EXECUTIVE TEAM
John Ballantine
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
John Ballantine has more than 22 years of management experience in the Internet and computer sector as an industry expert renowned in eCommerce, software, and online direct marketing. He co-founded Online Interactive, Inc. (OLI) and served as its Executive Vice President, later serving as President and Chief Executive Officer. John served 9 years as founder and in executive management of Aptimus (formerly FreeShop.com), a direct online marketing company, leading Aptimus to a successful IPO. He has experience with non-profit organizations having served on the board of Working Wonder’s Childrens Museum assisting with strategic vision and fundraising programs.
Brian Grossman
Executive Vice President & Founder
Brian has over 18 years of professional experience working in start-up, early stage, and advanced company businesses with innovative technologies. He served as Director and General Counsel at ACT/Phoenix Materials, Inc. providing strategic guidance, establishing overseas operations, and managing investor relations. Brian served as Director Corporate Development at CDC Corporation (a Hong Kong-based NASDAQ-listed company) identifying and negotiating Asia Pacific distribution partnerships, and the acquisition of enterprise software companies. As a Co-Founder and Director of Platinum China Software, he was responsible for building the sales and marketing organization, legal matters, and Greater China expansion strategy. Brian has a Juris Doctorate from Willamette University College of Law, is a member of the Oregon State Bar Association, and is a speaker of Mandarin Chinese.
Mark Noblitt
Chief Technology Officer & Founder
Mark has a proven track record with over 17 years of technology senior management and design experience in the Internet and mobile computer industries. As an industry expert in building high volume and highly distributed mobile, direct marketing, and ecommerce systems, Mark served as CTO for Trusted Mobile Solutions where he was responsible for designing and building Mobile applications for Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices for secure messaging, video data collection and playback, GPS based tracking and targeting and GIS systems integrated with web based portals and SharePoint. As Director of Web Development for Celebrate Express (NASDAQ:BDAY) an $87MM per year party supply manufacturer, costume business, cataloger and ecommerce company, he was responsible for designing and building the ecommerce web platforms for four integrated web sites and email properties targeting Parents and Kids. Mark served as VP Technology of Aptimus where he designed and built a custom Microsoft based ecommerce system handling over 400,000 orders per day (behind only Amazon and eBay).
Byron JensOn
Director, Inspireum Awards
Byron has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching sports at the high school and college levels. For seven years, Byron was an Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at two different Division I insitututions -- Eastern Washington University and Loyola Marymount University . After leaving coaching in 2005, he developed his management skills in the San Francisco Bay area while leading a team of recruiters as an Account Manager at Aerotek, a professional recruitment firm, where he was in charge of the Professional Services Division. Byron is highly skilled at building relationships with parents, coaches and executives. Byron graduated form Pepperdine University in 1993 with a degree in Public Relations where he was also a full scholarship student-athlete on the men’s basketball team competing in both the NCAA (1991, 1992) and NIT (1993) tournaments. Byron currently serves as the Director of Inspirational Awards managing the entire awards platform. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Byron and his family moved to Bend in May 2009.
sandy henderson
Executive Producer
Prior to launching Inspireum, Henderson was a
20-year showbiz veteran and the Executive Director of the BendFilm
Festival, where she created what was described as ‘the most critically
acclaimed lineup in the Festival’s history’. She was solely responsible
for 100% of the non-profit’s fundraising and worked closely with
independent filmmakers, top level sponsors and donors, other non-profit
entities and key Hollywood studio personnel. She founded ‘Indie Reels’
an independent film series aimed at heightening awareness of such topics
as the environment, breast cancer, the arts and at risk youth through
documentary film. Prior to joining BendFilm, Henderson had returned to
her native Australia where she founded Code Red Films, a bi-continental
film consulting company that placed the spotlight on Australian talent
in the U.S., and resulted in film sales at the American Film Market.
She has worked at such studios as New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures and
Summit Entertainment for whom she attended the Cannes Film Festival,
assisting the team that handled international film sales on MEMENTO,
AMERICAN PIE, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, NURSE BETTY AND INSOMNIA.
Steve Sampson
Chairman, Inspireum Soccer Awards
Steve is the former head coach of the United States men's national team and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. From 1995-1998, Steve served as the USA National Team Coach & Technical Director, qualifying his team for the 1998 World Cup and winning the Gold Cup Silver medal in the same year. In 2003 Steve became the first American born to coach a foreign national team, Costa Rica. He successfully assisted Costa Rica to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. From 2004-2006 he was the Head Coach of the LA Galaxy where he led the team to the MLS and US Open Cup Championships in 2005. Steve began his head-coaching career in 1986 when he took over the Santa Clara men’s program and led them to the national championship in 1989. He is currently the President of Global Sports Institute, LLC that focuses on the development of elite soccer players in the United States. Steve also serves as Executive Director of the Eagles Soccer Club in southern California and is the Commissioner of Soccer for People to People, Inc. Soccer Hall of Fame.
Drew Bledsoe
Chairman, High School Football Rudy Awards
Drew, a four time pro bowl selection, had a 14-year career as a quarterback in the National Football League, and is best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. He also played for the Buffalo Bills from 2002-2004, and spent the final two years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2005 and 2006. Drew, an All-American for the Washington State Cougars and former #1 overall draft pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, retired in 2007 fifth in NFL history in pass attempts (6,717) and completions (3,839), 7th in passing yards (44,611), and 13th in touchdown passes (251). In May 2011, he became the first player inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Since his retirement in 2007, Drew founded Doubleback Wines located in and around Walla Walla, Washington.