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Bio
Josh Linkner
ePrize Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Josh Linkner - ePrize Founder and Chief Executive OfficerAs a pioneer in interactive marketing and promotions, Josh has been involved in the development of thousands of digital marketing strategies over the last 13 years. As the founder and CEO of ePrize, he has led the firm from inception to being ranked the #1 fastest growing and #3 overall promotion agency by PROMO Magazine. ePrize has produced over 5,000 industry-leading interactive promotions across 36 countries, for clients including Coca-Cola, American Express, The Gap, Procter & Gamble, Warner Bros, Dell, adidas, Citibank and General Motors.

Despite challenging economic times, Josh achieved annualized revenue growth of more than 100% since 1999. He led the company's expansion into new industries including travel, automotive, financial services, consumer packaged goods, retail, and entertainment. Josh has also contributed to the ePrize geographic expansion, opening offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and London. In addition, Josh has led the firm through two rounds of financing and two recapitalizations, securing more than $43 million of investment.

As an early Internet marketing visionary, Josh founded and built one of the first web marketing agencies, GlobalLink New Media, in 1995. The firm grew to be recognized as a "Top 100 Interactive Agency" by Advertising Age Magazine in both 1997 and 1998. In early 1999 Josh successfully negotiated and managed all aspects of the sale of GlobalLink to a publicly- traded firm.

He served as Senior Vice President for Rare Medium Group, a 1,100 person web-consulting and venture capital firm. Previously, he was the founder and CEO of two other successful technology companies.

Josh is a frequent source-for-comment among business, technology and marketing media. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, AdAge, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, and AdWeek, and is a regular keynote speaker at industry events and conferences. Josh has won several business, technology, and design awards including the 2004 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, The Inc. 500, Crain's Detroit 40 under 40, Fast Company's Reader's Choice Fast 50, and the 2006 Automation Alley's CEO of the Year.

Josh earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising from the University of Florida. Also, as an accomplished and well-respected Jazz musician, Josh applies that same passion and excitement toward his business which results in an innovative, disciplined and creative working environment at ePrize.
 
 
Founded by:
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center Small Business Association of Michigan Michigan Economic Development Corporation Edward Lowe Foundation U.S. Small Business Administration
 
P.O. Box 16158, Lansing, MI 48901-6158  -  Phone: 800.362.5461  -  Fax: 517.482.4205
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