Splash Media

Why Splash Media and WebDex Media Joined Forces

pslack — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:16:34 +0000

When I was just out of high school, I saw the movie Nothing in Common with Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason where Hanks plays an advertising executive. I remember thinking then how cool it would be to be in advertising. In 2000, after more than 14 years in marketing and sales, I got my wish and started WebDex Media Group.

On July 1st, WebDex Media Group merged with Splash Media.

However, the world had changed a lot since that 1986 film release and if I was going to help companies promote their businesses it would be in the online world. My passion in 2000 and today is to help businesses leverage a new media that is continually evolving and tap in to near endless amounts of opportunity. When WebDex opened its doors, Facebook, YouTube, even pay per click didn’t exist. In some ways it was much harder back then to extract value from the Web because there were fewer people and fewer opportunities. Today, it’s more about noise reduction and focusing on those areas that drive value as efficiently as possible.

In the past two years I have seen more change in online marketing than in the previous ten. Social media is on fire, people are watching the Internet (like television) just as much as they are reading it. Because of this significant change in the landscape, I knew that WebDex would have to partner with some really solid companies if we were going to continue to move the needle for our clients. Splash Media is by far the most impressive video production company around, with several Emmys and hundreds of Tellys under their belt, a $5.5M state-of-the-art studio, and a production team that is first rate. Chris Kraft, the original founder of Splash, and I started talking two years ago about partnering. During our talks we discovered that we were kindred spirits in our desire to help companies grow, our work ethic, and our faith.

Back in late May, Chris and I realized that by combining the Internet marketing and social media skills WebDex has with the online video production skills of Splash, we could create an organization that would be something special. We could really help companies transition from old school traditional advertising to online marketing by providing social media, online video production & distribution, and search engine marketing services, and wrap it all around a strategy that generate huge value for our customers. In fact we decided to keep WebDex’ original mission statement because it is still true with the new organization: “Connecting Customers to Our Clients.”

I can honestly say that the combined company is in a better position to help other organizations in the new world than just about any other agency out there. That’s exciting! To kick off the merger, which occurred back on July 1st, we put together a new seminar series called Social Media Boot Camp for CEO’s and launched a new product called BAM! Turnkey Social Media Marketing. The seminar series was a great success with over 160 people registered. We have been humbled by the amount of positive feedback we have received from our first 4 seminar events.

We have also started a new group in Linkedin called Social Media Bootcamp for CEO’s. This is a place where you can stay up-to-date on all the interesting things going on in social media, especially the things that can move the needle for your business.

If you are in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, I encourage you to come by our facilities in Addison. We would love to give you a tour and share our vision on how new media can take your business to the next level.

A New Kind of Survival Guide

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:04:57 +0000

“As you read this, there are:

1.6 million people checking Facebook
32,000 people watching a You Tube video
and 10,400 Tweets just went out…”

I just received a copy of our new CEO Social Media Field Guide. I have to say that this thing looks very good.

The guide is social media primer for business leaders. Everyone who attends a social media seminar with Splash Media will receive one of these. It answers the questions, what is social media? What are the top sites? It also defines common and sometimes confusing social media terminology.

Make sure to attend one of our Social Media seminars to receive one of these things!

Splash Media Adds David Henry from CBS Radio to Team

Pete Kraft — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:54:36 +0000

David G. Henry has joined Splash Media L.P., as a Partner and President. He will be directly responsible for implementing a strategic plan focused on new market penetration, new product and service offerings, enhancing the current business development processes, and providing direct overall leadership with respect to company growth initiatives.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) July 20, 2010 – Effective July 1st, 2010, David G. Henry has joined Splash Media L.P., as a Partner and President. He will be directly responsible for implementing a strategic plan focused on new market penetration, new product and service offerings, enhancing the current business development processes, and providing direct overall leadership with respect to company growth initiatives.

Co-Founder and Principal Chris Kraft states, “We are extremely excited and optimistic about David joining the Splash Media family as our new President dedicated to the vision of becoming the preeminent full service social media and internet marketing firm in the United States. David’s hiring will certainly expedite our progress toward this goal. His experience at CBS Radio properties, specifically over the past five years to Internet Radio and related digital asset management, is very valuable. We also look forward to extending and expanding our direct relationship with CBS Radio through David and his network of highly talented CBS staff and former colleagues.”

David has been in the media industry for twenty-three years. He spent the past 18 years with CBS Radio in Dallas. David has held the positions of Senior Vice President, General Manager of KVIL FM, KLUV FM, KJKK FM, KOAI FM and KRLD FM, and Director of Sales. David was responsible for negotiating the longest Radio rights deal in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He hired the top rated morning show at KVIL, Gene and Julie, as well as the top rated morning show at KLUV, Jody Dean and the morning team. David has also taught at Southern Methodist University as an Adjunct Professor of Marketing.

“I am very grateful for my 18 years with CBS Radio in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex”, said David Henry. “It is been a challenging and highly rewarding experience and one that I will certainly cherish. Splash Media L.P. presents such a unique opportunity to participate in and provide direct leadership to a company that is extremely prepared and well positioned to provide technology solutions and related services to the world of Internet Sales and Marketing.”

About Splash Media Splash Media L.P., http://www.splashmedia.com based in Dallas, Texas, is a full service social media marketing, Internet marketing and strategic video solutions company. Splash offers a unique mix of services that include blending interactive digital marketing with Emmy Award winning video production. We believe that media is changing mediums and that the Internet marks a fundamental shift in the way we communicate with brands and each other.

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

LAYING A FOUNDATION FOR REDUCING HOME INSURANCE CLAIMS HANDLING COSTS

ckraft — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 07:00:46 +0000

Latest spark360 Edition Profiles Service247, an Efficient Provider Network for Homeowners, Insurance Carriers

DALLAS, July 13 – When your health needs attention, you usually phone a doctor who’s part of your insurance carrier’s preferred provider network. But when your home needs emergency treatment for a flooded basement or hail damage, why can’t you rely on a similar service network for insurance claims?

That’s the question Guy Hoffman, founder and CEO of Service247, is asking the U.S. insurance industry. His concierge service company promises to put all interested parties in home repair claims – insurance companies, contractors and homeowners – on the same page while reducing overall costs. Hoffman hammers out his case for carriers to consider the Service247 claims handling option in the latest profile of spark360′s “Social Business Television,” now available for viewing at www.spark360.tv.

“We found a way that we can actually enhance the speed, the service and the savings that a policy holder realizes in the event of a loss,” Hoffman tells spark360 host/managing editor Renay San Miguel. “We’ve aligned the process, but it all begins with the initial response. We guarantee that we will either provide immediate access or get back to that policy holder within 15 minutes, 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and we’ll have somebody on site within four hours of that initial phone call.”

That kind of speedy service and policyholder satisfaction is a sharp contrast to some homeowner horror stories regarding 24-48 hour waits for insurance claims adjusters to arrive at the scene of water/fire damage or vandalism. Since he launched Service247 in March 2008, Hoffman says there have been more than 1500 successful claims filed regarding homeowner losses, and not one instance of a customer service complaint.

“It’s initially about responsiveness, and then ultimately it’s about more accurately settling the claim,” Hoffman said. “While the insurance carrier retains 100 percent authority over the settlement, by aligning the work flow and aligning the interests of all the stakeholders in the claims process, we’ve been able to demonstrate that we can reduce loss adjusting expenses as much as 40 percent, and we actually guarantee a 10-15 percent reduction in claims costs.”

In a departure from the usual spark360 storytelling concept, San Miguel and Hoffman engage in a simple yet direct conversation regarding the benefits of the Service247 model:

* The home repair service providers in Hoffman’s contractor network can be the same ones used by insurance companies, but they charge Hoffman’s company less because they are guaranteed a higher volume of work and are paid quickly;

* Service247 actively monitors repairs on a daily basis to ensure an efficient, cost-effective job;

* Hoffman’s company discounts deductibles by 20 percent as an incentive to use the network.

Because the U.S. insurance industry is one of the most highly regulated business segments in the world, carriers must seek approval from state officials to offer the Service247 option in their policies. Hoffman hopes that this will happen once the companies are made aware of the benefits in speed, costs and efficiencies in what has typically been a nerve-wracking experience for home owners.

“At the end of the day, those regulatory authorities are most interested in protecting the consumer, and as long as we provide superior service and the consumer always retains the right to choose, the regulatory authorities are always going to be pleased with what we do,” Hoffman said.

Senior Producer Steven Swaim added, “It was not only a pleasure working with Guy Hoffman during the filming of this spark360 segment, it was also enlightening to learn the benefits of working with Service247.”

“Guy Hoffman is taking a page right out of the American entrepreneurial playbook,” says San Miguel. “He’s found opportunities for improvements in an existing industry – home insurance claims handling and repairs – and he’s offering it up as a way to give something back to the U.S. economy. Homeowners, contractors and insurance carriers should definitely pay attention to what he has to say.”

About spark360
spark360 is a Web-based business television program that celebrates the spark of entrepreneurship in America by featuring the unique stories of small and middle-market businesses.

spark360 also provides a credible and relevant outlet to get your story to a global marketplace through our exclusive 360 Distribution social media platform. spark360 delivers broadcast-quality, network news-style programs via a comprehensive SEO-optimized “full circle” distribution strategy that reaches every corner of the Internet.spark360 is a division of Splash Media, L.P. http://www.spark360.tv <http://www.spark360.tv/>

For media inquiries for spark360, please contact: Steven Swaim sswaim(at)spark360(dot)tv

About Splash Media
Splash Media L.P., based in Addison, Texas, creates and develops custom web-based communications and training solutions that are powered by video. We specialize in developing video communications strategies and video delivery platforms that drive our customer’s bottom line. Splash Media is a leader in the Enterprise Video Communications industry and has been delivering Internet enabled strategic video solutions since 2004. http://www.splashmedia.com <http://www.splashmedia.com/>

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

A/C MIST DEVICE COOLS DOWN AIR CONDITIONERS, UTILITY BILLS

ckraft — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:00:19 +0000

New spark360.tv Segment Profiles Mist Ecology’s AC Spritzer Product and its Parent Company’s Entrepreneurial Engineers

An engineer goes for a jog during a typically-brutal Texas summer and uses his water hose to cool off. Some water splashes on his home’s air conditioning unit, and an idea for a mist product that could save consumers and businesses on their A/C costs rises from the scorching heat. Thus was born Mist Ecology’s AC Spritzer, and the latest segment of spark360′s “Social Business Television” has all the cool details of how the device uses water mist to make air conditioners more efficient.

The profile, now available for viewing on www.spark360.tv, also shows how Mist Ecology and its parent company represent a new entrepreneurial business model for a talented team of engineers who can take ideas that solve everyday problems and quickly turn them into start-up companies.

“We have over 400 engineers in our company, and engineers also have good ideas,” said Roger Burns, Mist Ecology president who also serves as chief financial officer for Mist parent company Halff Associates. “We thought it was a good opportunity to take advantage of some of those ideas. Tim Jensen came up with this idea and that spurred us to create an organization, a subsidiary, Halff Research and Development, that would help incubate other good ideas.”

Jensen’s idea, sparked by his thirst after running, was to build a misting cover that would surround a home’s outdoor air conditioning unit, thereby creating a micro-climate that’s 10-15 degrees cooler. “That cooler air is going into your unit, causes your unit to be more efficient – about 20-30 percent more efficient – saving you on your electricity and supplying cooler air to your home,” said Shelley Baker, Mist Ecology corporate secretary/accounting manager. “If you have an upstairs room or a west-side room that just never stays cool, an AC Spritzer can help your unit supply cooler air to those rooms.”

Burns says the AC Spritzer has potential to help businesses with substantial air conditioning needs – restaurants, data centers, commercial office buildings – improve their cooling capacities and cut costs. “Our commercial application also solves several other problems. In restaurants you have particularly dirty and greasy environments. The grease exhaust from the grill typically flows up and straight into the coils of your commercial unit. Our filters catch that grease on the outside. They also create a chamber so that the cool air has a better effect before entering your rooftop unit, making that process more efficient.”

The Spritzer’s filter and an electronic controller also solve two of the biggest problems to date with the concept of evaporative cooling – water damage to A/C coils and making sure water bills don’t rise along with summer temperatures. Because the AC Spritzer can also help reduce carbon emissions at homes and power plants, Pacific Gas and Electric has approved the device for green technology incentives and rebates.

Baker and Burns show the spark360 cameras how the filtering system traps minerals, tree seeds and grasses, and give an in-depth look at the electronics and technology behind the AC Spritzer. Special animation also highlights how water-cooled concepts can lower the air temperature heading into an A/C unit.

Senior Producer Steven Swaim added, “The implications of a more efficient and effective air conditioning unit for homeowners and businesses alike are quite dramatic. To think that I can have a cooler house while spending less money on my energy bill is amazing.”

“As someone who grew up in West Texas with its 100-degree summer days, I’m guessing my life has been saved on many occasions by a good air conditioner,” said spark360 host/managing editor Renay San Miguel. “But Mist Ecology may have found a way to extend the life of a typical A/C unit, which has tremendous value in this particular economy. And Mist’s parent company Halff Associates is also giving engineers with cool ideas like the AC Spritzer a chance to launch small businesses from the ground up.”

About spark360
spark360 is a Web-based business television program that celebrates the spark of entrepreneurship in America by featuring the unique stories of small and middle-market businesses.

For media inquiries for spark360, please contact: Steven Swaim sswaim(at)spark360(dot)tv

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

Splash Media Acquires Internet Marketing Firm WebDex Media Group

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:30:08 +0000

Asset Purchase agreement of 10-year-old marketing firm adds suite of services and over 50 clients to strategic video pioneer’s portfolio.

(PRWEB) July 1, 2010 — Splash Media LP today announced it has acquired WebDex Media Group, a 10-year-old privately-held company based in Dallas, Texas, whose services include outsourced performance-based Internet marketing solutions to small and medium sized businesses.

Splash Media LP will quickly integrate the strategic portfolio capabilities and related assets of WebDex Media Group. This includes sales, operations, fulfillment, methods/tools, and client management practices into its Internet and social media marketing division. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

“Social media marketing is becoming a vital component to almost every small and medium sized business and a foundational element of their marketing toolkits. Our current customers have been asking for a turn-key social media and Internet marketing solution. The acquisition of WebDex Media Group allows Splash Media to provide our customers with a comprehensive end-to-end Internet marketing solution,” said Chris Kraft, Principal and Founder, Splash Media, LP. Kraft added, “Integrating WebDex solutions and methodology into our industry-leading family of digital video and online marketing products represents a best-of-class solution for our customers.”

As today’s marketing landscape becomes increasingly more complex to navigate and difficult to stay on top of current trends, it is also becoming more and more labor intensive, forcing organizations to seek trusted resources to provide expertise to fill enormous gaps that exist in a company’s marketing programs. The industry-leading WebDex solutions use proprietary processes and techniques to effectively manage its clients inbound marketing on the web among other services. WebDex Media Group helps organizations assess their page rank across various search engines and provides strategy and managed solutions to substantially and effectively increase their organic and paid search rankings.

WebDex Media Group’s services are offered as part of Splash Media’s core suite of Internet marketing solutions and products. The combined offering provides an end-to-end outsourced Internet marketing solution for organizations concerned about effectively promoting themselves on the Web and via social media platforms. The WebDex offerings also allow Splash Media to provide state-of-the-art capabilities across the entire Internet marketing ecosystem.

Paul Slack, CEO, WebDex Media Group said, “By combining our market tested and proven Internet marketing processes and systems with Splash Media’s award winning strategic video, social video and Internet video marketing solutions, we are able to offer customers one of the most robust turn-key Internet and social media marketing solutions in the entire industry. From the beginning of our discussions, I felt like a marriage between the two company’s offerings was greater than the collective sum of the parts. I believe this merger really is one of the situations where one plus one equals a thousand.”

This acquisition reinforces Splash Media’s financial and organizational commitment to deliver the social media marketing and Internet marketing offerings its customers have been asking for.

Splash Media will now provide its customers with end-to-end and fully managed marketing solutions that span multiple disciplines including social media marketing (SMM), social media optimization (SMO), search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), strategic video, and website architecture optimization services.

About WebDex Media Group:

WebDex, http://www.webdexmedia.com based in Dallas, TX, was founded in 2000 and is a leading provider of Internet marketing services including e-commerce consulting, search engine marketing, social media marketing, online lead generation, and e-mail marketing. WebDex is recognized for their online lead generation capabilities and has helped hundreds of B2B and B2C companies connect to real customers via the Internet. WebDex Media has provided results oriented marketing solutions for EDS, Microsoft, Tupperware, Zale’s, GE Medical Systems, and Isuzu Trucks, and over 200 others.

About Splash Media

Splash Media L.P., http://www.splashmedia.com based in Dallas, Texas, is a full service social media marketing, Internet marketing and strategic video solutions company. Splash offers a unique mix of services that include blending interactive digital marketing with Emmy Award winning video production. We believe that media is changing mediums and that the Internet marks a fundamental shift in the way we communicate with brands and each other.

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

PAINT SUPPLIER FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES GETS COLORFUL SPARK360 PORTRAIT

ckraft — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:00:04 +0000

Alliance Color Supply Shows “Social Business Television” Its Successful Mix of DuPont Performance Coatings for Jets, Trucks and Boats

Don’t paint Alliance Color Supply with a broad brush just because it sells durable coatings for commercial vehicles that take a daily pounding from environmental stresses. Other companies do that too, but Alliance president/owner Mike Pfarrer believes his company’s mix of experienced technicians and his status as an exclusive DuPont distributor help give his slice of the commercial paint rainbow a bit of an edge. That business model is illuminated in the latest edition of spark360, now available for viewing at www.spark360.tv.

Those corporate jets you see racing across the sky and the fleets of freight trucks passing you on a highway have something else in common besides speed and purpose. Many of them wear DuPont Performance Coating, a special kind of durable paint designed for commercial aviation, automotive and marine vehicles specifically to withstand wind and weather extremes. The DuPont coating is so valuable that only a few suppliers in the United States are authorized to sell it. Alliance has been one of those suppliers since 2004.

“If it moves, we paint it,” says Alliance Color Supply new sales manager Rick Cadena, one of several employees that company president and owner Mike Pfarrer has hired for their previous experience in the commercial paint business.

“We try to think outside the box,” Pfarrer said. “It’s all about the service and the technicians available on call 24 hours a day. We’re always there if there’s a problem. We’re there to fix it. We’re looking for long-term relationships, even among the key employees I have.”

The spark360 cameras introduce you to some of those employees – and the paint industry segment known as performance coatings – as they take you behind the scenes at Alliance’s Arlington, Texas facility, where color mix orders are taken and processed. In addition to Pfarrer and Cadena, other interviews include Juan Calderon, who heads up Alliance’s aviation paint division with nearly 20 years of experience with corporate jets, and satisfied customers like George Horner, owner of Wing Tech.

“When I had issues with another supplier, Mike was calling on me not only to solicit business, but he was helping and I wasn’t even buying from him at the time,” Horner said. “My current supplier was little to no help, whereas Mike came in and solved my problem and saved me a lot of money. I mean, you can’t ask for anything more.”

Senior Producer Steven Swaim added, “When I first interviewed Mike about Alliance Color Supply, I only thought about the quality of paint they offer. It didn’t take long to see that he has built a company that is just as concerned about offering first class customer service, as well.”

“It’s not just about paint that makes a jet, an 18-wheeler or a boat look good,” said spark360 host/managing editor Renay San Miguel. “When you figure in insurance considerations and potential downtime when a vehicle needs to be refinished, you can be talking about tens of thousands of dollars for just one paint job. Supplying durable coatings is a high-stakes industry that rewards hard work and entrepreneurship, and that’s why spark360 is proud to share Alliance Color Supply’s story.”

About spark360
spark360 is a Web-based business television program that celebrates the spark of entrepreneurship in America by featuring the unique stories of small and middle-market businesses.

For media inquiries for spark360, please contact: Steven Swaim sswaim(at)spark360(dot)tv

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

COMPUTER EXEC-TURNED-LAWN CARE EXPERT STILL ON THE CUTTING EDGE

ckraft — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:00:51 +0000

JBa Land Management Founder Shares His Company’s Goals and Hopes for African-American Entrepreneurs with spark360.tv

It was a cushy job at the company formerly known as Electronic Data Systems, but John Battle wanted to put down roots in a new career. So he traded the care and feeding of computer networks for that of large lawns and commercial/government greenspaces, and spark360.tv takes you on his journey from a one-man mowing operation to a thriving small business with eyes on a bigger share of the prize in the latest edition of “Social Business Television.”

Battle started his company, JBa Land Management, in 1992 by bidding on one lawn care job at the urging of an uncle who was also in the landscaping business. “I told him, ‘I don’t even own a lawnmower!,’” Battle said. “So it’s kind of interesting, I went ahead and bid on the job and didn’t think the company would call me, and they actually called me and said ‘you’re our new contractor.’”

From that first job, Battle was able to grow a thriving lawn care company that now has 46 employees, a fleet of 10 trucks and contracts with the cities of Dallas, Allen and Carrollton, Texas, in addition to work for private contractors that involves grounds maintenance for stretches of major highway expansion in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. But it’s been hard work, and all entrepreneurs will sympathize with Battle as he recounts struggles to find capital and trusted vendors.

“Any business that you start initially is difficult, especially when it comes to money – even though this was a low threshold as far as getting into the business,” Battle said. “Still, you need some good equipment and that costs dollars, and finding a vendor who really believes in you, to give you that shot – that’s one of the most difficult things to do. So we found a vendor who has believed in us, and it’s been a great relationship.”

The spark360 cameras follow Battle as he and his crew works on a municipal job in Dallas. Although JBa Land Management doesn’t strictly compete against mom-and-pop landscapers looking for residential jobs, the market is still extremely competitive for bidding on government and commercial contracts. Yet Battle’s determination has won him a Small Business Administration “Growth and Expansion” Award, and he takes pride in being a pioneer of sorts for the African-American business community.

“There’s not a lot of African-American-led companies in this particular industry. We’re one of the few companies in our size doing over a million dollars worth of business,” he said. “Very few companies are at that level and we’re looking to get bigger and compete. We see ourselves in five years to be a $5-to-10 million dollar company.”

Senior Producer Steven Swaim added, “I found John to be very inspiring to work with. His story of leaving the security of his corporate job to follow his long held desire of owning his own business, was invigorating. I have tremendous respect for him and his accomplishments.”

“John Battle knows he’s seen as a role model for other African-American entrepreneurs, but he really sees himself as an example for all small business owners,” said spark360 host/managing editor Renay San Miguel. “He’s been dreaming big since 1992 and he’s not about to stop now. That’s exactly the kind of entrepreneurial spirit we love to highlight here on spark360.”

About spark360
spark360 is a Web-based business television program that celebrates the spark of entrepreneurship in America by featuring the unique stories of small and middle-market businesses.

For media inquiries for spark360, please contact: Steven Swaim sswaim(at)spark360(dot)tv

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

LOGISTICS COMPANY DELIVERS GOODS – AND VALUE – FOR CUSTOMERS

ckraft — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:00:13 +0000

spark360 Focuses on High Definition Logistics’ Transportation Model: Efficiency, Technology, Knowledge of Economic Factors

DALLAS, June 15 – Transporting products across an entire continent in one or two days isn’t as simple as loading up freight on trucks and planes. A lot of data also makes the journey, and High Definition Logistics shows how its innovative blend of old-fashioned muscle and next-generation technology makes sure it all gets to where it’s going in the latest edition of spark360′s “Social Business Television” program, now available for viewing on www.spark360.tv.

The spark360 profile shows how HDL, based in Grapevine, Texas, uses the latest software applications for communicating with its network of carrier and agent partners, real-time tracking of customer products and online booking/reporting. That’s in addition to physically moving large products like network gear, medical equipment, bakery ingredients and trade show goods – all part of what HDL’s customers in a wide range of industry segments need shipped across North America in a hurry.

HDL president and founder Don Norwood says his company chooses to focus on shipping across the U.S., Canada and Mexico for its clients, such as those dealing with health care logistics. “All of the major competitors have been focused on getting larger and going more global, and we think that it’s left behind a number of niches that really need a premium North American expedite and time-definite provider,” Norwood said.

In an interview with host Renay San Miguel conducted on the spark360 virtual set, Norwood explains how his company remains nimble and efficient by focusing on what it calls “The Dream 100.” “Envision one hundred of the most desirable clients in a set number of industries,” Norwood said. “We plan to target those and really manage our growth, and what we’re really focused on is getting to the optimal size as opposed to the largest size.”

Norwood, who has a degree in economics from the University of North Texas, applies that background in coming up with strategies for helping companies navigate the volatility of oil prices and trends in government regulation. Both of those factors are “going to enforce new efficiencies on our industry going forward and it’s definitely something that we have to look out for. We’ve come up with some creative fuel surcharge hedging strategies for some larger customers, which allow them to gain some stability and some control.”

Senior Producer Steven Swaim added, “In today’s world with the interlinking of global economic factors, Don has positioned himself to be a relevant player in this industry with his experience in transporting products and his economic expertise. I love working with business owners like Don, helping them to get their story told.”

“One of the things I enjoy about spark360 is being able to help deconstruct and explain industries such as the freight forwarding business, and how it fits into the overall supply chain management structure,” said spark360 host/managing editor Renay San Miguel. “Millions of dollars hang in the balance when companies like High Definition Logistics are called upon to fill a trade show’s exhibit halls, or replace a key assembly line component. HDL is an unsung hero in the Texas transportation business, and it’s a pleasure to help tell their story.”

About spark360
spark360 is a Web-based business television program that celebrates the spark of entrepreneurship in America by featuring the unique stories of small and middle-market businesses.

For media inquiries for spark360, please contact: Steven Swaim sswaim(at)spark360(dot)tv

For media inquiries for Splash Media, please contact: Chris Kraft ckraft(at)splashmedia(dot)com

TPI’s Antennas Help Sports Venues Broadcast A Winning Strategy

ckraft — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:00:53 +0000

Dallas-Based Wireless Infrastructure Company Shows Off Cowboys Stadium Work In New spark360 Profile

Dallas, June 8 – The new, massive Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas rocks with the sound of 100,000-plus people celebrating a hard-fought victory. Many of those fans use their smartphones to make a phone call, send text messages, or share pics and video of the scene via social media. All that voice and data traffic soars through the air like a Tony Romo touchdown pass courtesy of Telecommunication Properties Inc.’s robust distributed antenna system (DAS) at the stadium, as highlighted in the new spark360 “Social Business Television” feature now available at spark360.tv.

When it comes to providing the wireless infrastructure for sports stadiums like the new home of the Dallas Cowboys, “it’s all about the fiber, it’s all about the WiFi, it’s all about the cellular side of the business,” TPI Chief Technology Officer Jeff Alexander tells spark360 host/managing editor Renay San Miguel. “It’s all about combining all those things into one unified communications network so they all work together to provide the staff, the people who are working there, and the fans the ultimate experience.”

TPI President Jimmy Chiles founded the company in 1985, opening his offices in the then-new Bank of America skyscraper in downtown Dallas. TPI quickly became an industry leader in providing in-building DAS services, along with work on broadcast facilities, antenna sites and other aspects of the wireless telecommunications industry. But the company also became expert in designing, installing and operating DAS for sports venues such as Cowboys Stadium and the forthcoming KFC Yum! Arena in Louisville, Kentucky.

TPI gets involved from the drawing board-stage when a new sports arena is planned, but can also help retrofit existing facilities that are undergoing either technological or architectural renovation.

“We find that sports venues are ideally the most attractive place because l don’t know of any other public place or venue where the total amount of people are in just a few acres,” Chiles told San Miguel. “Our expertise is that we know how to engineer the product but more importantly, we know how to monetize the transactions – what this transaction looks like for the venue owner as well as the carrier and what’s the fair compensation. Helping all the players in a wireless infrastructure system know how much to charge for use of their part of the transmission system is key in bringing value to the overall process,” Chiles added.

spark360′s camera take viewers inside a meeting of TPI’s management team and to the uppermost floors of the Bank of America building – Dallas’ tallest building – where the company’s offices and vital technological equipment are housed. San Miguel also gets Alexander to share some of the unique challenges in outfitting Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ new state-of-the-art facility with seamless wireless services.

“We have learned an enormous amount from that particular venue like no other,” Alexander said. “When you walk in the door and you look around, and you see the magnitude of this facility, it’s just amazing. We’re told that every event that happens out there sets a new record for the individual companies, the wireless providers, on the amount of data traffic that they carry and the amount of cell phone calls that they take during the event. And these events start not just at kickoff but they may start two or three hours before kickoff and may last two or three hours after kickoff.”

“We have become a wireless world, and TPI is one of the companies that has helped bring us to this stage of always-on connectivity – whether you’re at home or at your seat on the 50-yard-line at Cowboys Stadium,” San Miguel said. “I have a new respect for what it takes to bring together key players in the telecommunications industry together at a major sporting event, and have it all work seamlessly so that a broadcaster can talk to a producer in New York, a concession manager can communicate with his/her suppliers and a fan can post a picture from the game on Facebook.”

Senior Producer Steven Swaim added, “Something we take for granted is our ability to communicate using our wireless devices at any time and any place. Having the opportunity to work with TPI on this story gave me a new appreciation for all those that make it possible for us to communicate so effortlessly.”

More information about Telecommunication Properties Inc. is available at www.tpidas.com.

About spark360
spark360 is a Web-based business television program that celebrates the spark of entrepreneurship in America by featuring the unique stories of small and middle-market businesses.

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