December 12, 2007

Industry Support

Name: Eric Cooney
Title: President/CEO, Tandberg Television
Age: “40… give or take a few years.”
Years in Industry: “20 years plus tax.”
Years Left in Industry: “Numerous.”

Name: Andy Paff
Title: President/CEO, Cedar Point Communications
Age: 55
Years in Industry: 31
Years left in Industry: “Until they pry my cold dead fingers from my ‘quad play’.”

Name: Dave Woodle
Title: Chairman/CEO, C-COR
Age: 52
Years in Industry: 10

Why Them? Cooney continues to keep Tandberg exceedingly relevant as the cable industry moves toward dynamic ad insertion on VOD—a growth area that will start to take off in ’08 and beyond. Paff helps keep Cedar Point a key piece of cable’s VoIP strategy, including the recent rollout of new features enabling operators to host business services for small to medium enterprise customers and increase in line capacity. In addition, Cedar Point has been a much-needed whip pushing operators toward fixed-mobile convergence. And like Tandberg, C-COR has been making its mark in the VOD world with dynamic advertising applications, as well as the industry’s first unified video delivery platform designed to power multiplatform services with only one server. Its “VOD In a Box” solution, meanwhile, continues to reduce complexity at Comcast Media Center.

Eric Cooney
What is your favorite word? “Televisionary– It’s our mantra at Tandberg Television and what I aspire to be every day.”
What is your least favorite word? “Weather – if you hear the word ‘weather,’ you usually know that the word ‘bad’ is preceding it and that means your plane is delayed… again.”
What turns you on? “The smoke of a vintage Cohiba Coronas Especiales.”
What turns you off? “HDTV’s that only receive standard definition signals–what a waste.”
What sound do you love? “I love the sounds my kids make when they are running around the house early in the morning. I guess they are always trying to be quiet, but you can tell they can barely contain their excitement about starting a new day.”
What sound do you hate? “I hate the sound that big trucks and heavy equipment makes to signal they are backing up. I know it’s for safety, but that beeping gives me a headache.”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “I would like to be the third string quarterback on a professional football team. One caveat: the two quarterbacks in front of me would have to be very good and healthy. I just want to carry a clip board and make $3.5 per year.”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Cirque du Soleil performer. Although I love to watch, I just don’t have the flexibility these days.”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Finally.”

Andy Paff
The cable industry’s biggest challenge in 2008 is: “Marketing and selling to business customers.”
The coolest new cable tech is: “High definition voice”
Person I most admire in the cable industry and why:  “Bill Daniels – Unique combination of vision, guts and class.”
Top personal achievement in 2007: “Establishing an international presence for Cedar Point and its products.”
In my free time, I like to: “Imagine what it would be like to get away for awhile.”
Favorite restaurant: “Chez Thuy, Boulder, CO”
Favorite line from a movie or TV show: “Who are those guys?” — Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Favorite TV show: “First 48”
Favorite sports team: “Colorado Buffalos”
The three most played songs on my iPod are: “Voodo” (Neville Brothers); “I Wish “ (String Cheese Incident); “Get On With Your Life” (Allman Brothers)

Dave Woodle
The cable industry’s biggest challenge in 2008 is: “Fending off growing competition.”
Favorite movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
Favorite sports team: “Penn State Nittany Lions Football Team”
Favorite piece of tech: “Blackberry”
The world would be a better place if: “We all worked together towards the same goal.”

 
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