Bill Walker
bill.walker@mediaevolved.com
President, CEO & Managing Partner, Media Evolved, LLC & Darwin Media, LLC
 With more than 26 years of entertainment media experience, Mr. Walker possesses a solid, proven background in sales, marketing, operations, merchandising, international and domestic purchasing, materials management, creative development of consumer packaging and point of purchase materials (including both permanent and temporary displays), retail management, and systems/project development.
Most recently he has founded Darwin Media Publishing/Succession Records to develop, produce and promote music and other intellectual properties. His primary focus, Media Evolved, LLC, a CD & DVD replication company servicing clients that include: DreamWorks, Lexmark, Sony Music, Compaq, BellSouth, Coca Cola and The US Government to name few. Media Evolved currently operates 8 CD lines, 4 DVD lines and offers 6-color disc printing and a full line of packaging and fulfillment options. Media Evolved currently employs 150 full-time and 50 permanent part-time associates. Concurrently, the novel marketing item CoasterROM™ has been co-invented with Mike Kelley of Limerick Studios and is used by Canadian Club and Jim Beam Brands to expand their brand’s reach to consumers.
In 1999, Mr. Walker founded OEM, Inc. (Optical Experts Manufacturing, Inc.) a CD and DVD replication company located in Charlotte North Carolina. Within the short period of 6 months, OEM went from a one-person operation to a 74 employee, industry recognized state of the art replication business boasting 8 CD lines, 4 DVD lines, two 6-color printers, one 5-color printer and in-house glass mastering. OEM’s success was further defined by its net profitability, as measured by OEM’s un-audited income statement, as early as it’s third month of actual manufacturing operations.
Prior to starting OEM he served as Vice President, Tactical Planning and Operations of UAV Entertainment. In a dual capacity, he also served as Vice President and General Manager Mirror Image Replication Services. Mr. Walker was responsible for day-to-day operations and profitability for this 350-employee, vertically integrated corporation with $68 million in annual sales. In addition, he directed all activities related to the Second Party Sales and Manufacturing Division. Mr. Walker’s efforts resulted in a gross sales increase of more than 200 percent for his group. The resulting profitability allowed UAV to continue to pursue less lucrative activities in other areas.
With UAV/Mirror Image, Mr. Walker assumed responsibility for products and services including the creation of proprietary intellectual properties, licensing and distribution of other properties directly to the retail channel. Goods wholly manufactured by UAV under Mr. Walker’s direction included videocassette, audio CD, CD-ROM software, DVD, audiocassette, book-on-tape and computer diskette media.
Earlier and concurrently with his position with UAV, Mr. Walker has served as an operations, systems and economies consultant for the entertainment media industry. Areas of consulting expertise included manufacturing, mastering/editing, new release and catalog management, data analysis, systems integrity, P&L and budget analysis, excess inventory liquidation, direct response issues management, vendor analyses, price negotiation and freight logistics review and negotiation. Consulting services included creating actionable plans to streamline systems and maximize savings through cost savings identification, as well as presentation of reports and plans to senior management for implementation. Clients have included: New Line Home Video, Warner Home Video, Cabin Fever Entertainment, Castle Rock, Mediacopy and UAV Entertainment prior to his employment with that corporation.
Mr. Walker served as Senior Manager of North American Operations for Turner Home Entertainment, where he was responsible for all day-to-day North American operations of a major video label, software and distribution company with a 1995 annual sales volume of $360 million and an annual purchasing budget exceeding $50 million. Here he managed all operational manufacturing and distribution functions related to New Line Cinema, Castle Rock and all other high profile video properties like the multi-volume Beatle’s Anthology, Ken Burn’s Baseball and Civil War Collector sets as well as CD-ROM manufacturing.
With Turner Home Entertainment, Mr. Walker designed and implemented a LAN-based production tracking system to guarantee accuracy of multiple simultaneous releases. He also supervised manufacturing operations staff responsible or mastering and editing, direct response specialty activities, new release and catalog management, data analysis and systems integrity. He reviewed marketing P&Ls and budgets, analyzed vendors, and negotiated all pricing as well as obsolete inventory liquidation.
Prior to his involvement with Turner Home Entertainment, Mr. Walker worked in the entertainment media industry as a sales executive, responsible for brand management for Warner Home Video and Republic Pictures Home Video; as Regional Manager for The Video Store, Inc., a subsidiary of Vestron Video Corporation; and Video Visions.
Honors and Awards:
2006 - CoasterROM™ is awarded the coveted Silver ADDY® Award by the Charlotte Ad Club.
2005 - Nominated for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Carolina’s Region.
2004 - The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and Wachovia named Mr. Walker their Entrepreneur of the Year.
1992 – Awarded the Excellence Award in General Superiority for Package Design in End-use Toys, Games, Hobbies, Crafts and Recreational Products by the National Paperboard Association for UAV Corporation’s Video Gift Pak packaging |
