Jimi Smoot is a self proclaimed tech geek who works as Director of Sales in CPX’s LA office. Find out more about Jimi, including his past work experience, and why he loves the online advertising industry.

1. Who are you, and what do you do here at CPX?

I’m Jimi, and I am a West Coast Director of Sales, which means that I have the great job of meeting new people every day and making sure they know the ins and outs of CPX.

2. You were just in New York City for sales training with the rest of the CPX Sales team. What did you get out of that experience?

The understanding that, as service providers, we can never do enough to understand the goals of our clients and work tirelessly to help bring those goals into reality.

3. What did you do before you came to CPX?

Before CPX, I spent some time at MySpace, packaging offline and online programs for brands. Prior to that, I worked on the agency side of the business. There, I developed strategic media plans aimed at solving marketing problems.

4. You’ve worked with a lot of different brands. What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had?

While I was at MySpace, we put together a concert series with Adidas (through an amazing partnership with my friends over at Carat) which included major talent such as Flo Rida and Method Man/Red Man. The catch was, to get tickets for the concerts, people would need to pick them up from Adidas’ original stores in their respective markets. We had folks driving from Orange County to the Hollywood Adidas store for the LA concerts. Overall, we drove hundreds of people from online to brick and mortar adidas locations. The client was extremely happy, and the program was so much fun to work on.

5. What is your favorite thing about working in the online advertising industry?

Hands down, the people. Where else would you find such a friendly group of smart people who are looking to work hard and know how to have a good time?

Connect with Jimi on Twitter!

Meet Alex Andreyev, Account Manager with the Brand Sales team at CPX Interactive, and find out what sparked his interest in business when he was just a teenager.

1. Who are you and what do you do here at CPX Interactive?

My name is Alex, and I am East Coast Brand Sales Account Manager.

2. You started in a different role here. How did you make the transition to Account Manager?

I began working as a business analyst, but wasn’t finding enough opportunities to utilize my time and my skills, so I worked with Rob (Rasko, COO & President) to find a better role for me in the company.

3. What did you do prior to coming to CPX?

After graduating college, I worked a variety of jobs. From running a soup store in Midtown, to managing a wholesale bridal business, to selling Christmas trees.

4. What is your favorite thing about working here?

CPX is a great company in a vibrant market where I can make a difference. However, the people are the best thing about CPX.

5. You’ve referred to yourself as a “serial entrepreneur.” What originally sparked this interest in business?

My parents both had/have their own businesses, so partially, it’s in my blood. After reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad with my best friend at 15, we decided that we would be business partners. By 18, we had tried a few small business ventures, and hit it big with Christmas trees. I’ve also managed an ice cream store, a soup store, and helped out a few other small businesses.

Get to know Mike Farber, Senior Sales Director of Publisher Development. Find out about his favorite industry event, his international adventures, and more…

1.  Who are you and what do you do here at CPX?

As Senior Sales Director of Publisher Development, I am the direct contact between our publishers and CPX.

2.  What kinds of things do you do on a normal workday?

Aside from maintaining our current relationships, I am responsible for seeking new opportunities and developing relationships with publishers we do not actively work with. My main objective is to educate the market as to who CPX is and how we can add value to their respective businesses.

3. What drew you to the field of online advertising?

Online advertising is a fast paced industry.

4.  What has been your favorite industry, or CPX sponsored, event you have attended?

Although it wasn’t a CPX sponsored event, I’d have to say the Circus Party at Ad:tech San Francisco 2009. It was definitely the most unique party I’ve been to, featuring people on trapeze, fire breathers, and countless other circus-related acts.

5.  You love traveling and adventure; tell us about your most recent trip.

My most recent trip was to Belize. I slept in the jungle for three nights, and a tiny island off the coast called Caye Caulker for four nights. Overall, it was an epic journey of adventure consisting of climbing waterfalls in a cave, repelling 300 feet into a sinkhole, snorkeling with sharks, scuba diving at the second largest reef in the world, and hiking through the jungle. I topped off the trip with nice food poisoning and almost getting bumped off my flight because they overbooked, but it was still a great time!

Find out more about Massimo Fontana,  head of our Italian office, including his past experiences, current role, and plans for the future.

1. Who are you and what do you do here at CPX?

My name is Massimo, and I am the Country Manager for CPX Interactive Italia. I am in charge of the Italy office, which was the first International branch of CPX Interactive.  Since the beginning, I have been establishing the company, seeking out local business, and working with the global CPX team to drive the company’s long-term local success. I also evaluate partner strategies, and establish and facilitate key business relationships.

2. What kinds of things to do you do on a daily basis during a normal work day?

Since I’m responsible for a country, I need to manage and coordinate all processes including, administration, marketing, sales, and publishing. So, my working day is made up of many different things, but my main daily focus is to be sure that all the people working on the Italian team are happy to work for CPX!

3. What is your favorite thing about working for CPX?

The mood of the company and the people I work with are my favorite things. I’m a pioneer, always looking for some dream to be realized. CPX has a dream and I want to be a part of realizing this dream!

4. What is your professional background?

I have more than ten years of experience in the Internet and telecoms sectors. Since the beginning of my career, I have been exposed to the changes that innovative technologies bring to business models, value chains and lifestyles. My focus in this area has been on helping companies transform their business to exploit the benefits of digital innovation. I have extensive experience in collaborating with teams to drive digital business growth, and always work closely with end-user customers in converting new technologies into tangible business benefits.

5. What are some of your future goals for CPX Italy?

To drive the company’s long-term local success and to be one of the leading online advertising players in Italy.

Meet the rest of the CPX Italy Team!

Get to know Ansel Olson, CPX’s West Coast Account Manager, as he shares about his past work experience, favorite CPX event, and what he loves about the LA team.

1. Who are you and what do you do here at CPX?

As the Account Manager for the West Coast office, I am responsible for providing premium customer service to each advertiser/client brought forth by my premiere sales team. I work closely with the VP of Sales and the Director of CPM Operations to optimize all campaigns and provide innovative ideas for upcoming strategies. I also serve as the conduit of information between the East Coast operations, trafficking, and account managing teams, and the West Coast office. In a nutshell, I enjoy being part of a team that helps advertisers get their message across, while optimizing every moment of it.

2. Before you joined CPX, you worked in special events and in the entertainment industry. What drew you to online advertising?

After years of producing special events on a business-to-consumer level (Hollywood nightlife, restaurants and fashion), I found myself eager to learn all aspects of the business. When an opportunity popped up with CPX Interactive, I jumped at the chance to work for a company that has so much influence in the online realm. Not only do we work with thousands of publishers, we also work with dozens of brand advertisers – it’s an exciting thing to be part of. I decided then that it’d be easy to leave the Hollywood glitz and glamour for the CPX reach and advertising clamor.

3. You went from working for a publisher to working for an ad network. How has your prior experience helped you in your current role?

As the Marketing Director of LA.com, the entertainment portal for the Los Angeles Daily News, I had the ideal opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the publisher side. The fact that I was able to have a “hands on” experience is a great asset when meeting with agencies and their respective buyers/planners. After all, some wise person did say that “knowing is half the battle.” Also, having a close relationship with the amazing CPX publisher team dually helped me with publisher recommendations and suggestions for various campaigns. I feel that my experience on the publisher side has definitely given CPX an edge with our West Coast clientele.

4. What has been your favorite industry, or CPX sponsored, event that you’ve attended so far?

Hands down(!), I feel the inaugural CPX Beach House event at the Manhattan 6-Man Volleyball competition this summer was my favorite industry event. It was CPX & Southern California at its finest. Not only were we able to thank our clients for their business, we were able to celebrate our relationship by really making a day out of it. It had all the makings of a great summer day: a few blocks from the ocean, BBQ, drinks, A/C, Wii, music, and thousands upon thousands of excitingly creative beach volleyball fanatics. What I found most amazing was the fact that our guests were having a great time throughout the event and we still hear about how much fun they had. The fact that this event made such a positive impression on everyone made it my favorite for the year.

5. How would you describe the LA team? What is the dynamic like in your office compared to New York?

First of all, I’d like to insert laughter after reading this question (after jokingly being advised to choose his words wisely). The East Coast team is amazing, and I can’t speak to their day-to-day dynamics as I am only there a few weeks a year (ahem). We, at the West Coast office, are a much smaller team and are in very close proximity to one another on a daily basis. This allows us to really keep a close eye. We’ve definitely become like a tight-knit family, and that makes it easier for every industry social event to be an opportunity to represent CPX as a potential business partner to our Agency neighbors. I can say that we are definitely a breath of fresh air to the West Coast online media scene, and with the tutelage of our leadership (here and on the East) are always prepared to place CPX ahead of the competition.

Meet Samantha Racco, CPX Interactive’s Q/A Manager, and find out how she helps publishers on a daily basis.

1.  Who are you and what do you do here at CPX?

My name is Samantha Racco and I am the Q/A (Quality Assurance) Manager at CPX Interactive.

2.  What kinds of things do you do on a daily basis during a normal work day?

My days are filled with communicating with publishers that are experiencing any sort of problem. I put publishers in touch with our accounting team to get any payment issues cleared up. I also manage the publishing interns, who do various research projects for the Account Managers and the Q/A Team. I handle all aspects of publisher support, and work closely with my associate John Rosa to ensure that all publishers that work with CPX Interactive have a positive experience and receive hands-on support. On any given day, I can be creating sites, reviewing publisher applications for acceptance, updating the CPX Verticals, or working with the accounting team to get a payment problem cleared up. I like to think of myself as a utility player.

3.  In what way do you work with the publishing team?

I am the liaison between the publishing team and the finance department. I also work closely with the publishing team on large research projects.

4.  What is your background, and how did you end up at an online ad network?

I graduated from Long Island University in 2004 with a BA in History. While at college, I concentrated heavily on history and political science courses. In addition to ten years experience on a functioning Long Island farm, I was also the Executive Assistant to the head instructor at the Stevenson Academy of Fine Arts. I always liked working in a laid back and productive atmosphere, so when I was offered a position as an Account Manager back in 2007, I jumped at the opportunity. I was an account manager for about a year, and when the Q/A team was being developed, I was offered a spot, and decided it would be a great move. I like helping people; whether getting them a payment reissued, adding sites to their accounts, or answering any other questions they may have about our network.

5.  What is your favorite thing about working for CPX?

It’s hard to narrow down my favorite thing about CPX, but I guess it would have to be the work environment. Being surrounded by some of the smartest people I know, in and out of the industry, makes it exciting to come to work. There is always an opportunity to learn something new, and take on new responsibility.

Get to know Joby Joseph, Web Developer at CPX Interactive, and find out more about the games, quizzes and sites he works on.

1. Who are you and what do you do here at CPX?

Hello everyone, my name is Joby Joseph and I’m a web developer at CPX Interactive.  I work for the mobile department where we develop all kinds of mobile websites and applications.

2. Can you tell me more about some of the projects you have worked on?

Developers in our department, including myself, are currently working on building quiz websites where web users can take fun quizzes, like ‘Who’s my Idol,’ ‘How Smart Are You?’ and more.  I also have the responsibility of creating the quiz content management system, where some of our coworkers can create these quiz websites on their own, without the intervention of a web developer.

3. What did you do before you came to CPX?

Before working at CPX, I was doing pretty much the same thing.  I worked as a web developer building content management system applications and building online newsletter websites.  Every week, I developed an online newsletter that we sent out to over a million subscribers.  It was an interesting experience, but I have to say, it wasn’t as much fun as working here at CPX!

4. What first got you interested in computers and web design?

I initially got interested in computers when I found out that you can make computers do whatever you want them to.  Back in junior high, my teacher showed us a little program that would print different messages to the screen.  The teacher would display a new quote from a famous person each day.  It may not sound like much, but at the time, I thought it was so cool.  From then on, I loved programming.  Later in my school life, I learned how to write messages to my friends who had computers.  It was then that I became cool.

5. You’ve worked on a number of fun projects with CPX’s creative team. Do you have a favorite?

In school, I learned a lot about programming, and I was motivated to learn new languages like actionscript. Working with CPX’s creative team, I’ve developed numerous flash games using actionscript.  One game which I really enjoyed working on was ‘Hank the Zombie Killer.’  It was an interesting game where a ghost barfed out projectile vomit to destroy different types of zombies.  The game even had a boss at the end who Hank had to fight head-on!  I would really like to work on part 2 of the game, but we’ll just have to wait to see what else CPX has in store for me!

David Shay is the EVP of Marketing at CPX Interactive. Read on to learn about his journey from law school grad to marketing professional at an online ad network.

1. Who are you, and what do you do here at CPX?

As EVP of Marketing, I am ultimately responsible for the messaging, both internally and externally, for the company. Initiatives that come out of the marketing department include, trade shows and networking events, online and print advertising, sales support materials, public relations and use of social media to disseminate information.

2. After college, you went to law school. How did you end up working in marketing for an online ad network?

I always knew I wanted to go to Law School, and I guess I assumed that meant that I wanted to be a lawyer as well. As law school drew to a close, I realized that this was an incorrect assumption. Rather than go the traditional route of a job at a law firm, I opened a private practice with a partner in Hollywood, FL. Three years was enough to prove to myself that I could do it, and also long enough for me to realize that I didn’t have to do it just because I had the law degree. I came up to NYC with my stuff in a duffel bag and found a job at a small advertising agency. Eventually, my career path led me to an online agency called Endai Worldwide. It was here that I met a colleague named Rob Rasko and the rest…as they say…is history.

3. How do you apply what you learned in law school to marketing?

People often question if the two paths (law vs. marketing) are similar at all. I think that they absolutely are. In law school, you are taught how to construct a way of interpreting and explaining facts in a way that is most favorable to your client’s position. Marketing is really driven by the same fundamentals. A marketer’s job is to spin and package information in a way that is most favorable to the company.

4. CPX recently opened a Manhattan office, which the marketing department now calls home. Why do you think it was important for the company, and the marketing department, to have a presence in NYC?

The move of the ‘forward facing’ departments of the company to NYC was both necessary and organic. With the development and growth of the sales and publishing teams, they have both been able to hone their target audiences to a high-profile /brand level. NYC is simply a more ‘target-rich’ environment for them, and being here makes it easier for them to interact socially and build relationships. As for the marketing department, it only makes sense for us to be with the teams we support most directly.

5. What kinds of things are on the horizon for CPX Marketing in the next few months?

We have a couple of interesting projects on our table at this point. In addition to laying the marketing groundwork for some pretty exciting business-level announcements planned over the next six months, we are focusing on taking our philanthropic arm, CPXample^TM, to the next level and we are working to support the online promotion and release of the first completed project by the indie film house, Chaos². Chaos² is owned and run by CPX founders Mike Seiman and Carlton Hickman.

Learn more about Mike Fleischman, EVP of Business Development at CPX Interactive, and his 25 years of experience in the entertainment  and media industry.

1.  Who are you and what do you do here at CPX?

I am Mike Fleischman, and I’m currently the EVP of Business Development for CPX. I oversee the Global Publisher Development, and also work on a number of Business Development opportunities for the company.

2.  What did you do before you started at CPX in 2008?

In 2007, I spent some time as CFO of an Executive Search firm, and for the first part of 2008, I started Fleischman Media Group, which was a financial consulting practice specializing in Entertainment and Media.

Prior to 2006, I spent 25 years at Cablevision Systems Corporation. During my tenure, I held a number of strategic financial roles and worked on a variety of different initiatives, including the launch and development of Cablevision’s Advertising Sales Division, and the creation and develpment of over 20 National and Regional Cable Television Programming Networks.  I was also involved in numerous Strategic Partnerships including, Sports acquisitions, and the purchase of Madison Square Garden.

Throughout my tenure at Cablevision, I was fortunate to develop extensive knowledge and insight on topics such as, television programming rights, advertising sales, sports contracts, professional sports team economics and digital media. This included working on the formation of partnerships and joint ventures with companies such as, Liberty Media, NBC, Fox and MGM.

3. What did you learn during your 25 years at Cablevision that you have put into practice at CPX?

At Cablevision I learned a number of things, including how to grow start up businesses into mature companies, how to hire and develop key employees, and what it takes to compete in the media and entertainment sector.

4. CPX is not a typical company and the environment is far from corporate. How have you adjusted to the change in atmosphere, and what do you like about it?

CPX is an environment that requires everyone to work independently and think outside of the box. The company reminds me of our earlier days at Cablevision where people were passionate about the brand and focused on growing the company to be # 1 in the sector.

5.  What are your goals for business development at CPX for the rest of 2009?

I would like to see CPX continue to align with strategic partners both on the Publisher and Advertiser level, and continue to improve internal communication and processes as a foundation for future growth.

Find out more about Senior Account Manager, Chris Carnacchio, and how he’s watched CPX grow over the last three years.

1. Who are you, and what do you do at CPX Interactive?

I’m Chris, and I am a Senior Account Manager in the CPA division here at CPX. I work with Jeff Reitzen (VP of Sales-CPA Division) on Domestic CPA, and Oguz Goker (VP of International CPA) on International CPA, and I also manage a team of five account managers. My team and I are responsible for managing all of the clients Jeff and Oguz bring in.

2. One of the most important things to the leadership at CPX is the family-like atmosphere they’ve established here. Part of maintaining this environment is looking for new hires who come recommended by current employees. Did you know anyone here before you were hired?

Growing up, I was actually lucky enough to know (CEO) Mike Seiman, Jeff Reitzen, and (CTO) Carlton Hickman through my sister. As time progressed, I made an effort to stay in touch with them as much as I could.

3. What drew you to the field of online advertising?

It was actually getting to know Mike (Seiman) that peaked my interest. I was always asking him about the different websites he created and managed when he first entered the industry. I even tried to create my own websites when I was in high school in an effort to learn as much about advertising on the Web as I could.

4. How have you seen CPX change since you started in 2006?

I first started working for the company in “the Long Beach days,” when it was just a small group of people sitting in an office in an apartment building, and a handful of employees in the LA office. It’s been amazing to see CPX grow through the years, from a small company with a small staff and only two offices, to the second fastest growing ad network with almost 100 employees, and six offices worldwide.

5. Where is the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled with CPX?

I would say the most interesting trip I’ve taken since I began working at CPX was last summer. Oguz and I traveled to Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf and Amsterdam. Unfortunately, we only stayed about one day in each place, and spent most of our time in meetings.  So, I didn’t really have a chance to see the different sites each place had to offer, but overall, it was definitely the most interesting trip I’ve been on.