Heyou Media, the Seattle-based mobile media platform founded by actor and filmmaker Tom Skerritt, unveiled its new CEO Wednesday: Former VRStudios and AT&T executive Mary Jesse.
Jesse joins the company after serving as VRStudio’s chief strategy officer and later kindling the company’s strategic partnerships. She remains a member of the company’s board of directors.
“Heyou Media is responding to an exploding worldwide appetite for mobile digital entertainment by using our highly efficient and innovative curation and development process, and by leveraging decades of underutilized creative assets,” Jesse said in a press release. “The entertainment industry is faced with changing consumer behavior, including the desire for appealing, shareable ‘bite-size’ mobile content. Our approach is resonating with today’s fan base, content providers, industry communities and investors.”
Former Heyou CEO Julie Tokashiki will now serve as VP of production and remains on the company’s board of directors.
Heyou also announced that media technology veteran Bill Ruckelshaus has invested in the company and joined its board of directors.
“Tom and the Heyou Media team are disrupting digital storytelling and mobile content creation at a critical time,” Ruckelshaus said in a press release. “The company’s progressive business model meets a huge market need. I look forward to participating in the future of entertainment.”
Ruckelshaus joins Tokashiki, Jesse, Skerritt and media figures including Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis and Xbox co-creator Ed Fries on the Heyou board of directors.
— TraceMe, the fan-celebrity connection platform founded by Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson, announced Wednesday that it has added three new executives to its leadership team.
Former Microsoft and Axon executive Trevin Chow joins the company as VP of product. He was formerly the VP of product at law enforcement technology company Axon and previously spent more than 14 years as a program and group manager at Microsoft in addition to co-founding startup Chewsy.
TraceMe also added two executives based in Los Angeles: VP and head of content Sarah Malkin, who joins TraceMe from New Form Digital, and VP and head of business development Ben Press, who joins the company from Primary Wave Entertainment.
“We are very excited to announce these senior leaders have chosen to join us at TraceMe, to help us further our mission to bring fans closer to what they love,” TraceMe CEO Jason LeeKeenan said in a press release.
“Sarah has unique experience creating content for mobile-first platforms and has an incredible editorial judgment that will inspire people on our platform every day. Ben’s relationships are second-to-none in the entertainment industry, and I can’t wait to see how our celebrity partnerships flourish as a result. Trevin has a phenomenal track recording in building successful products at Axon and Microsoft, and the impact he’ll have on our product portfolio will be unstoppable,” he said.
— Esports bookmaking company Unikrn announced Wednesday that gambling industry executive Andrew Vouris has joined the company as its chief operating officer.
Vouris joins the Seattle-based startup from Australian company Tabcorp, where he spent 10 years as an executive in the company’s prominent wagering division. He was most recently the deputy COO of wagering and media. Tabcorp is also an investor in Unikrn.
“I first met the Unikrn crew back in 2014. That’s when I made the decision that Tabcorp would invest in them to help them build their business,” Vouris said in a press release. “Obviously, I fell in love with the team, the brand, the vision and the product — this company is the future, and I’m going to make sure we expose them to the world.”
— 3D printer maker Glowforge announced it has added Michelle Mares as its first head of marketing.
Mares’ resume includes years of high-level marketing experience at Nintendo, Microsoft and Nordstrom. She most recently spent three years as the director of brand marketing at Nordstrom Rack.
“When I first heard about Glowforge and the consumer excitement generated through their crowdfunding campaign, and then saw the amazing things Glowforge customers are creating and sharing organically every day, I knew this product was something I wanted to be involved in,” Mares said in a press release. “It’s a marketer’s dream to work on disruptive technology that delights customers and fuels people’s creativity. The 3D laser consumer space is currently unchartered territory and Glowforge is clearly leading the way.”
— Boeing announced that it has promoted Jeffrey Shockey to be VP of global sales and marketing for its defense, space and security unit. He replaces Tom Bell, who the company said had taken a position at a different company.
Shockey, a former congressional staffer and lobbyist, joined Boeing as its VP of federal affairs and international policy in 2016.
— Cambia Grove, a healthcare innovation hub in Seattle, announced that Julie Panek Anderson has joined the organization as its assistant director of programming.
Anderson joins the organization from Blue Shield of California, where she was most recently a senior manager in the company’s accountable care organization. She previously spent time as a program manager at Stanford Health Care and a research assistant at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Anderson will oversee a new program called Convene – Identify – Catalyze, or CIC, which aims to identify and break down systematic barriers to innovation in healthcare.
— Washington state’s solar trade association, Solar Installers of Washington, announced that Allison Arnold has been appointed its first executive director.
Arnold’s experience includes four years as a leader in Mitsubishi Electric’s solar division and, her most recent role, advising community solar projects for the Department of Energy. She has also served on the boards of national and state solar industry trade associations, including the California Solar Energy Industries Association and the Solar Alliance.
“It is an exciting time for Solar Installers of Washington to build on its accomplishments to advance the solar industry in our state,” Arnold said in a press release. “I am honored by the opportunity to work with the talented and dedicated members of Solar Installers of Washington to chart a course for the future of the association.”
— EMI Consulting, a Seattle-based firm that advises electric and gas companies on strategy, announced that it has hired Julie Rey as its president. Rey was formerly the vice president and Seattle market lead for consultant North Highland.
“I’m excited about working with this visionary and talented team,” Rey said in a press release. “The company is well-known for its in-house strategic and analytical talent, depth of industry partnerships, cutting-edge technological expertise, and passion for delivering the best consulting experiences. Being able to lead the company to greater levels of growth is a fantastic opportunity.”
