Adrian Toader - Hall of Fame 1991

After graduating from WSU College of Engineering in 1979 with a BSEE, Adrian began work with AT&T/Michigan Bell and also enrolled in WSU’s MBA Program. He was promoted in 1984 to Product Manager within Ameritech and moved to Chicago.

In 1986 he was recruited by United Telecom (predecessor of Sprint) to lead their new business development group in Kansas City. Those efforts gave birth to Sprint TeleMedia, which Adrian managed as a VP-GM from 1989-1994, growing it from 0-$120 million and over 400 employees. In late 1994, he left the corporate environment and became an entrepreneur, raising close to $5 million in capital and founding Interactive Media Works, a technology bureau serving the needs of the marketing community. 

IMW was sold in 1999 and Adrian moved on to become COO of National Cinema Network, a subsidiary of AMC Entertainment focused on movie theater environment consumer marketing. He helped turn the fortunes of the company around, introducing the first totally digital pre-feature content delivery platform to the industry and increasing its revenues by 70% in 4 years. The business unit was merged with its largest competitor in 2004, into the current public company National CineMedia.

In late 2005, he took on the challenge of revitalizing and iconic consumer fireworks brand, Black Cat, as its CMO. Five years later, the brand regained its premier position in the industry.

Presently, Adrian is a Partner in TODpix.com, a start up that aims to optimize the distribution of content in movie theaters via Social Networks input. He contributed what he hopes to become his 5th Patent to the company, and consults on various marketing and technology projects.