Kevin Bartus

Toronto, ON

KevinBartus @gmail.com (Word Version)

A general manager and entrepreneur accomplished in building businesses and providing strategic, creative and technology guidance. Strong analytical, conceptual and writing skills combined with talented relationship management.

 

Career Overview

 

ROGERS MEDIA, iNC.                                                                                                         2006 - 2008

A $1.3B media division of a $9B publicly-traded cable and wireless provider. RMI includes over 70 magazines, 51 radio stations, Sportsnet, City and Omni, plus a growing number of online-only properties.

 

Vice President, Digital Media

Reporting to CEO, responsible for all online activities in Rogers Media, including over 150 web and wireless properties.  Also served as liaison across parent company, RCI, for all digital activities.

Ø  Responsibilities included all online ad sales, marketing, technology, finance and business development

Ø  Integral part of the most senior management group at Rogers Media, comprised only of the CEO, the Presidents of each media group (magazines, radio, TV and Blue Jays) and myself

Ø  Consolidated responsibility for all online activities within first six months, building team from zero to 110 reports, with five direct reports comprised of two VPs and three Senior Directors

Ø  Recruited top industry leaders from BCE, Arnold Worldwide, Sympatico/MSN and Critical Mass to run sales, technology and business development

Ø  More than doubled online ad sales from $23M in 2006 to $50M in 2008, achieving EBITDA targets in every period

Ø  Launched Canadian version of industry’s most advanced behavioral targeting advertising technology

Ø  Executed ad rep deal with one of the largest publishers in the US

Ø  Led multiple investments and acquisitions

Ø  Executed major re-haul of all web technology platforms

Ø  Elected to Board of IAB Canada, speaker at ICE and NextMedia

 

OnX Enterprise Solutions, Inc.                                                                                  2005 - 2006

A $60M publicly-traded provider of enterprise IT solutions including hardware and software reselling and professional services.  OnX purchased Blue Spark Inc. in April 2005.

 

Vice President Marketing and Sales

Reported to the SVP Professional Services, responsible for managing the sales force and leading all client relationships within the $15M Professional Services Group, including all client and personnel transition issues relating to the purchase of Blue Spark. 

Ø  Managed the Blue Spark transition to OnX, maintaining annual revenue of $2M during the process. Integrated OnX services into Blue Spark accounts and Blue Spark services into OnX accounts.

Ø  Recruited and supported three key managers to support the future growth of Blue Spark as a distinct line of business.

Ø  Restructured and coached the sales team to foster greater penetration into legacy accounts; implemented Salesforce.com to better capture and manage sales activity; introduced marketing initiatives to win new business. Increased sales by >$1M in non-automotive accounts within the first year, maintaining overall sales levels.

Blue Spark, Inc.                                                                                                              1998 - 2005

A developer of online solutions for the marketing and IT departments of large Canadian and US corporations, known for depth in the media industry and with Java technologies. Managed a total of 50 employees at peak, including seven direct reports.

 

Founding President and CEO, responsible for the company’s overall leadership and growth. 

Ø  Acquired Random Media Core, successfully integrating all employees and accounts. This raised our credibility in the Web development space and resulted in winning many Canadian media accounts including Rogers Media, CanWest, Torstar, CHUM, TVO and The Score.

Ø  Created new business lines in Web analytics, becoming the only Canadian premier partner of the dominant web analytics technology vendor, WebTrends. Developed several new large clients including Rogers Communications, Workopolis, and CBC.

Ø  Leveraged several significant partnerships including Microsoft and Sun Microsystems, resulting in building new large client business with GlaxoSmithKline and Thomson.

Ø  Developed and negotiated a $2M project to build over 40 radio station sites to increase advertising revenue for Rogers Media. This involved selecting a content management system, recommending creating a role for managing interactive initiatives and advertising sales, and introducing a number of revenue generating partnerships.

Ø  Won a competitive bid process against many large IT firms to develop a $1M equity analysis tool.  Successful delivery led to the creation of a multi-million dollar business for the client.

Ø  Initiated, negotiated and consummated the sale of Blue Spark to OnX in an all-cash share purchase.  All equity and debtholders achieved attractive returns, and OnX adopted the Blue Spark brand throughout their professional services business.

 

Compugen Professional Services                                                                            1997 - 1998

One of Canada’s largest hardware and software resellers, with revenues over $250M.  Compugen is consistently voted one of Canada’s 50 best private corporations.

 

Vice President Professional Services

Reporting to the COO, responsible for all sales and delivery with a staff of 25 consultants and five direct reports.

Ø  Recruited several top salespeople, realigned professional services and VAR salespeople, and productized service offerings. Doubled sales to $5M.

Ø  Implemented management control systems including time tracking and utilization, resulting in increased hiring efficiency and improved management practices.

 

 

Springboard Management Consultants                                                                           1997

Springboard Management was a consulting firm providing consulting services to various Toronto-based venture capital firms. Clients included:

  • JL Albright Venture Partners: Performed market analysis, financial modeling, and due diligence analysis of store fixture manufacturer.  Work included primary interviews with competitors to determine potential future acquisitions.
  • XDL Capital Corporation: Performed valuation and due diligence of a salesforce automation firm.  Subsequent investment yielded significant return when firm was sold to larger player.
  • Hill and Gertner: Led the management team through internal investment strategy and prioritization sessions, resulting in renewed focus on retail sector.

 

Boston Consulting Group                                                                                          1994 - 1997

BCG is one of the world’s top strategy consulting firms. 

 

Senior Consultant

Led analyst teams and presented to clients. Projects included:

  • New Business Development: Developed new business plans for leading investment firm, including determining geographic and operational success factors for an emerging sports league.
  • Business Valuation: Identified drivers of shareholder value for steel and telecommunications businesses using proprietary methodology.  Mastered business and technical aspects of valuation.
  • Supply Chain Management: Quantified opportunities for scheduling and inventory savings between leading appliance manufacturer and major retailer.  Presented to top client management.
  • Productivity Improvement: Led factory workers in raising paper machine yield from 75% to 85% over 4 months.  Developed methodology, facilitated early meetings, and transferred skills to client.
  • Mergers: Guided pharmaceutical client team with members from two companies in merging of those companies.  Included economic comparison of plants and evaluation of staff capabilities.
  • Consumer Marketing: Revealed true reasons for share decline of major brewer and created plan for reversing this trend, including channel strategy, refocused marketing, and brand development.

 

Arthur D. Little (Summer Employment)                                                                                    1993

The world’s first management consulting firm, founded in 1886.

Ø  Developed new service offering in minimalist manufacturing process management.

Ø  Developed a global pharmaceutical manufacturing strategy to balance costs against regulatory drivers of product proliferation.

 

Andersen Consulting (now Accenture)                                                                         1988 - 1990

One of the largest IT and management consulting companies in the world.

Consultant, focusing on the manufacturing sector. Projects included;

  • Project Management: Managed team of programmers developing production control software.
  • Productivity Improvement: Designed manufacturing cells for ball bearings, reducing lead times by 30% and space utilization by 70%. Redesigned work flow for software customer inquiries.
  • Computer-Integrated Manufacturing: Forged software linkages to allow clients' engineering and manufacturing personnel to seamlessly share data and graphics.  Demonstrated to clients.
  • Logistics: Developed user interface for system which allows clients to determine optimal transportation configurations.  This system became a growth catalyst in the consulting practice.

 

Education

 

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL Master of Business Administration, 1994

Additional post graduate work included publication of cases and articles on new product development.

 

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1988

Thesis on Total Quality Management included internships at Hughes Aircraft.

 

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1987

Top quarter of class, president of fraternity, internships at Hewlett-Packard.