Meet Our Management Team
Local Thunder is led by media, marketing and Internet professionals. Our team of entrepreneurial leaders is the force behind our innovative, revenue-generating products and solutions. In addition, Local Thunder has appointed a Board of Advisors to assist and guide the company’s growth and penetration into new markets.
Geoff Minte, Founder / CEO
A highly successful entrepreneur for more than 25 years, Geoff brings his extensive experience in production, sales, and business development in the media industry to Local Thunder. Beginning with roots in program and commercial production (Founder: New Media Group) and cable television advertising (founder: Cable Air Space), he moved into the national and international markets as co-founder of Man in the Moon Productions. There, Geoff produced and distributed a number of vignette series including Today in Music History, which enjoyed a successful ten year run in the US and around the world. Geoff’s current endeavors include Co-Founder and Partner of Monterey Media Concepts, the largest program exchange in the US. In addition, he continues to develop dynamic, strategic niches in the media industry, including Local Thunder, which capitalizes on both universal appeal and broad geographic applications.
Jim Boutin, COO
Jim has 20 plus years of experience in software and internet senior company management, television station management, operations, and broadcast technical management. He served as Vice President of Worldwide Customer Support at Avid Technology, the worldwide leader in computer-based film and video editing with full P&L responsibility for the business unit. Prior to that, Jim was part of Avid’s senior management team that formed their broadcast division, now responsible for a significant portion of the company’s revenue. He also led the sales, engineering, and projects group that implemented the world’s first news tapeless editing and playback for clients including CNN Headline News, CNN/FN and Northwest Cable News. Before joining Avid, Jim held management and technical strategy positions at various broadcast groups, and was group director of engineering, and later, Station Manager for WCSH6 in Portland, ME. Additionally, he was a technology and business consultant for a number of internet startups including Clareon, an online business payment provider. Jim currently sets strategy and implements the business vision at Local Thunder. He received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maine at Orono.
Dave Hatch, Director of Customer Services and Program Management
Dave is a seasoned veteran of customer service. Before joining Local Thunder, Dave served as Customer Service Manager for AllVertical, a data, communications, marketing and e-commerce company. Dave reorganized and streamlined their customer support organization, while overseeing the implementation of three distribution groups and Smith & Wesson manufacturing into the AllVertical supply chain. Dave has also worked for Varian Semiconductor providing project management for installations worldwide. At Local Thunder, Dave is leading a growing staff of customer service representatives that are responsible for maintaining affiliate, consumer, and merchant customer relations at the highest professional level.
Colin Minte, Director of Product Marketing
Colin brings a variety of talents to the team, with a strong background managing the product lifecycle, including gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, definging the product vision and working closely with the software development team to deliver the best results. Prior to joining Local Thunder, Colin worked at the nationally respected and award winning, VIA Marketing Group. Local Thunder has provided Colin with a challenging environment and seen him take on increased responsibility in the critical position of Director of Product Marketing.
Alan Buckman, VP of Sales
Alan has more than 25 years in broadcasting sales, sales management, station management and new media experience. Alan held sales and executive positions at Group W/CBS for more than 25 years where he served as Sales Manager at WJZ-TV, Baltimore and WBZ-TV, Boston. Alan was also Director of Sales at KPIX-TV, San Francisco and Station Manager at KCBS-TV, Los Angeles. In addition, Alan was Vice President of Sales at Asian Media Group’s KSCI-TV, the largest Asian language broadcaster in the United States. Alan has acted as strategic advisor to a number of new media companies including egotv.com and Local Thunder. Alan was a pioneer in internet sales, heading up sales for kpix.com in the mid 1990′s as kpix.com became the first television station website to generate over $1 million in ad revenue. Alan earned a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a past board member of the 3AF (Asian Advertising Federation), a past board member of STAR (Society of Television and Radio, San Francisco), and a member of NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives).
Bill Kaiser, Consultant, Finance and Strategy
Bill has extensive experience in high-growth and value enhancement situations. CPA/MBA with more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of management and finance. Senior financial roles at Atari Inc., from 1980-83 as Director of Finance, Home Computer Division; Electronic Arts from 1983-91 as Vice President, Finance; Waste Management of NY from 1996-98 as CFO; KTI, Inc. as Executive Vice President/Treasurer; and ToolZ Limited from 2000-04 as an early stage investor, Board Member, and CFO. Background includes capital raising activities, business development and mergers and acquisitions, management of corporate financial and administrative functions in emerging growth companies as well as Fortune 500 companies.