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Search Chief Engineer (CE)
Based St. Petersburg, FL
Search Firm Filcro Media Staffing, New York, NY
Recruitment Group Broadcast Technologies
OIC Tony Filson, New York, NY - USA
Reporting to Board CFO & CEO, NY and FL - USA
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The Home Shopping Network - HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI) is a multi-billion dollar interactive multi-channel retailer with strong direct-to-consumer expertise and operates multiple business segments. HSN offers an innovative, differentiated retail experience on TV, online, OEM, mobile, in catalogs, and in brick and mortar stores.
HSN delivers a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names, and broadcasts live 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 364 days a year, reaching over 100 million homes. HSN.com is a top 10 most trafficked e-commerce site that creates a unique experience by leveraging content, community and commerce. In addition, HSN is an industry leader in transactional innovation, offering services such as HSN Shop by Remote®, the only service of its kind in the U.S.; mobile applications, including innovative HSN applications for iPad®, iPhone®, Android™; and HSN on Demand®. Comprised of leading home and apparel lifestyle brands, including Ballard Designs, Frontgate, and Garnet Hill. HSN operates multiple distinct e-commerce sites, and distributes more than 300 million catalogs annually, to augment retail and outlet store operations.
Client Situation
The Network CEO was seeking a honed TV engineering executive to assume the role of Chief Engineer. Based on the advanced technology build-out, cross-platform dissemination and technological leadership continuity required it was essential that the Network identify a Chief Engineer capable of formulating, executing and bringing to fruition the Network’s current and future media and broadcasting technology needs.
Industry and Sector inclusion for Universe Compilation
- Broadcast Television - Networks, Station Groups & Stations
- Cable Television Networks
- MSO - Multi-System Operators
- Technology and Media Conglomerates
- Technology Vendors to the Broadcasting Industry
Solution
Filcro Media Staffing proceeded to Identify Chief Engineers, Vice Presidents of Technology and Directors of Broadcast Engineering and Operations from the surrounding geographics and move outwards.
Based on Filcro Media Staffing’s experience with similar broadcast engineering executive searches it was apparent through Filcro’s O&D charting compiled internally that there was a rich pool of candidates in four related markets enabling identification, recruitment and attraction from the primary East Coast targets. This was reinforced by the results of four recent chief engineering searches for station, station groups and cable nets
With OTA, Satellite, MSO, OEM and Online all having relevance to this search it was essential that cross-platform, multi-cast, multiplex be part of this engineering executive's experience to differentiate them from the majority of chief engineers from OTA environments.
Many key affiliate relationships were contingent upon the Network NOC implementing new standards for CODEC development. The varied platforms required different modalities and project management skills with internal clients, cross functional teams, technology vendors and affiliate BO&E executives.
As the Network built-out and implemented new technology it would require a technology executive who could speak on behalf of the Network to the broadcasting industry, vendors and attract IT and broadcasting engineering personnel as needed. Mentoring skills were very important so a proper succession plan could be implemented with direct reports from the onset of this initiative. Drawing from a pool of BO&E personnel based on the geographic would required in-house training and development beyond the norm.
Based of the Network's culture this TV Network Chief Engineer would have to exhibit strong soft and hard skills to work with dynamic TV executives. There was no technology cocoon and this TV technology executive would be implementing business goals and monetization through technology needs that were not being conveyed by technologists but creative and marketing TV executives.
The ability of this Chief Engineer to report into a technology savvy CEO with media technological acumen was extremely helpful during the search process.
Successful Chief Engineer Identified, Recruited, Attracted and Relocated
A resourceful, innovative professional technologist with over twenty years of TV broadcast engineering and operations management experience within domestic and international TV arenas including twelve years at a multi-channel, multicast, multiplex network with twenty-seven owned and operated OTA TV stations and MSO properties. He held P&L responsibilities initiating projects to boost efficiency, productivity and sales revenue through state-of-the-art broadcast technologies. He was a hands-on Broadcast Manager with proven skills in analysis, coordination, conceptualization, negotiation, budgeting, building, and improvement of operations through policies that promote creative thinking, new avenues of business, superior customer service, and positive results for the corporate bottom line.
He managed all technical aspects of TV station, Network and affiliate functions including engineering, operations, IT, post production, distribution, recruitment, hiring and training of staff, budgeting, P&L, scheduling work, workflow, establishing technical policies and procedures, performance evaluations and the motivation of employees.
As a sincere technologist he researched the latest technologies and best practices to develop an 18-month proactive plan to transition a network to broadcasting across multiple media platforms as a multiplex. He accomplished a 20-month plan in 13-months and seven-figures under budget.
Efficiency, productivity and profitability were all synonymous with his name. At one point in his career he lead the design and rebuilding of over twenty-seven television stations in different markets simultaneously. He identified all the needed technologies and technologists to successfully created state-of-the-art BO&E facilities and production studios. His work increased viewership and revenue for the company.
This technology executive knew how to monetize technology through sound planning and project management in collaboration with or directed by business and creative executives who “did not speak technology”. He never implemented technology without justifying the ROI.
He also reduced operating expenses by coordinating the movement of post-production services from outside vendors to in-house facilities. He managed all aspects of the movement to internal studios with annual savings that were equal to the current technology vendor budget.
His financial reporting skills were strong and this allowed budgets to be adjusted and vendor contracts to be renegotiated at substantial savings to the Network.
Internationally he was noted as leading a legal, technical and facilities negotiation team for acquisition of broadcast carriage in LATAM, Mexico and Germany. He Successfully launched Hispanic and European Cable Networks with the same efficacy as domestic TV Networks, TV Station Groups and Individual TV Stations.
Summary
The Chief Engineer recruited by Filcro relocated to St. Petersburg, FL in a brief period of time.
He has exhibited the technological and business leadership skills desired by the CEO and created a technology environment that is highly respected by the media and broadcasting industry. It is noted as one of the most profitable and well run domestic and international broadcast, engineering and operations environments in television broadcasting.
It was a pleasure reporting to the Network CEO who was so instrumental in continuing to lead one of the World's most recognized brands in broadcasting and merchandising.
Through his leadership, today, HSN & QVC are the prominent televised merchandising companies with revenue surpassing expectations based on technical and creative excellence. Tony Filson was the Officer in Charge of this search
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