Leaders of Thought Leaders | FGI Executive Management

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Leadership

FGI's leadership boasts a wonderful blend of education and experience. Learn about a few of FGI's key executives here.

LOREN SKAGGS

Chief Executive Officer

Loren Skaggs is a true web veteran, and a nationally recognized expert in management of online design and development.

He has held various interactive management positions at Microsoft, McCann Worldgroup, Saltmine Creative, Inc. and the Frank Russell Company, and has worked on a wide variety of projects with an extremely broad range of clients, including Microsoft, AOL, Bank of America, Lexus, C-SPAN, Columbia Sportswear, Home Shopping Network, Audubon Society, Wizards of the Coast and the PGA Tour.

As group manager for Microsoft's enterprise information portal, he was a frequent speaker and published writer on the topic of knowledge management.

Prior to entering the interactive field, he worked as a journalist. After completing his graduate work in communications at the University of Washington, Loren worked at KIRO Newsradio, where he was senior producer of news and talk programming.

NATE MCLAUGHLIN

VP, Client Services

Nate is Vice President of Client Services, focused on FGI's day-to-day operations and management. Nate is responsible for ensuring all projects are delivered on time and within budget. Nate has a broad background of working with web design and development agencies, consulting, and universities. His diverse and relevant experience has given him a great understanding of process and project management, and how it applies to an interactive experience. Nate has managed over 150 projects and production services for clients including, but not limited to, Real Networks, National Geographic, Spacelabs Healthcare, Vail Resorts, Baden Sports, Stupski Foundation, and Microsoft.

BEVERLY CASWELL

VP, Operations

Bev is Vice President of Operations, responsible for standardizing internal process and procedures, with a focus on finance.

She has an extensive background in leadership, having held various management positions with Verizon and Idearc Media. Her career includes experience in Sales operations, Credit, Customer Service and Production. Highlights include successful start-up projects for lead generation resulting in increased advertising revenue, initiating credit/collection policies and procedures to protect assets and in developing teams with specific focus on supporting increased sales to drive business results.

Achievements include an assignment in London to develop procedures and train staff in credit processes for the U.K. operations of GTE Directories. Bev was awarded the Corporate Award of Excellence in Leadership. She has been involved in various business organizations including ABWA (American Business Women) and was appointed Treasurer for the American Womens Association in Vienna, Austria.

ZACK PITTS

Director, Client Solutions

Zack is a senior technical professional with a diverse background in human resources, customer service, telecommunications, and non-profit organizations. Originally trained for the ministry, Zack returned to his childhood love of computers when he realized programs were easier to write than sermons, and bugs easier to fix than people. His education has spanned theology, drama, philosophy, and computer information systems. He has led drama teams, musical groups, and IT organizations all with the same focus: service. Zack has worked on projects for AT&T, Microsoft, Vertafore, and Real Networks and regularly contributes to open source software projects.

KELLY SINCLAIR

Senior Project Manager

Kelly has extensive marketing and business development experience for both internal and external teams. Kelly has managed projects for over a year at FGI Seattle and has managed projects for Spacelabs Healthcare, Apex Learning, Vertafore, Real Networks and more.

DAVE RIENSCHE

Art Director

Dave studied Visual Communication at the Art Institute of Seattle (AA) as well as Fine Arts at Washington State University (BA). While at FGI, Dave has provided conceptual and creative direction for a number of FGI clients, including Spring Wireless, Vertafore, Redhook Brewery, Apex Learning, Spacelabs Healthcare and more. Dave has 10+ years of design experience with a specialty for interactive and user experience design.

PAUL CULLIN

Senior Web Developer

Paul has 9 years experience in professional web development, including application development, eCommerce and content management integration. Prior to his work at FGI, Paul developed enterprise web applications and tools for AT&T, implemented a custom CMS platform for Healthtalk.com and more recently developed tools and processes for WineBid.com’s proprietary online auction engine. Since joining FGI, Paul has led the development efforts for clients including Paramount Pictures, Washington State Bar Association, and Vertafore.

Chairman

SCOT REFSLAND, Ph.D.

Founder & Chief Creative Officer

Scot is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer and oversees the entrepreneurial, strategic, and creative visioning services for the FGI Holdings group of companies (www.fgi.com). FGI currently has two interactive agency locations, Seattle, WA and Irvine, CA, as well as other companies related to Internet, ecommerce and Social Media Technology.

Scot has been actively involved with technology since 1984, providing consulting, strategic, and design services for corporations and Non Government Organizations (NGO's). Clients include the United Nations (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre, National Geographic, Microsoft, Stupski and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations, University of California, Berkeley, Vail Resorts, Paramount Pictures.

Scot graduated from the University of Southern California (www.usc.edu) in 1987 (BA/LAS, emphasis in Film and Creative Writing) and soon after co-founded a technology company that provided full service solutions to Fortune 500 companies.

In 1990 Scot moved to Australia and worked for the Apple Centre Sydney in major accounts (large newspaper publishing, and advertising agencies). In 1994, he founded the Queensland Multimedia Arts Centre in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, which provided low-cost access to training and support for emerging multimedia and performing artists.

In 1997, Scot relocated to Japan and was hired as the Executive Officer for the International Society on Virtual Systems & MultiMedia (vsmm.org). During that time, he was also the Director of the WV Governor’s Office of Technology Office in Japan, responsible for strategic commercial research and development for virtual reality and high-technologies.

In 2001, Scot completed his Ph.D. in Computer Systems & Software Engineering (Specializing in Virtual Reality and Geographical Information Systems GIS) from Gifu University in Japan (www.vsl.gifu-u.ac.jp).

In 2001, Scot relocated to the University of California, Berkeley (www.berkeley.edu) to lead research in virtual systems at the Center for Design Visualization. His awards and accolades include Gifu University’s 2001 Presidential Award for Excellence, Visiting Professor at West Virginia University, Visiting Fellow in Computer Arts at Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland, and Vice President & Special Advisor to the Board of the VSMM Society. Scot has published several books and journals through MIT Press, IEEE and other industry publications.

Scot resides in Laguna Beach, CA, and is an avid cyclist, swimmer and long distance trail runner. Scot is currently training for Ironman triathlon and marathon distance races.