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Horizon Media Appoints Industry's First-Ever Chief Invention Officer and Team of Inventioneers
[September 12, 2014]

Horizon Media Appoints Industry's First-Ever Chief Invention Officer and Team of Inventioneers


(Marketwire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/12/14 -- Horizon Media, the largest and fastest growing privately-held media services agency in the world, today announced that it has created a new Chief Invention Officer position to further enhance, institutionalize and place invention at the heart of the agency. The agency has elevated Taylor Valentine, a highly successful eight year veteran of Horizon Media's digital leadership team, to Chief Invention Officer. The position will report to Vinnie O'Toole, Chief Financial Officer at Horizon Media.



"We are operating in a world where we have a white canvas and anything is possible," said Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder of Horizon Media. "Today's landscape has provided more opportunity to invent than ever before. Invention needs to live in every corner of Horizon and become a way of life and a culture driver for all those working here." In his new role, Valentine will work across the agency to identify and lead all invention strategies, acting as a lightning rod to promote invention across all facets of the agency and increase agency value. The Chief Invention Officer will pioneer product development and new forms of media, formulate better ways to solve client problems, and seek new ways to recruit and motivate employees, among other activities.  Valentine is additionally charged with leading invention in owning intellectual property; scouring the marketplace for new emerging activation technologies which will be fuelled by Horizon's investment vehicles; and creating partnerships that help the agency invent effectively. Valentine will be initially supported by a team of four inventioneers.

"So many good, well intentioned plans fail in the operationalization stage. I want to see them succeed," said Taylor Valentine, Chief Invention Officer at Horizon Media. "This new position maximizes our 'white canvas' opportunity and truly allows us to promote new ways of thinking in order to realize invention. By fostering an inventive mindset at Horizon, we can create new products that build value in the form of revenue, efficiency, and differentiation -- all of which is very exciting for me." Valentine has demonstrated leadership in facilitating invention from concept to execution and harnessing the agency's resources to create new value propositions. He joins the c-suite from Horizon Media's digital practice where he was SVP, Social Media Strategy, responsible for expanding the agency's social capabilities and implementing new social programs. Valentine created the agency's social practice, which today boasts a team of 35 social media experts.


Before his time with Horizon, Valentine worked in the ecommerce and management consulting industries at companies including Drop-Off Ventures from 2005-2006, J.W. Webb from 2003-2005, and Celerant Consulting from 2000-2002. He graduated from Bentley University in 2000.  About Horizon Media Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest and fastest growing privately held media services agency in the world. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York and has offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Chicago. Horizon Media was chosen as 2011 Independent Media Agency of the Year by Mediapost, 2010 U.S. Media Agency of the Yearby Adweek, Brandweek, and Mediaweek as well as by Ad Age and as one of the world's ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company in 2011. In 2012, Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder, was honored by Advertising Age as Industry Executive of the Year. Most recently, in 2014, Bill Koenigsberg was named 4As Chair of the Board and is the first person from a media agency to hold this prestigious position in the 100 year history of the 4As, the marketing industry's leading trade association.

The company's mission is "To create the most meaningful brand connections within the lives of people everywhere." By delivering on this mission through a holistic approach to brand marketing, Horizon Media has become one of the largest and fastest-growing media agencies in the industry, with estimated billings of over $4.3 billion and 950 employees.

The company is also a founding member of Columbus Media International, a multi-national partnership of independent media agencies. For more information, please visit www.horizonmedia.com.

Kaya Lobaczewski(212) [email protected] Source: Horizon Media

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