People on the Move

ORA Interactive, a Chicago-based user experience and digital product studio, has named industry veteran Ray Villares to serve as its chief growth officer. In this newly created role, Villares is responsible for growing the organization’s revenue, size and position in the market. 

Prior to joining ORA Interactive, Villares was an entrepreneur, holding leadership positions at digital agencies including Acquity Group, Critical Mass, Havas Chicago, and Symmetri, as well as growing nonprofits. He is an accomplished strategic executive, manager, customer experience planner, mentor, author and public speaker with experience spanning two decades. He has worked with B2C and B2B Fortune 500 organizations including USAA Financial, AT&T, Ben & Jerry’s, Denstply Sirona, McDonald’s, Motorola, Northern Trust, Proctor & Gamble, True Value, Yamaha and Disney.

“ORA has had a phenomenal year. We achieved 80% year-over-year growth in headcount, joined The Escape Pod Group, and added an exciting roster of new clients. To capitalize on our momentum, it’s critical that we bring on specialized senior leadership to round out our all-star team. We’re excited to have Ray onboard to help shepherd our next era of growth,” said Mike Kelly, ORA Interactive founder and CEO.

“ORA is among a short list of hot mobile and emerging technology studios quickly growing and enabling Chicago’s technology start-up ecosystem. The opportunity to do something spectacular was apparent from our very first conversation,” said Villares.

Cast & Crew, provider of technology-enabled payroll, accounting and production management solutions to the entertainment industry, has appointed John Berkley as president, effective September 5.  In this newly formed role, Berkley will report to CEO Eric Belcher and be responsible for driving Cast & Crew’s growth strategy and the evolution of its product portfolio, overseeing the functions of Product, Marketing, Program Management, Corporate Development & Strategy and the Final Draft business unit.
 
Berkley has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles at prominent software and technology companies.  As a member of the senior executive team at payment technology innovator Mercury, he led product, go-to-market, operations and program management during a period when that company achieved substantial growth and industry thought leadership.  Prior to Mercury, he was sr. VP of product at Responsys, where he played a central role in leading the company through its IPO and entrance into multiple new markets.  Berkley has also been a CEO, executive and advisor at a number of high-profile internet and software startups.  As an operating executive at Silver Lake (Cast & Crew’s lead investor), Berkley has been working on site at Cast & Crew for nearly a year, coordinating the company’s go-to-market strategies for its digital products, among other responsibilities.

Belcher said,  “I’ve known John for several years, and worked closely with him at Cast & Crew this year, so I know he will be a terrific addition to our executive team.”

Berkley shared, “I am so excited to be joining the company at this moment in its growth. We have gone through significant strategic, operational and business-scope changes over the past few years--all of which have set the stage for the company we are becoming.  Most importantly, I look forward to working with Cast & Crew’s exceptional employees and clients, as we help bring to life the digital future of the entertainment industry.”

Ad agency Young & Laramore has brought John Worthington and Daniel Vuyovich on board as art director and sr. designer, respectively.

Worthington was previously in grad school at VCU Brandcenter. He will report to creative directors Bryan Judkins and Trevor Williams.

Prior to joining Young & Laramore, Vuyovich was a sr. designer at SK+G working on Budweiser, Waste Management, Baha Mar and Borgata Hotel & Casino. At Young & Laramore, he will report to Zac Neulieb, associate design director, and work on clients including Louisville Slugger, Farm Bureau Insurance, Indianapolis Museum Of Art, Trane and High & Mighty.

MediaMonks has named Olivier Koelemij to serve in the new role of managing director for the global production company’s U.S. West Coast operation. Previously executive producer of MediaMonks L.A., Koelemij was responsible for founding the Los Angeles office in 2014 and its successful acquisition and merger with Stopp LA, growing the West Coast base to 26 Monk staffers with eight nationalities. 

MediaMonks Los Angeles works with leading brands and agencies including Uber, Google, Wieden + Kennedy and 72 & Sunny. In 2017 alone, the production company was behind work such as Old Spice’s robotic “S.Q.U.I.D” live gaming experience on Twitch, the KFC Zinger space flight experiment, Cannes pick “Quest to LEGOLAND” and band Real Estate’s “Stained Glass” interactive music video.

Koelemij was also a key driver behind MediaMonks Los Angeles’ move to its current “flagship store” on Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice Beach. Koelemij’s new role is effective immediately, as he continues to grow U.S. operations alongside MediaMonks New York managing director Jason Prohaska under co-founder and COO Wesley ter Haar.