Paul Kontonis

Current

• Chief Executive Officer at For Your Imagination

Past

• General Manager, Educational Marketing and Corporate Sales at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
• Chief Marketing Officer at btldesign
• Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SenseNet

• Director of New Business Development and Co-Founder at Silver Shock
• Marketing Manager at Eli Lilly & Co
• President, Co-Founder at Marble Columns Management

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Education

• New York University
• Stuyvesant High School
• PS 107

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Recommended

7 people have recommended Paul

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Online Media

Websites

• My Company

Paul Kontonis’s Summary

Paul is the Chief Executive and co-founder of For Your Imagination, Inc and is a seasoned marketing executive and general manager with 15+ years of experience in building interactive marketing agencies and online media companies, as well as, traditional marketing and sales roles at internet, education and pharmaceutical companies. Paul has a track record of success achieving revenue, profit and business growth objectives within start-ups, established companies and overall dynamic environments and new markets. He appears in a number of publications, digital media books including the Documentary Filmmakers Handbook, and is a speaker at several industry conferences and seminars annually. Paul is a founding member of The International Academy of Web Television.

Paul Kontonis’s Specialties:

media, branded entertainment,advertising, development, production, distribution, synidcation, Internet TV, web series, webisodes, viral video, branding, media, product positioning, campaign development and management, media management, business development, film producer and director, digital media production, digital media development, interactive video marketing, podcast, netcast

Paul Kontonis’s Experience

• Chief Executive Officer

  For Your Imagination

  (Partnership; Media Production industry)

  January 2007 — Present (2 years 11 months)

  For Your Imagination is a leading branded entertainment web video studio focused on the development, packaging and multi-platform distribution and syndication of high-quality branded web video.
  
  The studio works with advertisers to develop their online video content, produce high quality video programs, package to appeal to the key demos and ensure the delivery of the content to the desired target audiences with scale and reach. New York City based For Your Imagination is built upon the experience of interactive and TV industry veterans whose combined expertise include web development, major television and movie production, national marketing campaigns and technology.

• General Manager, Educational Marketing and Corporate Sales

  Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions

  (Public Company; WPO; Education Management industry)

  2003 — 2007 (4 years )

  - Developed and managed the marketing strategy and processes for the graduate test preparation educational products and services nationally
  - Managed regional sales and marketing managers including localized program specialists
  - Planned and managed local and national traditional and interactive media strategy
  - Launched and managed new product website components and features
  - Developed and managed strong relationships on individual campuses with local students, faculty, administration and alumni through event marketing and sponsorships, creating barriers to entries for competitors
  - Initially focused on standardizing the brand message and implementing controls to allow for individual campus personalization, while maintaining a consistent message for the brand
  - Hired and managed a Corporate Sales Team of four focused on non-traditional marketing efforts to local banks, corporations and investment companies

• Chief Marketing Officer

  btldesign

  (Marketing and Advertising industry)

  1998 — 2002 (4 years )

  - Was recruited by a partner in this boutique marketing firm founded in 1978 to head up the marketing department
  - Developed traditional and interactive marketing and brand strategy and tactics for Global 500 agency clients including AT&T, Avaya, Kaplan Inc., Lucent, MasterCard, FIFA World Cup, Major League Baseball, Pfizer and Samsung
  - Developed new business relationships with new clients representing a major increase in agency business
  - Rebranded Bessen Tully & Lee as btldesign, a full service marketing communications agency with over 30 years experience, from a traditional design company

• Vice President of Sales and Marketing

  SenseNet

  (Internet industry)

  1998 — 1999 (1 year )

  - Developed traditional and interactive marketing and brand strategy and tactics for firm and clients including Pfizer, Sun Microsystems and Warner Brothers
  - Launched two new enterprise online products through direct and channels sales
  - Developed and launched Yourday.com, online calendar service, and sold to technology company
  - Hired, trained and managed a direct sales force of up to 15 sales executives and created sales messaging and scripting

• Director of New Business Development and Co-Founder

  Silver Shock

  (Internet industry)

  1997 — 1998 (1 year )

  - Managed the interactive and web development new business sales and account management for this start up company
  - Developed new business relationships and launched new content development and management services
  - Developed strategic alliances with technology providers to complement core business services

• Marketing Manager

  Eli Lilly & Co

  (Public Company; LLY; Pharmaceuticals industry)

  1993 — 1997 (4 years )

  - Promoted products through the use of sales aids and presentations, samples, and special projects
  - Achieved monthly growth of market share faster than competitors
  - Targeted customers efficiently by focusing on the top 20% of physician base while using proper message and effective frequency

• President, Co-Founder

  Marble Columns Management

  (Online Media industry)

  1992 — 1996 (4 years )

  - Managed all aspects of music management company including concert advertising, band promotion, finances and operations
  - Created, developed, promoted, and managed New York City’s only 24-hour music information hotline and website, 928-LIVE

Paul Kontonis’s Education

• New York University

  BA , Economics, Psychology , 1989 — 1993

  Activities and Societies:

  NYU College of Arts and Science Student Council President, Resident Assistant, Public Relations Student Society of America, Dean's Leadership Circle Scholar

• Stuyvesant High School

  HS , 1986 — 1989

• PS 107

  1977 — 1983

Additional Information

Paul Kontonis’s Websites:

• My Company

Paul Kontonis’s Interests:

marketing, positioning, branding, advertising, interactive marketing, digital media, podcasting, online video, tennis, music

Paul Kontonis’s Honors:

2009 - 2007 Presenter at Digital Hollywood, Online Marketing and Media Association (OMMA), Streaming Media East and West, New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), Ultra Light Startups, Mediabistro, Producer’s Guild of America, InternetWeek, OnFronts, InternetWeek, Tilzy WebTV, Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Video 2.0, New York Television Festival (NYTVF), New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), New York University, The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, PodCamp, nextNY, nextMadisonAve
2007 - 1996 Presenter at Industrial Technology Assistance Corp (ITAC), Baruch College, New York Software Industry Association (NYSIA), New York Software Summit, Newmedia.com Invision Awards, EU-Lex Conference, NYS Governor’s Conference on Arts & Technology, CanApple/Go-Digital Summit on E-Commerce, College Music Journal, Independent Music Festival, Nashville Extravaganza Music Conference
1999 - 2001 Screen Actors Guild, Member

Paul Kontonis’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch