Justin Beckett

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Justin Beckett
Born (1963-04-05)April 5, 1963
Boston, MA
Nationality American
Education BA
Alma mater Duke University
Occupation Chief Executive Officer
Employer Founder & CEO, Engage Play Technologies
Website
www.engageplay.com

Justin Beckett is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist and author. He is founder and chief executive officer of Engage Play Technologies.

Career

Investment Management

After graduating from college in 1985, Justin Beckett joined the Pension Consulting division of investment banking firm E.F. Hutton. In 1986, Justin Beckett became the first employee at Sloan Financial Group, a diversified asset management firm, where he was a principal executive at subsidiaries, NCM Capital Management[1][2][3] and New Africa Advisers.[4][5]

Music Gaming, Inc.

After leaving the investment management industry in 2000, Beckett founded and was CEO of Music Gaming, Inc. Music Gaming was an Internet based music related gaming destination that built the Internet's largest annotated music trivia database. Funding for the venture was provided by VIZX Corporation and in 2001, Music Gaming, Inc. was sold to Intermix Media/MySpace.

SkillJam Technologies

In 2002, while a member of the Intermix Media/MySpace executive team, Beckett re-purposed the Music Gaming, Inc software platform and co-founded SkillJam Technologies. SkillJam Technologies received approximately $2 million in growth capital from Intermix Media/MySpace and became the leading skill based gaming website destination.[6][7] SkillJam developed partnerships with a broad network of popular entertainment brands including AOL, MSN, MySpace, PopCap Games and Disney.

In 2004, Intermix Media/MySpace sold SkillJam Technologies to FUN Technologies, a diversified online gaming and entertainment company which in turn became a subsidiary of Liberty Media in 2006.

Fluid Music

In 2004, Beckett founded Fluid Music,[8][9] (since renamed Mood Media) one of the worlds largest distributors and aggregators of independent music.

On behalf of Fluid, Beckett facilitated a partnership with FremantleMedia, whereby the company acquired an exclusive license for the American Idol[10] brand and launched the online music discovery website, American Idol Underground.[11][12][13] Beckett was also responsible for Fluid Music's acquisitions of Audio Lunchbox, the world's first DRM free online MP3 store and Trusonic,[14] one of the largest providers of in-store background music.

During his first five years with Fluid Music, Beckett served as the company's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and COO. Under Beckett's management, the company raised over $40 million in equity capital including a June 2008 IPO [15] on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Engage Play Technologies

In 2008, Beckett founded Engage Play Technologies (formerly AffinityTV247, Inc.) with friend and business partner, Cecil Cox and currently serves as the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Engage Play Technologies is a digital media company that is focused on the creation of branded interactive entertainment solutions. The company was created in response to the increasing popularity of online entertainment and the associated growth in revenue for the sector.

Engage Play Technologies has three operating divisions: Affinity TV 247,[16] [17] My Local Buzz TV[18] and Loyalty Play Holdings.

Board Memberships

Beckett currently serves as a board member for the following corporations:

Philanthropy

Beckett is Chairman of the Tighe Scholarship Fund and Generosity Water,[22] Vice Chairman of the Imani Baraka Foundation and is a board member of Oasis Christian Center. He has also been a member of several African mission teams.

Author

Beckett is the co-author of Investing In Africa: An Insiders Guide to the Ultimate Emerging Market, which includes a foreword by recognized emerging market investment expert Mark Mobius and was published by Wiley Publishing.

In 1996, under the pseudonym Herbert Francis (the first and middle names of his late father), Beckett wrote and produced the Telly Award winning television documentary Africa: An Emerging Market which featured Iman, Nigel Hawthorne, Danny Glover and Academy Award Winner Louis Gossett, Jr.[23][24]

Athletic Career/Interests

Beckett attended Duke University on an athletic scholarship, where he was a member of the Duke Blue Devils football team. He was a 3 year starter, a 4 year varsity letter winner and earned academic All Atlantic Coast Conference honors.[25]

In 1986, he was a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys football team and played in the inaugural American Bowl (against the World Champion Chicago Bears) in the National Football League's first game played outside of the United States.

In recent years, Beckett's athletic interests have been focused on youth activities; during which time he has coached several youth football and basketball teams.

References

  1. ↑ "Edgar Online". June 9, 1994. Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  2. ↑ Frank McCoy (May 1, 1995). "The Nonstop from Durham" (Magazine Article). Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  3. ↑ "Securities and Exchange Commission". May 5, 1999. Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  4. ↑ Business, Bloomberg (May 16, 1995). "Calvert Group Launches Africa Mutual Fund - Investment: Money manager is seeking to attract much-needed capital to the continent and produce top returns in the process." (Newspaper Article). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  5. ↑ "Fortune/CNN Money". February 19, 1996. Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  6. ↑ Game Zone Staff (August 14, 2003). "Game Universe To Offer Online Gaming To Web Sites Worldwide" (press release). Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  7. ↑ Air Media (October 14, 2004). "SkillJam Technologies and AIR Media partner to extend the SkillJam Tournament Gaming Network to Mobile Gamers Worldwide" (press release). Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  8. ↑ Music Industry News Network (June 8, 2005). "Technology Veterans Join Forces To Launch Fluid Audio Networks". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  9. ↑ Anthony Bruno, BillboardBiz (June 17, 2005). "'American Idol' Goes Online". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  10. ↑ Paul R. La Monica, CNNMoney.com senior writer (May 24, 2006). "No false 'Idol' for Fox". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  11. ↑ Sivaraman, Aarthi, Los Angeles Business Journal (September 19, 2005). "American Idol Underground". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  12. ↑ McCrea, Bridget, Black Enterprise (November 1, 2005). "Listen and judge: Fluid Audio Networks brings American Idol to Internet.". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  13. ↑ PR Web (January 16, 2006). "Jewish Performer Sweeps American Idol Underground Faith-Based Competition". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  14. ↑ Mark Hefflinger, Digital Media Wire (November 1, 2007). "Fluid Media Networks Acquires In-Store Music Provider Trusonic". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  15. ↑ Barry Critchley, Financial Post (June 19, 2008). "New IPO goes for a song". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  16. ↑ "AffinityTV247 is the leading developer of online video based affinity networks." (Website Review). January 29, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-18. 
  17. ↑ "Cynopsis: Digital - Website of the Day" (Digital Newsletter). February 4, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  18. ↑ My Local Buzz TV (October 7, 2011). "My Local Buzz TV Launches Daily Show Focused on West Los Angeles". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  19. ↑ CNW Group (June 27, 2008). "Aptilon Announces Election of Two New Directors". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  20. ↑ Business Week (October 15, 2009). "Midas Medici Group Holdings, Inc.". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  21. ↑ Barry Critchley, Financial Post (June 19, 2008). "New IPO goes for a song". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  22. ↑ Alexa Garcia-Ditta, Need Magazine (August 8, 2009). "Health Through Water". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  23. ↑ "Telly Awards Official Site". Retrieved 2009-12-04. 
  24. ↑ "Renee E. Warren Bio". Retrieved 2009-12-04. 
  25. ↑ Duke University Media Guide. "Duke Tradition". Retrieved 2009-10-15. 

External links

See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/fOikaS

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