handley has been an active member of the MMA for the past two years participating in and moderating a number of panels, workshops and presentations at MMA Events in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. He has also been a stand-in/alternate Director on the Global Board.
As one of the few globally experienced mobile marketing pioneers operating in North America, Derek's contribution to the North American mobile marketing scene includes:
As a very hands on executive at the brand and agency level, Derek will provide a strong conduit between the MMA Board level and the network of industry participants rapidly entering and expanding their efforts in the mobile marketing space.
Derek's global perspective and experience combined with his creative and strategic thinking will add considerable value to the efforts of the MMA and drive reinvention to ensure that it remains relevant and valuable to its members and prospective members.
NeuStar is pleased to submit Diane Strahan as candidate for election to the MMA North American Board of Directors. NeuStar has been a contributing and active member of the MMA since April of 2006 )early sponsor of MMA Bootcamp since 2004) and we are a current member on the Consumer Best Practices Committee. Diane is an active participant in the MMA Off Portal Content and IVR Committees and members of her team participate on the Short Code, Marketing to Children, Privacy, Participation TV, Logo, Marketing Best Practices, Academic Outreach, and Education Committees. Diane has sponsored a number of MMA events, and other mobile marketing conferences and is a respected spokesperson in the mobile marketing industry. She regularly meets with industry analysts and media promoting MMA's best practices and the benefits of mobile marketing.
As the manager and operator of the U.S. Common Short Code )CSC) Registry )www.USshortcodes.com), on behalf of the Wireless Industry, and leading player in the global communications and IP sectors, NeuStar has a strong mutual interest in the success of the mobile marketing ecosystem. This registry enables marketers, mobile content and application providers to universally reach today's 240M+ mobile consumers. NeuStar helped lead the design and implementation of this cross-carrier solution and Diane continues to work across all parties of the value chain working with Aggregators, Application Providers and Brands to ensure maximum participation and success for all stakeholders across the industry.
Diane has and will continue to personally drive investments by NeuStar into the mobile marketing ecosystem including sponsorship of events, demonstration of various mobile marketing applications, conduct of weekly webinars, and development of white papers in partnership with IDC and M: Metrics on mobile marketing and sponsorship of Forrester to develop mobile marketing 101 webinar content for release in 2008. NeuStar has also invested capital and resources to develop and manage the CSCA website that promotes partners, suppliers and resources in the ecosystem.
Why Should You Elect Diane from NeuStar to the Board?
NeuStar has actively been dedicated to mobile marketing for years and will continue to be a stable, unifying force within the mobile marketing ecosystem. NeuStar's strict adherence to neutrality puts them in a position to present a unique resource to the MMA Board of Directors, as we provide an unbiased view of the industry, not favoring any ecosystem participant over another. NeuStar is one of the only neutral organizations that can provide a 360° and forward looking perspective into the mobile market. NeuStar is also active with the CTIA WIC, Canadian Wireless Association, GSM Association, Open Mobile Alliance, and many other industry groups, standard setting bodies and regulatory authorities.
The MMA board seeks to reflect its membership and Diane's experience does just that. She has been a successful marketing executive of Fortune 500 brands with over 20 years sales and marketing experience in the telecommunications, media, technology and Internet sectors. She has led and managed the MCI brand through multiple transitions and helped propel CareerBuilder.com as its CMO from outside the top 10 brands of the sector to become the market leader.
I am the CEO of Mozes, which I started in 2005 to help realize the promise of the mobile phone as a means to connect people to what they love. Prior to founding Mozes, I successfully started, built and sold a business where I oversaw close to $30 million in sales. Before entering business, I worked in the late 1990s as an attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, California where I focused on corporate and technology related transactions. I was born and raised in Canada and hold a JD/MBA from the University of Toronto.
Mozes provides a trusted platform for mobile marketing. Initially focused on the music industry, Mozes is used by the world's most prominent musical talent, including Tim McGraw, Avril Lavigne, R. Kelly and Keyshia Cole. Over 1500 bands and 50 music labels use Mozes to execute mobile campaigns that connect fans to the artists they love. In 2007, BusinessWeek wrote about the company's unique strategy and Dow Jones' VentureWire editors named it as one of the top 5 most promising companies in mobile for its December conference.
I have been a member of the MMA for over one year and was a member of MMA's Mobile Advertising committee before relinquishing my seat to our new VP of Products, David Williams, whose expertise greatly contributes to this committee. In June 2007 I was a presenter at the MMA Forum in New York. At the same event, Mozes was a featured case study conducted by Columbia Records.
I have an extraordinary commitment to trust, consistency and standards in mobile marketing. I possess an entrepreneurial spirit and I am highly creative, with solid business grounding and industry awareness. I will generate big but sensible ideas. Additionally, my legal background and skills allow me to navigate and synthesize complex issues.
As a member of the MMA's Board or Directors, I will work to build on past success of the MMA with a particular interest in:
)1) Exploring and developing models for advanced services, particularly extending premium SMS into the mainstream beyond pure mobile content
)2) Identifying how and actively working to integrate brands, agencies and their media planning teams more routinely into the MMA and MMA events
)3) Increasing the prominence among brands and agencies of interactive mobile marketing as a means to drive ROI on other types of media -- helping guide a shift in thinking beyond "third screen media" to how the phone can be used to transform a consumer's daily experience with other types of advertising
)4) Evangelizing topics of relevance to the MMA and its members within my speaker presentations at conferences that I attend, and among our large and growing customer base
I will be a strong, creative and even minded contributor with an ability to make a great impact on fellow MMA members, further stimulating the growth and adoption of mobile marketing.
Doug is a long-time MMA participant through his year inside and out of the carriers, representing both Verizon and AT&T Wireless divisions in the group from its infancy. Doug was elected to the MMA NA Board for the 2007 term and was an active participant in Off-Net and Logo Committees. SinglePoint was also active in the Advertising Committee. Most recently, Doug was elected to the .mobi MAG Board and PAB. With 7 years of messaging product management at two top tier carriers based on a foundation of online advertising, Doug drives a marketing perspective through the lens of carrier experience. While at Verizon Wireless and Cingular )now AT&T), he not only helped author the standards that protect the user experience while freeing marketers and content providers to leverage the marketing power of the "third screen," but also led their implementation in messaging product creation and development. Now, in his current role directing marketing, strategy, and carrier relationships for a leading aggregator, Doug occupies a seat on the opposite side of the table, serving a customer base of advertisers, content providers, entertainers, and marketers with connectivity and billing solutions. In sum, Doug considers himself a mobile marketer at heart, having originally entered the wireless business in 2000 as he felt at the time it would come to represent the most targeted, powerful marketing medium to date. It is his hope he can help realize that vision in continuing his role on the MMA Board.
Over the past year, SinglePoint has been influential in helping fuel the tremendous growth of the interactive TV industry, providing the technologies needed to execute large-scale campaigns. In Q3 2007, SinglePoint handled 67 percent of interactive TV text message transactions across the four largest domestic wireless carriers. SinglePoint is engaged with an audience of more than 220 million mobile users, working in partnership with mobile network and portal operations, entertainment media companies, brand managers and advertising agencies.
Dwight's foray into mobile began when he was selling cell phones at the start of his professional career, it was further solidified when he helped launch the first enterprise CRM solution for mobile devices at Siebel, and continues to this day as he propels Cellfire into the forefront of the mobile marketing space by revolutionizing how consumers save money with their cell phones.
Dwight brings over 12 years of experience working with many of the world's leading consumer brands, including seven years developing and supporting customer relationship management best practices in consumer and trade marketing. Dwight earned an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Cellfire brings a broad perspective to the mobile industry and a thorough understanding of the wireless eco-system. Cellfire has successful implemented mobile marketing campaigns for leading consumer brands and has built strong partnerships with tier 1 and tier 2 carriers and device manfacturers, proven by its robust on-deck and off-deck presence on all US carriers.
Cellfire is the first and only nationwide mobile coupon and discount offer service that allows consumers to easily access deals from brand-name merchants, anytime anywhere, through their cell phones. Cellfire has also helped advertisers mobilize their traditional print and electronic promotional marketing and advertising strategies to drive more traffic to their stores, spark purchases and increase sales. Cellfire enable merchants to increase their reach and engage the mobile-savvy consumer-especially the elusive 18-34 year-old demographic-by providing a measurable, direct call to action in the form of mobile coupons and discount offers.
As a member of the MMA Board of Directors, Dwight will not only bring over 10 years of mobile/wireless experience into the role, his leadership position at Cellfire will also enable him to bring well-known brands to the table. The customer voice will add a much needed contribution to the association that will help faciliate its continued growth and ensure its success.
In the year that Cellfire has been involved in the association, Dwight has actively participated at MMA events and as a member of the mobile commerce committee and co-chair of the mobile coupon committee, has proactively championed iniatives the association has spearheaded.
Eric Harber, the president and COO of HipCricket, has more than 20 years of industry expertise that span mobile, telecommunications, networking, e-commerce, media and entertainment. His breadth of experience in general management, strategy, M&A, product, sales and marketing has earned him a reputation for driving revenue growth, building effective teams and managing change in dynamic environments.
He is recognized as a mobile industry leader and his company has received numerous industry accolades. Eric has held several board and corporate advisory board positions, including serving on the Americas board of the Mobile Entertainment Forum; he was vice chairman of the board the last term.
Most recently, HipCricket was recognized with a "CSC Pioneer" Award by the CTIA for its fast growth in managing marketing campaigns using the common short code.
HipCricket is breaking new ground in helping brands and broadcast entities extend their presence and tighten their connection with their viewers, listeners and customers through the emerging mobile channel. HipCricket combines robust technology and highly-talented employees to create comprehensive mobile marketing solutions that quickly deliver ROI. In its brief history, HipCricket has managed more than 16,000 campaigns and has seen 300 percent growth in the short codes it manages in the past year.
The company works with a Who's Who of radio and television stations, a growing number of major national consumer brands such as Coca Cola, Hersheys and General Motors, and also works closely with many advertising agencies involved in developing mobile marketing campaigns for their clients.
Eric joined HipCricket from Qpass, Amdocs' Advertising, Commerce, and Entertainment Division, where he was Vice President of Corporate and Business Development. Qpass delivers mobile solutions to organizations including major entertainment companies and America's best-known wireless carriers. In 2006, he played a key role in the company's $275 million acquisition by Amdocs.
Prior to joining Qpass, Eric was General Manager and Executive Vice President of ChannelAdvisor Corporation, where he built relationships with customers and partners including Google, eBay, Amazon, Motorola, Sprint, Sears and IBM, establishing ChannelAdvisor as a leader in e-commerce/online marketplace software and services.
Previously, Eric helped to start, grow and lead Motricity, a mobile software and services company. Eric held various executive leadership positions there including Chief Marketing Officer and SVP, formulating strategy, driving execution by successfully selling to major mobile operators and media companies, and managing dramatic growth for the company.
Eric was also part of the original executive team that built and successfully sold Netsation, a venture-backed network software company, to Nortel Networks. He subsequently held global marketing responsibility at Nortel and also brings expertise from his leadership positions at Citigroup, Accenture, and his own consulting firm.
Eric could be expected to make a dramatic impact in an MMA board spot. One way would be to spearhead the development of a respository of case studies for use within MMA membership and to build the mobile marketing industry as a whole.
Jack Philbin, president and co-founder of Vibes Media, is a mobile messaging and marketing leader, wireless industry expert, and active MMA member. In 2007, Jack provided insights as a speaker at 11 different industry conferences including CTIA, Ad:Tech, Digital Hollywood and moderated a panel for MMA in November 2006. With Jack's commitment to mobile marketing and fervent support of best practices, Vibes has become one of the most influential drivers in mobile marketing today.
Jack Philbin Biographical Highlights
Vibes Company Highlights
Dating back to the 2004 MMA Roadshow, Vibes has been an avid sponsor and MMA participant. The appointment of Jack as a member of the Board of Directors would expand his active position in the MMA and enable the organization to further capitalize on his dedication to driving the industry forward.
Jack is a graduate of Boston College and completed his MBA at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
My professional commitment is to facilitate the growth of mobile advertising and mobile media distribution on a global level by making certain the entire advertising and media industries are exposed to the intrinsic value of mobile advertising, and its' complements to existing media and advertising business models. This can be achieved by developing and applying the appropriate measurement and metrics to the medium --- what's measured is monetized. The charter of my current position with Nielsen Mobile as VP of Mobile Media is to develop those metrics. A seat on the MMA Board will enable me to collaborate with members of the industry to achieve our goal of producing the most effective metrics that achieve maximum efficiency in advertising targeting, thereby driving the growth of the industry. The focus of my entire career has been media measurement. I've been with The Nielsen Company for 12 years, and I've spent more than half of that time developing metrics and measurement business models to drive the growth of "new media", most recently mobile media and in-game advertising. I promise to be an active and productive member of the board by putting all of my energy and enthusiasm into the job. At this point, I am not going to blather on about professional achievements and my background. For more information about me, please Google 'Nielsen media herrmann'. Thank you for your consideration.