Management

Kirk Manz, Chief Executive Officer. Kirk has 20 years executive/entrepreneurial/investment banking experience. As an entrepreneur, Kirk has co-founded and served as CEO of four communications/technology companies including Igaea, an international voice over IP company, and Fifth Coast Communications, a telecom marketing firm that generated over $12 million in long distance revenues in just 18 months.  In 2002 Kirk joined the investment banking firm of Stephens, Inc. and later left to help open the Nashville office of Piper Jaffray where he was responsible for over $150 million fixed income transactions and was a noted high yield specialist in the healthcare sector. In 2006 Kirk became the managing partner of Private Capital Group, a boutique investment banking firm where he established an NASD member broker dealer. Kirk has completed over $90 million in private debt and equity transactions both as entrepreneur and as investment banker. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and holds Series 7, 63, and 24 securities licenses.

Joseph Moore, Chief Technology Officer | Creative Director. Joe has over 20 years of experience delivering creative solutions to technology challenges. Joe is the co-founder of Screentopia, which developed the core “push” technology that powers the Blast Panel network. Prior to Screentopia, Joe served as VP of Marketing and Creative Director for MercurySports, a new media publishing company where he was responsible for the conception, design and marketing of their ScreenServer Network, which powered products for 12 NFL teams, Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine and the NHL. His multiple-award winning work has benefited the top brands in the world: from technology clients such as Lucent, MCI, Microsoft and Oracle to consumer brands such as Kellogg’s, Nintendo, Sony and Tommy Hilfiger.

Ward Davis, Chief Operating Officer. Ward has 10 years experience in both media and advertising. Ward began his career in Los Angeles, where he worked in production for Pearson Television and later with ESPN (Disney/ABC). As his focus shifted to advertising and marketing, Ward joined Ogilvy & Mather’s award winning Brand Integration Group in New York City. There he collaborated on projects for Fortune 500 corporations including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Yahoo! and American Express before coming up with the original idea for Blast Panel. Ward is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.

Stephen Davis, EVP Business Development. Steve has 13 years experience in the field of advanced technology sales and marketing. Steve is a co-founder of Screentopia, which developed the core “push” technology that powers the Blast Panel network. Most recently, Steve served as Director of Sales for the new media publishing company, MercurySports. Other prior positions include: Director of New Business Development for a Cisco certified security architecture provider; Director of Channel Partnership for a Microsoft certified Application Service Provider (ASP); Director of Sales and Marketing for a remote management and data hosting facility and. Steve is an honors graduate of the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in Marketing Communications with an emphasis on Information Technology. Steve is a decorated veteran of both the full-time United States Army and National Guard.

Key Personnel

Matt Burch Lead Developer.

Katherine Terrell Art Director.

Bryan Foriest IT Specialist.

Jennifer Spriggs Editor.

Kathleen Amano Traffic Manager.