Futuri Media has bulked up its sales and development ranks by bringing in a Cox Media Group/Tampa veteran as its new Product Manager for #engage and its Futuri Mobile product, and welcoming a pair of National Account Managers.
At the same time, the company now seeks a new Director of TopicPulse Strategic Initiatives.
Coming aboard for the Product Manager role is a real “Shark” — Michael Sharkey, that is.
Known to many in the radio industry by his nickname, Sharkey was the Rock Format Leader and PD/Brand Manager for Hot Talk WHPT-FM 102.5 “The Bone” and Alternative WSUN-FM 97.1 “97X” in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market.
He’s also the co-founder and advisor of multiple technology startups “designed to drive audio consumption and audience engagement.”
At Futuri, Sharkey will lead the product teams for #engage, an interactive broadcasting platform designed to drive tune-in occasions using social media; and Futuri Mobile, which develops customized mobile apps for broadcast media.
The two other hires involve two new National Account Managers. Joining Futuri in those roles are Jim Roberts and Jim Tarantine, respectively.
Roberts joins Futuri Media from Mid-West Family Broadcasting, where he spent more than 20 years in sales and programming executive positions at the company’s South Bend, Ind., station group.
Tarantine was previously Director of Client Solutions for Nielsen Audio, leading key initiatives including TV/audio integration, digital audio measurement, audio enhancements, and media analytics offerings. For the last six years, Tarantine worked exclusively with CBS Radio.
“Futuri’s fast-growing team builds solutions to deliver the ROI our media industry partners require: audience engagement, ratings, and revenue,” said Futuri Media CEO Daniel Anstandig. “Collaborating with local managers and corporate leaders to help them develop the future of our industry is the most important and rewarding part of our mission.”
The staff additions come as Georgia Beasley, who joined Futuri Media as Director of TopicPulse Strategic Initiatives in July 2017, has exited the company.
Beasley took the role at Futuri after serving for 1 1/2 years as Director of Digital Sales at Beasley Broadcast Group in its home market of Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.
