Veteran cable marketer Doug Seserman joined the not-for-profit world last month as president and CEO of the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado.
As a senior marketing executive at Tele-Communications Inc. and then AT&T Broadband, Seserman led the introduction of digital cable and other broadband services before his March 2001 departure. Most recently, Seserman was executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Qwest Digital Media.
Although compensation for the new job won't necessarily match the large salaries and stock options often found in corporate America, Seserman said he's pleased to be able to run his own company and to use his skills to do some real good.
The events of Sept. 11 and the ongoing "craziness" between Israel and the Palestinians helped influence his decision to help make a difference in Jewish life in Colorado and the rest of the world, Seserman said.
The AJF has a $23 million endowment and a $7 million operating budget.
"It's a very complex job from a management standpoint," Seserman said. As head of the organization, Seserman oversees 32 professional staffers, plus 500 volunteers, as well contact with local donors "who give a significant amount of money." He also deals with the community organizations that the group supports financially.
While many nonprofits are directed by social workers, Seserman said he would run the AJF as a business, albeit a "business with a heart."
Seserman remains a member of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, and serves on the CTAM Educational Foundation committee. He also plays an advisory role with the board of cable technology start-up Advent Networks.
"My intent is to stay active in cable, just not in a day-to-day way," Seserman said. He added that he could easily see himself returning to cable full-time after three to five years.
