Leadership
John Berkley
Chief Executive Officer
John Berkley
Chief Executive Officer
- Named CEO in 2020
- Joined Cast & Crew as president in 2017
- Has been a senior executive and CEO at software, technology, and media companies for over 20 years
- Served as a senior executive at Mercury Payment Systems (now part of FIS), where he led product, go-to-market, operations and program management, and at Responsys (now part of Oracle), where he played a central role in the company’s IPO and entrance into multiple new markets
- Received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Williams College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School
Sally Knutson
Chief Financial Officer / Executive Vice President
Sally Knutson
Chief Financial Officer / Executive Vice President
- Joined Cast & Crew as chief financial officer and senior vice president of finance in 2006
- Named executive vice president in 2012
- 35 years of financial management, corporate development, and strategic planning experience
- Earlier in her career, she held senior finance positions with Move, Inc. (formerly known as Homestore, Inc.), Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. (a division of The Walt Disney Company), Dole Food Company (formerly known as Castle & Cooke), and PricewaterhouseCoopers (formerly known as Price Waterhouse)
- Graduated with honors from UCLA and received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with an emphasis in business
Kriege Janz
Chief Transformation Officer / Head of Operations
Kriege Janz
Chief Transformation Officer / Head of Operations
- Named chief transformation officer and head of operations in 2021
- Joined Cast & Crew as SVP of operations in 2013
- Graduated with honors from Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration
- Graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in business administration
- Began her career as a contracts manager and financial analyst at McDonnell Douglas Corporation
- Other previous positions include principal consultant operations strategy and consultant process improvement (PricewaterhouseCoopers), VP of shared services, executive director shared services, and director procurement / strategic sourcing (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Andrew Patterson
Chief Technology Officer
Andrew Patterson
Chief Technology Officer
- Joined Cast & Crew as chief technology officer in 2017
- Previously at PayPal Holdings, Inc., Mercury Payment Systems (now a part of FIS), and Moneris Solutions
- Received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Computer Science from Dalhousie University and a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University
Barry Oberman
Chief Product Officer
Barry Oberman
Chief Product Officer
- Named chief product officer in 2023
- Assumed operational control of Media Services as president and CEO in April 2013
- Joined Cast & Crew as the president of Media Services in 2020
- Became strategic advisor to Cast & Crew 2022
Frank DeVito
Chief People Officer
Frank DeVito
Chief People Officer
- Named chief people officer in 2022
- Began his career in recruiting, then transitioned to be employment manager at AEG in 2003
- Notable positions at AEG include director of human resources (2004-2006), VP of HR services (2007-2008), and SVP of human resources and administration (2008-2011)
- Joined CAPS in 2011 as the VP of international business development and venue services
- Became CAPS SVP of sales and marketing in 2012 and then the chief operating officer in 2016
- Joined Cast & Crew as SVP of CAPS in 2016 (upon acquisition of CAPS)
- Named SVP of human resources in 2020
- Received a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Illinois State University
Ross Agre
Chief Legal Officer
Ross Agre
Chief Legal Officer
- Named chief legal officer of Cast & Crew in 2022
- Worked as general counsel at Booth Creek Ski Holdings from 2001 to 2006, managing director and general counsel at Remonov Capital from 2006 to 2008, then deputy general counsel at West Corporation from 2008 to 2012
- Worked as chief legal officer at Mercury Payment Systems from 2012 to 2015 and then chief legal and compliance officer at AvidXchange from 2015 to 2017
- Joined Cast & Crew as general counsel in 2017
- Received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with High Honors from Dartmouth College where he was a Rufus Choate Scholar and won the Chase Peace Prize
- Received his Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law and won the David M. Berger Prize in international law
- Began his career at the law firm Milbank LLP working on international financing and corporate transactions in the firm’s DC, London, and New York offices
Greg Smith
President, Advertising, Live Events, and Short-Form
Greg Smith
President, Advertising, Live Events, and Short-Form
- Named President, Advertising, Live Events, and Short-Form in 2022 following the acquisition of The TEAM Companies by Cast & Crew.
- Served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Revenue Officer of The TEAM Companies from 2017—2022, and Chief Marketing Officer from 2015—2017.
- Served as a CEO, CIO, and COO in advertising, marketing, and technology businesses since 1997, holding positions such as CEO of iRGONOMIC, Global CIO of McCann Worldgroup, Global CIO of Universal McCann, CIO of Zenith Media, CIO of Initiative Media NA, Global CIO of Ipsos, and General Manager at Deluxe Advertising Solutions.
- Received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Fleming College.
Jeff Caruso
SVP and Head of Sales and Marketing, Film, Television, and Streaming
Jeff Caruso
SVP and Head of Sales and Marketing, Film, Television, and Streaming
- Joined Cast & Crew as sales and marketing representative in 2013
- Began his career working for legendary filmmaker Richard Donner
- Starting in 2000, worked freelance in physical production on films like Vanilla Sky (Paramount), The Prestige (Warner Bros. / Disney), and Charlie Wilson’s War (Universal)
- In 2007, made the transition to production finance while working at Summit Entertainment, where he held multiple titles, including VP of production finance
- Prior to joining Cast & Crew, worked for 15 years in the entertainment industry
Lara Sargent
Co-Head, International
Lara Sargent
Co-Head, International
- Named Co-Head of International Development at Cast and Crew in 2019 (upon acquisition of Sargent-Disc).
- Joined Sargent-Disc as a production accountant in 1999.
- Named Director and Owner of Sargent-Disc in 2010.
- More than 25 years of experience as a production accountant in the film and television industries.
- Received a Bachelor of Arts in History from York University and Master of Arts in History and Anthropology from University College London.
Dr. Laurence Sargent
Co-Head, International
Dr. Laurence Sargent
Co-Head, International
- Named Co-Head of International Development at Cast and Crew in 2019 (upon acquisition of Sargent-Disc).
- Joined the Sargent-Disc Group as Head of Software for Animation 2000 in 2001.
- Named Director and Owner of Sargent-Disc in 2010.
- More than 20 years of experience in the media and technology industries.
- Received a Master of Electrical and Electronic Engineering with European Studies from Bristol University.
- Received a PhD in the field of Semiconductor Lasers from Bristol University.
David Grossman
Co-Head, Talent & Creative Solutions
David Grossman
Co-Head, Talent & Creative Solutions
- Named co-head of talent & creative solutions in 2023
- Joined Backstage in 2012 as chief marketing officer
- 20+ years of experience working and managing across marketing, product, and strategic partnerships for digital media and information platforms
- Starting as an intern on The Late Show with David Letterman, went on to hold positions like director of business development at Inc. & Fast Company, marketing executive at The Economist, and coordinator of strategic partnerships at Alloy Media
- Graduated from the University of Delaware and lives in Brooklyn, NY
James Reynolds
Co-Head, Talent & Creative Solutions
James Reynolds
Co-Head, Talent & Creative Solutions
- Named co-head of talent & creative solutions in 2023
- Honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy after six years of service in 2002
- Joined Backstage in 2013
- Named CTO and CPO of Backstage in 2015
- 15+ years of experience in the media and technology industries
- Received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Bard College in 2007