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Ralph O'Dell
CEO
As president and CEO, Ralph defines and executes the overall vision for n-tara inc., setting the pace for strategic direction and overall company performance, including its two divisions: n-tara interactive and n-tara works. Since 2003, Ralph has guided n-tara’s transformation from a regional visual communications start-up into a world-class leader in interactive marketing strategies and technology solutions. And the results have been profitable—the company has enjoyed a 25% annual compound growth rate for each of the past seven years.
Prior to taking the helm at n-tara, Ralph held C-level positions in various Fortune 500 companies and founded several successful start-up ventures. He is a veteran of the international entrepreneurial business community with broad experience in global operations, sales, marketing and business development.
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Neil Owen
Founder and COO
As a founding principal and chief operating officer, Neil has helped build n-tara inc. into an internationally recognized leader in rich Internet content and application development. Neil is responsible for executing the company’s strategic plan and leading development efforts for n-tara’s award-winning agency division, n-tara interactive. Under Neil’s direction, the division has earned a 400% increase in revenue over the past four years.
Prior to n-tara’s inception, Neil held multiple instructional and curriculum development posts in higher education, including assignments at Purdue University and East Tennessee State University, where he directed and co-founded the ETSU Advanced Visualization Laboratory. Earlier in his career, Neil launched several advanced technology initiatives resulting in significantly reduced cost and dramatically improved quality. In 1989 he received GE’s “Managerial Design Award” for one of these initiatives.
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Jeff Morris
Founder and CTO
As an original founding partner and chief technology officer, Jeff has been instrumental in evolving n-tara inc. into an award-winning visual communications firm. In addition to managing all of the company’s strategic technology implementation, Jeff is responsible for directing n-tara works, the company’s software and product division. Under Jeff’s direction, n-tara works currently offers four software products and platforms and is praised by key industry analysts as providing “…some of the most innovative products capable of causing a paradigm shift in the RIA industry.”
With over 14 years of experience in related fields—including roles as product designer, animator, visualization expert, and professor of technology at the University of New Mexico and East Tennessee State University—Jeff contributes a significant body of technical knowledge to both the n-tara interactive and n-tara works teams. At ETSU, Jeff co-founded the internationally recognized Advanced Visualization Lab and designed the curriculum development of courses in digital video, 3-D animation and compositing.
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H. E. “Buddy” Fontaine
Chief Financial Officer
As chief financial officer, Buddy manages all financial and HR aspects for n-tara inc., n-tara interactive and n-tara works, including contract negotiation, financial planning, budgeting and accounting. Buddy began his tenure with n-tara in 2006, bringing a substantial and successful range of experiences from multiple industries, including manufacturing, retail and real estate development.
Early in his career, Buddy served as national contractor manager for the women’s division of Levi Strauss & Co. Since 1987, he has been involved in nine unique start-up business ventures, including Southeastern Apparel Finishing, which he founded and grew into a multi-plant operation with over 500 employees and $16 million in annual sales. His entrepreneurship also includes founding Golftenn, a real estate and golf course development company that developed The Ridges Golf & Country Club, a highly successful golf and residential community.
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Julie Meyers
Senior Client Strategist, Marketing and Sales Enablement
As senior client strategist, marketing and sales enablement, Julie works in partnership with n-tara’s clients to develop and execute marketing programs and sales enablement solutions. Julie brings her years of marketing and go-to-market strategy experience to bridge the gaps among IT, marketing and sales organizations by identifying impactful solutions and aligning business goals with digital and marketing strategies.
Julie began working with n-tara after a successful career at Xerox, where she held numerous senior level strategy and management positions in marketing and sales enablement, most recently as Vice President, Strategy, Marketing & Client Experience, Global Document Outsourcing, North America.
At Xerox, Julie provided vision and leadership for the company’s marketing activities and worked closely with the sales organization to strategically align their efforts in the marketplace through innovative, digital and client-centric marketing. An early thought leader in sales enablement, Julie managed a team to create and execute marketing and sales tools, activities and programs to support field teams in new business revenue generation, same account growth and retention objectives.
Julie holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, and degrees in Computer Systems & International Business from The American University. As an acknowledged expert in marketing strategy and sales enablement, her work has been honored with many industry excellence awards, and documented in published articles and case studies. She is frequently invited as a conference speaker, and interviewed by media including the American Marketing Association.
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Ethan Blumenstrauch
Creative Director
As creative director, Ethan Blumenstrauch matches the customer’s strategic goals with a creative solution that fulfills the company's "promise.” He is a former senior level Creative Director of the New York office of Agency.com where he directed the design and construction of large scale branded e-commerce Web sites for Fortune 500 companies such as Viacom, Channel One Networks, Island ECN, Circline.com, Time Warner, Time Inc., eMaritz, Texaco, Sports Illustrated, Neuberger Berman, Chase, Mars International, Child Magazine, Media One Express and many others. In addition, Ethan served as a consulting Creative Director on projects for Gucci, Coke, Colgate and Sirius Satellite Radio.
In 2005, Ethan led a project team to develop the geoterra.com site for GE, which won the 2005 Web Award for Outstanding Web site. He also received a 2006 SXSW Festival Award in the Business: Green/Non-Profit Category. Ethan’s focus is to develop powerful visual systems that create a "branded user experience," while addressing clients’ business objectives, strategic goals, target audience, process requirements and brand platform to positively impact ROI. His expertise extends to translating brands into an online/digital environment and creating e-brands from scratch.
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Shane McCown
Senior Technical Solutions Architect
As senior technical solutions architect for n-tara, Shane oversees web and software architecture for client solutions, ensuring that business requirements are aligned with technology systems and applications. Shane collaborates with the n-tara development team, actively participating in implementation and integration, ensuring successful web and application deployments. Since 2001, Shane has been a critical contributor to the delivery of over 250 interactive projects.
Shane received his B.S. in Engineering Technology with a concentration in Animation, Multimedia and Illustration from East Tennessee State University. Joining n-tara in 1999 as a 3-D animator, Shane quickly leveraged his knowledge of the production process to become n-tara’s primary Project Manager. As the company’s reach and breadth of capabilities expanded, Shane served in technical solutions roles and was subsequently promoted to his current role in 2006. Shane’s work, both in a production and management capacity, has included projects for a number of n-tara’s marquee clients, and he and his team have been recognized with numerous Regional and National ADDY awards as well as international Horizon Interactive Awards for design and development excellence.
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Joshua Hathaway
Art Director
Joshua’s extensive background in advertising, branding, design and production led to his current position as art director for n-tara. From brainstorming and conception to design and animation, Joshua collaborates throughout the design process with clients, project managers, copywriters and developers to deliver not only stunning results but also proven returns on client investments. His unique ability to visualize ideas and bring them to life in any medium consistently exceeds clients’ expectations. Joshua’s creative talents have lead the company’s production teams to win numerous awards, recognition and acclaim year after year.
Prior to joining n-tara in 2004, Joshua was creative director/principal at Conexus: one part advertising and branding agency, one part creative think tank. An accomplished illustrator, Joshua has designed, produced and managed various media projects in his career, including print collateral, signage, screen printing, and branding.
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