Broadcast Pix has hired industry veteran Steve Ellis as its new president and CEO, succeeding Ken Swanton, who helped found the company in 2002 and will remain actively involved with the company and serve on its Board of Directors. Ellis will also join the Board to help develop future strategies for the company.
The Boston-based company recently disclosed in a regulatory filing with securities regulators that it raised $300,000 in a fundraising round that had initially sought roughly $2 million to keep the company solvent. It is not clear whether the company is continuing to look for additional funding.
According to regulatory filings, the company has raised money several times over the past few years. This includes $1.542 million in July 2012, and $1.092 million in March 2011.
The challenge for Ellis, and Broadcast Pix, is to find new areas of growth for a company that has been successful at targeting traditional live and studio production organizations in more than 110 countries (its primary success has been in North and South America) — including independent and network affiliated TV stations, live production companies, sports stadiums, and college and high school video production departments — with its fully integrated “Video Control Center” systems. The company’s Slate, Granite and Mica systems feature a video production switcher, clip server, CG, and device control software along with (patented) control panels, touch-screens and voice automation. The systems range from compact systems controlled by touch-screen or voice automation to sophisticated 2M/E control panels.
“Over the past decade, we’ve developed some great technology and built a very loyal and enthusiastic customer base,” said Swanton. “I am delighted to hand the baton to Steve, who is perfect for the next chapter of our growth. I am committed to helping him any way I can.”
Ellis brings a long and successful history working with video-centric companies. Since 2008 he has served as vice president of sales and as vice president of emerging markets at Telestream. In 1988, Ellis became vice president and general manager of Editel Boston, a graphics house for broadcast and commercial film. In 1992, he co-founded SNNY, which sold video production equipment to high-end customers in the Northeast (and was the top reseller for Pinnacle Systems at the time). In 1999, he was hired by Pinnacle as its director of sales for the Americas, and was a key member of the team that directed the company’s rapid growth and eventual acquisition by Avid. He then joined Vizrt as vice president of sales for North American operations.
