Stern Pinball today announced the appointment of Seth Davis as the company’s new President. Seth takes over the President position from company founder Gary Stern, although Gary still retains the titles of Chairman and CEO.
Seth’s recent history has seen him working at the Walt Disney Company as part of the team responsible for the Disney+ and ESPN+ subscription-based streaming services. Prior to that position he held several lead management roles at Disney, while earlier he worked at General Electric where he was Senior Manager, Finance at GE Capital responsible for Strategic Analysis and Marketing.
His latest position is far from his only experience in the games business though. Among the roles he held at Disney were Head of Product Management for Connected Experiences within Disney Games and Consumer Products, leader of Disney’s Digital Games Console and PC line of business and Director of Disney Games’ Strategy, Market Analytics, and Product Planning.
Seth’s appointment isn’t expected to immediately lead to any other management changes at Stern. Announcing the new President, Gary Stern confirmed neither he nor Dave Peterson would be stepping down. He said, “Neither my partner Dave Peterson nor I are leaving Stern Pinball. All members of the executive team will continue in their current leadership roles. While I’m handing off the role of President to Seth, I will continue in my other roles as Chairman and CEO. I plan to be around for a long, long time. Our employees will carry me out of Stern Pinball in a box when I leave, with my boots still on.“
Here’s how the company announced the news:
| CHICAGO, IL – October 14, 2021 – Stern Pinball, Inc. today announced the hiring of Seth A. Davis, 43, as President. Gary Stern, the Founder of Stern Pinball, will continue to serve as Chairman and CEO of the company. Dave Peterson will continue to serve as Vice Chairman and EVP of the company. As President, Seth will join the company’s leadership team and be accountable for the future performance of the company and its extended enterprise. He will report to Gary Stern. A life-long gamer, prior to joining Stern Pinball, Seth spent a combined twenty-one years at The Walt Disney Company and the General Electric Company. He served in a wide variety of functions and in intrapreneurial roles, at increasingly senior levels. Seth spent thirteen years at Disney where he gained experience in multiple businesses and was accountable for driving growth through strategy and execution. He led and managed both small and large teams spanning business, creative, and technical disciplines. Immediately prior to joining Stern Pinball, Seth served on the executive team responsible for the highly successful subscription-based streaming services, Disney+ and ESPN+. Earlier in his career, Seth served in Disney Corporate Financial Planning leading business transformation projects; as Head of Product Management for Connected Experiences within Disney Games and Consumer Products as part of Walt Disney Imagineering; as leader of Disney’s Digital Games Console and PC line of business; and, as Director of Disney Games’ Strategy, Market Analytics, and Product Planning. Before Disney, Seth spent eight years at the General Electric Company. He served as Senior Manager, Finance at GE Capital responsible for Strategic Analysis and Marketing. He started his GE career in the Financial Management Program where he completed four national rotations through GE business units and earned his Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. “I am very excited to have Seth join our team at Stern Pinball,” said Gary Stern. “Seth’s appointment will further help secure our future. His experience in gaming, operations, strategy, and general management will help us continue our aggressive growth plans. As a life-long gamer, Seth understands the passion of pinball fans and our obligation to serve that growing global community through great pinball games and experiences.” “I’m honored and very excited to join Stern Pinball,” said Davis. “I’m really looking forward to working with Gary, Dave, and the rest of the leadership team, as well as our distribution, supply, and licensing partners to serve the pinball community. We have a great foundation on which to build and I’m very excited about the future of Stern Pinball and pinball in general.” “Seth is a great fit for the culture at Stern Pinball,” said Peterson. “He has complementary skills and a personality that fits well with the leadership team and the extended organization overall. He understands the passion of our customers and the company’s priorities. Moreover, he has a record of success in analogous game businesses where creativity, technology, and business disciplines intersect.” Seth earned his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he majored in Entrepreneurial Management. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University with a double major in Accounting, and Information Management and Technology. Seth, his wife Allison, and their three children are relocating to the Chicago area from Los Angeles. About Stern Pinball, Inc. Recent Stern Pinball titles include Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com. |
