Aaron LaBerge

Last updated
Aaron LaBerge
Aaron LaBerge 2019.jpg
LaBerge in 2019
BornJanuary 1973 (age 51)
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
EducationElectrical & Computer Engineering B.S., University of South Carolina
OccupationTechnology Executive
Employer Penn Entertainment (2024–present)
TitleChief Technology Officer of Penn Entertainment
Children3

Aaron LaBerge is an American technology executive and the chief technology officer (CTO) of Penn Entertainment. Prior, he was the president and chief technology office of Disney Entertainment and ESPN., [1] where he was responsible for linear and digital media distribution technology, ad technology, consumer data platforms, and the development of all streaming and consumer-facing digital products for the company globally. It was announced that he was leaving Disney on April 22, 2024. [2]

Contents

Early life

LaBerge was born in Charleston, South Carolina and went on to attend the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina; he graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science & Engineering in 1996. [3]

Career

LaBerge joined The Walt Disney Company in 1997 after Disney acquired Starwave Ventures. He worked in a variety of technology roles, at Disney, until 2007. Before Starwave Ventures, he was a senior software engineer at Renaissance Interactive, which specialized in Internet-based content management and publishing. [4]

From 2007 to 2013, LaBerge was CEO of a venture-funded consumer software company he co-founded, Fanzter Inc. He directed the development of the business and the launch of its consumer-focused Internet and mobile suite of products. [5]

LaBerge served as the CTO of ESPN starting from 2015 and served as an advisor on the Disney Research Advisory Board. [6] During his tenure at ESPN as a senior vice president starting in 2013, LaBerge was instrumental in the construction and design of ESPN's second Digital Center in Bristol, Connecticut.

In 2018, LaBerge was named EVP and CTO of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International and first reported to Kevin A. Mayer, who was chairman of the segment at the time. In 2020, LaBerge became CTO of the new Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution segment chaired by Kareem Daniel. And in February 2023, he was named President and CTO of Disney Entertainment and ESPN. [7]

In July 2024, LaBerge joined Penn Entertainment as CTO, where he oversees the company’s technology strategy and its Interactive Division, which includes products such as theScore, ESPN BET, theScore Bet, and iCasino platforms. [8]

Recognition

LaBerge is a two-time Emmy award winner. He won his first Sports Emmy in 2016 as an Innovator for his involvement with Megacast and was nominated the same year for the ESPN Pylon Camera. [9] In 2024, he received his second Sports Emmy for Outstanding Technical Team Studio for his contributions to the NFL Draft. [10]

He was featured in Variety’s inaugural Digital Innovators list as an executive who is looking to “set a new bar” using “tech to directly connect and engage with audiences.” [11]

Related Research Articles

ESPN is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications (20%) through the joint venture ESPN Inc. The company was founded in 1979 by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC News (United States)</span> News division of the American Broadcasting Company

ABC News is the news division of the American television network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ABC World News Tonight with David Muir; other programs include morning news-talk show Good Morning America, Nightline, Primetime, 20/20, and Sunday morning political affairs program This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

The Walt Disney Studios is a major division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of The Walt Disney Company best known for housing its multifaceted film studio divisions. Founded on October 16, 1923, and based mainly at the namesake studio lot in Burbank, California, it is the seventh-oldest global film studio and the fifth-oldest in the United States, a member of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and one of the "Big Five" major film studios.

Disney Mobile is an American division of Disney Consumer Products, which is in itself a division of The Walt Disney Company, that designs mobile games and apps, content and services.

Disney General Entertainment Content (DGEC), formerly ABC Group, Disney–ABC Television Group and the second incarnation of Walt Disney Television, is a division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company that oversees its owned-and-operated television content, assets and sub-divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ESPN Films</span> Film production company

ESPN Films, formerly known as ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE), is an American production company which produces and distributes sports films and documentaries. It is owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications.

Disney Consumer Products, Inc. is the retailing and licensing subsidiary of the Disney Experiences segment of The Walt Disney Company. Previously, Consumer Products was a segment of Disney until 2016, then a unit of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (2016–2018).

ESPN Inc. is an American multinational sports media conglomerate majority-owned by the Walt Disney Company, with Hearst Communications as an equity stakeholder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Interactive</span> Interactive subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company

Disney Interactive is an American video game and internet company that oversees various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Charles E. Pagano is the former executive vice president of technology and chief technology officer of ESPN. He was promoted to this position in 2011 from his previous position as executive vice president of technology, engineering and operations and retained that position during ESPN's January 2012 executive restructuring. He retired in February 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution</span> Defunct Disney business segment

Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED), formerly Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI), was a business segment of the Walt Disney Company that operated from March 14, 2018 until the establishment of its successor, Disney Entertainment on February 8, 2023. It consisted of Disney Streaming and Disney International Operations. Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution's fate was a success as of to when Disney-ABC Domestic Television still held up business

Jon Snoddy is an American technology expert who is currently the Advanced Development Studio Executive SVP at Walt Disney Imagineering. He was the co-founder of Big Stage Entertainment and has served as director, CTO, CCO and CTO in various technology/media firms.

Disney Streaming is a technology subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company located in Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 2015 as a spin-off of MLB Advanced Media—the digital media arm of Major League Baseball, focused on providing Video on demand technology, particularly for Over-the-top media service (OTT) services. The company's major clients include ESPN, the National Hockey League, and Blaze Media.

Rich LeFurgy is an American advertising consultant and investor. The founding chairman of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, he left a senior position at a Madison Avenue agency in 1995, becoming one of the first advertising executives to shift from traditional to digital media. Described as the "godfather of internet advertising standards," LeFurgy was central to the development and adoption of the standards that guide online advertising.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Corporation</span> American mass media company, successor to 21st Century Fox

Fox Corporation is an American multinational mass media company headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. Incorporated in Delaware, it was formed as the portion of 21st Century Fox that was not acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2019. The company is controlled by the Murdoch family via a family trust with 39.6% ownership share, and by Rupert Murdoch himself to the effect of almost 40%.

Kevin C. Conroy is an American media, entertainment, and technology executive. He has held senior roles at AOL, Univision and MGM.

Kareem Daniel is an American businessman and former media executive at The Walt Disney Company. During his tenure at Disney, he held executive roles in charge of film and television, sports, streaming, theme parks, and consumer products. Prior to Disney, Daniel worked in equity research and investment banking at Goldman Sachs, having begun his career as an electrical engineer. He is also on the board of directors for McDonald's.

Disney Media Networks was a business segment of the Walt Disney Company that oversaw the company's television networks, cable channels, television production and distribution studios, and owned-and-operated television stations. The segment's primary divisions were Walt Disney Television and A&E Networks.

References

  1. ↑ "LaBerge named CTO for Disney DTCI unit".
  2. ↑ "Disney Technology Chief to Depart".
  3. ↑ "Alumni Profile: Aaron LaBerge".
  4. ↑ "Engineering alumnus Aaron LaBerge creates magic, connection at Disney".
  5. ↑ "Fanzter, Inc. Secures $2 Million In Series B Funding".
  6. ↑ "LaBerge rejoins ESPN".
  7. ↑ "Disney Reorganization".
  8. ↑ "PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge Chief Technology Officer".
  9. ↑ "37th Annual Sports Emmys" (PDF).
  10. ↑ "45th Annual Sports Emmys" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "37th Variety Digital Innovators".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.