Governance
Board of Directors
Paul Vassilakos
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN & CEO
Mr. Vassilakos began his career in investment banking and financial services, working for Salomon Brothers and Citigroup in New York and London, where he was involved in M&A and IPO transactions. He then ran a medium-sized family office, which was involved in private investments and small-cap companies, at which time he held various positions on Boards and management teams of publicly listed companies.
Kevin O'Donnell
BOARD MEMBER
Mr. O’Donnell founded Poptop Partners, LLC, a boutique operating and investment firm specializing in small to mid-market companies with an emphasis on the retail sector in April 2011 and continues to serve as its Managing Partner. From May 2007 to June 2010, Mr. O’Donnell served as the Founder/President of KOR Capital, LLC, a private equity and consulting firm specializing in turn around management of mid-market companies. Mr. O’Donnell has been an early-stage investor in multiple industries including hospitality, beverage, cannabis, hemp and technology. Mr. O’Donnell has served or continues to serve on numerous private and public boards including but not limited to SRM Entertainment, Vinco Ventures, Inc., Lakeside Alternatives Hospital Foundation, and The University Club. Mr. O’Donnell brings to OCTO close to 25 years of strategic corporate growth, financial structuring, leadership, and business development initiatives to emerging growth companies.
Frank Jennings
BOARD MEMBER - COMPENSATION COMMITTEE CHAIR - NOMINATING COMMITTEE CHAIR
Mr. Jennings has served as a member of the Board since October 13, 2021. Since 2019, Mr. Jennings has served as the Chief Sales Officer at Castlight Health. From August 2014 to 2019, Mr. Jennings was employed as the Vice President of Sales, North America by Doctor on Demand, Inc., an innovative healthcare telemedicine provider. He currently serves as an advisor at Aptihealth and Covera Health and is on the Board of Directors for Vinco Ventures, Inc. Mr. Jennings is a co-founder of the CMK Foundation, a charitable organization which has been helping people in local communities since 2009. Mr. Jennings brings to OCTO 30 years of experience in business development and management of sales professionals in a variety of technology-adjacent industries.
Mary Ann Halford
BOARD MEMBER
Ms. Halford has served as a member of the Board since October 13, 2021. She is currently a Partner in the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology (“TMT”) strategy consultancy Altman Solon. Previously she was a Senior Advisor to OC&C Strategy Consultants from December 2017 to December 2020. From March 2012 to April 2017, Ms. Halford was both a Managing Director and then a Senior Managing Director in FTI Consulting’s TMT Group working both in NY and London. Ms. Halford built out the digital operations for ITN Networks from 2008 – 2009 and from 1997 through 2002, Ms. Halford built and developed the platform for the Fox International Channels Group. In addition, from 2007 through 2014, Ms. Halford served on the Board of Directors of Triton Digital. Ms. Halford received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Economics from Georgetown University and her Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard University. Ms. Halford brings to OCTO over 30 years of experience as both an operator and consultant to the global media and entertainment industry.
Louis Foreman
BOARD MEMBER - AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIR
Louis Foreman is the founder and Chief Executive of Enventys, an integrated product design and engineering firm. Over the past 34 years Louis has created 10 successful start-ups and has been directly responsible for the creation of over 20 others. In 2013, Mr. Foreman was appointed by the SBA Administrator to serve on the National SBDC Advisory Board until the end of 2022. In 2008, Mr. Foreman was appointed by United States Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez to serve for a three-year term on the nine-person Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In 2011, he was appointed by Secretary Gary Locke to serve an additional three-year term. In addition to being an inventor, Mr. Foreman was the creator of the Emmy Award winning PBS TV show, Everyday Edisons, and served as the Executive Producer and lead judge. Mr. Foreman currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the James Dyson Foundation, the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), New Dominion Bank, The Federal Reserve Bank Industry Roundtable, Beyond Campus Innovations, Vinco Ventures, Inc., and the Intellectual Property Owners Educational Foundation (IPOEF). Mr. Foreman has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Illinois. Mr. Foreman brings to OCTO significant experience with start-ups and knowledge of intellectual property matters.
Board of Committees
Audit
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Louis Foreman
Compensation
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Frank Jennings
Nominating
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Frank Jennings