Christopher Pitts

Current

Producer at LeveragePoint Innovations
Web Development at cbpwebdesign.com

Past

Producer at Monitor Group
Director of Sales, Eastern Region and International at Technology Solutions Company
Founder/Director at Contemporary Jazz Orchestra West

Vice President of Production at CourseNet Systems
Senior Producer at Cooperative Media
Producer/Director at Freelance Producer/Director (Self-employed)
Music Performer/Producer/Contractor/Educator at Musician (Self-employed)

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Education

Center for Digital Imaging and Arts at Boston University
Cranbrook Academy of Art
International Film and Television Workshop

National Endowment for the Arts Study Grants
Oakland University
Berklee College of Music

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Recommended

4 people have recommended Christopher

Connections

136 connections

Industry

E-Learning

Websites

My Company

Christopher Pitts’s Summary

Award winning Producer with over 22 years of experience in developing and managing creative educational and corporate programs. Combines strong interpersonal and management skills with a broad range of technical knowledge and expertise. Experience dealing with strategic clients and executive management. Results-driven.

Christopher Pitts’s Specialties:

elearning, Web Technologies, Video Production

Christopher Pitts’s Experience

Producer

LeveragePoint Innovations

(E-Learning industry)

January 2009 — Present (7 months)

Producer of Interactive Learning Solutions - Working with 2.0 and 3.0 technologies to develop online solutions that activate and embed business processes for time-challenged professionals.
Web Development

cbpwebdesign.com

(Privately Held; Myself Only; Internet industry)

2002 — Present (7 years)

Providing Internet and intranet services to corporate clients, artists, politicians and community organizations.
Designed and launched websites which generated new business, increased community presence, raised membership, facilitated sales, and improved communication to constituencies. Directed web site production and creative development, handled client relations and staffing, conducted competitive research and streamlined infrastructure. Current use of Drupal.
Producer

Monitor Group

(Privately Held; Management Consulting industry)

August 2008 — January 2009 (6 months)

Responsible for delivery of elearning and eworking solutions - (division spun off from Monitor to become LeveragePoint Innovations)
Director of Sales, Eastern Region and International

Technology Solutions Company

(Public Company; 201-500 employees; TSCC; Computer Software industry)

1999 — 2002 (3 years)

Director of Sales, Eastern Region and International
Technology Solutions Company (TSC), a publicly traded company (Nasdaq:TSCC) with revenues of $271 million, acquired CourseNet Systems (renamed Peer3) in October 1999. Peer3 offered first pure XML-based Learning Content Management System, to create, deliver and administer eLearning.
• Performed pre-sales and sales to government and Fortune 100 corporate prospects
• Trained sales staff
• Presented to potential investors and partners
• Major accounts included: NSA, AMS, Deutch Bank, Morgan Stanley, World Bank, Worldcom
Founder/Director

Contemporary Jazz Orchestra West

(Entertainment industry)

1995 — 2000 (5 years)

The CJO was created to to promote the post bop big band jazz tradition by featuring the best of the modern composers including: Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Oliver Nelson, Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Quincy Jones and others. It showcased internationally recognized artists, provided a forum for new composers and arrangers, showcased individual performers and gave them the modern big band experience which is almost extinct outside of New York.
Featured international guest artists: John Handy, Eddie Marshall, Madeline Eastman, Bruce Forman, Warren Gale, Grover Washington Jr., Ronnie Cuber, Steve Slagel, Regina Carter, Marvin Stamm, and Herb Geller.
In addition to Festivals and Concerts, the CJO performed every Monday night at Jazz@Pearls in North Beach San Francisco where it continued until 2008 when the club closed.
Vice President of Production

CourseNet Systems

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Software industry)

1997 — 1999 (2 years)

Co-founded intranet software and services company specializing in Java and object-oriented learning technologies. Company developed first standards-based eLearning software.
Key responsibilities included developing corporate strategy and overseeing all production.
• Developed financial model and business plan for raising 6.5 MM in three venture rounds
• Presented plan to potential investors in the US and Asia
• Coordinated all legal and financial documentation
• Directed contract negotiations with newly-recruited executive staff
• Major accounts included: MCI, McGraw-Hill, Merck, Cisco
Senior Producer

Cooperative Media

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Software industry)

1992 — 1997 (5 years)

12 Top industry awards. Responsibilities: managing product development, corporate strategy, client relations, video production.
Developed 20+ CD-ROM and Web-based products including Video Producer with notable Film & Video Production Author Herb Zettl.
Managed all video production, editing, digitization, and related budget development and personnel hiring.
• Directed multi camera shoots with pro and non-pro talent.
• Coordinated all product sound design including sfx and music
• Developed and launched innovative Classic Jazz CD-ROM series development with Broderbund and Smithsonian Institution Press. Reviewed and selected content and participants from artists, photographers, narrators, biographers and obtained clearances for 40 classic selections including sync rights, music publishing and image rights.
• Managed studio operations and expansion
• Coordinated legal documentation and contracts
• Coordinated accounting with year-end reviews by Coopers and Lybrand
Producer/Director
Freelance Producer/Director (Self-employed)

(Self-Employed; Telecommunications industry)

1988 — 1993 (5 years)

Clients: Fortune 1000 and Foreign TV to Non-Profit Orgs and Community Groups
• Directed 100+ interviews: George Lucas, Author Isabelle Allende, GM CEO Robert Stempl, and Dizzy Gillespie
• Sandy Corp to develop and produce 120 programs for GMUAR Launch $1.6 MM. 700 hours in-studio taping. 60 shorts w/ actors including Tim Allen. Directed 360 hours field production
• Sun Microsystems Product training series
• Jazz Masters: Keepers of the Flame documentaries awarded: Best Entertainment Award: NFLCP Hometown USA, Farnsworth Best Arts & Culture and Personal Profile series, NATOA Performing Arts, Media production grants from MICHIGAN COUNCIL for the ARTS and a development grant from PUBLIC BENEFITS CORPORATION
• HDTV pilot program for MICO/NHK.
• Conceived/Produced Jamedy: 6 hour Jazz and Comedy ACLU benefit w/ comedians; Will Durst, Margret Cho, and musicians; John Handy, Joyce Cooling, Kitty Margolis.
• Conceived/Produced Jazz for Greenpeace; 3 years of Annual benefits
Music Performer/Producer/Contractor/Educator
Musician (Self-employed)

(Self-Employed; Music industry)

1975 — 1993 (18 years)

• Performed at major jazz festivals and clubs in North America and Europe
• Record with R&B artists and perform with GB band Clockwork
• Substitute teaching Boston area schools Rivers and Harvey Feinstein’s School
• Founded Newton Jazz Project, advanced ensemble for gifted Boston Metro area students
• Founded the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra in 1995, directed weekly until 2000
• Composition & performance grants from the NEA, Michigan Council for the Arts, and the Detroit Council of the Arts.
• Staff Instructor at Detroit Jazz Center, Clinician at Metro Detroit Public Schools. 1980 – 1991
• Performed with jazz notables: Thad Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Foster, Grover Washington Jr., Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Jon Fadis, Betty Carter, Kenny Garrett, Geri Allen and Regina Carter.
• Backed entertainers including: Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Liberace, Gladys Knight, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Martha Reeves, Lou Rawls, Bob Hope, Henny Youngman and President Bill Clinton.

Christopher Pitts’s Education

Center for Digital Imaging and Arts at Boston University

Certificate , Web Technologies , 2008 — 2008

CSS, Flash, javascript, PHP, Drupal
Cranbrook Academy of Art

Television Production 1989 — 1989

Awarded full scholarship for intensive television production studies
International Film and Television Workshop

Directing & Acting 1989 — 1989

Directing and Acting with Ralph Rosenblum (The Pawnbroker, Annie Hall) and Barry Primus
National Endowment for the Arts Study Grants

Jazz Improvisation 1982 — 1986

Private Study with George Coleman
Oakland University

Music Performance, Art History 1975 — 1979
Berklee College of Music

Music Performance 1977 — 1978

Additional Information

Christopher Pitts’s Websites:

My Company

Christopher Pitts’s Groups:

• Technical Advisory Committee Newton Public Schools 2006-2007
• Board of Directors Waban Improvement Society 2004-2008
• Board of Directors of American Civil Liberties, San Francisco Chapter 1992-1993
• Board of Directors, Concerned Citizens for the Arts in Michigan (CCAM) 1990-93
• National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Los Angeles Emmy Awards Panelist 1990
• Michigan Council for the Arts, Detroit Council of the Arts, Media and Music Grants Panelist 1990-1989