Platinum Data has appointed J. Hunter Atkins and John LaMacchia to its board of directors. Both appointees bring decades of executive-level experience to their posts, and both are past and current members of boards of directors for nationally recognized public, private and not for profit organizations. Both new board members were selected to help guide Platinum Data during the next phase of its growth and expansion.
“Hunter Atkins and John LaMacchia bring a depth of insight, experience and leadership that most companies in our industry would be lucky to access at any level—and we have them on our board,” said Phil Huff, Platinum Data’s chief executive officer. “We’re fortunate to have John and Hunter as part of the Platinum leadership team, and we’re fortunate that they understand not only what we’ve done, but also where we plan to go. We’ve more than doubled volume in the past two years and have the industry buzzing with a product that folks are calling revolutionary. They are as excited about working with Platinum as we are about working with them.”
LaMacchia previously worked with Huff on the board of directors at eLynx Ltd., a mortgage technology e-commerce company. He has been a member of the board of directors for The Kroger Company since 1990. Kroger is one of the nation's largest grocery retailers with fiscal 2011 sales of $90.4 billion. Formerly, LaMacchia was a director with Tellme Networks, a Silicon Valley provider of voice applications networks and voice search technology and services, and served as Tellme Networks’ CEO and chairman of the board from 2001 to 2007. Mr. LaMacchia developed the business from pre-revenue to nearly $100 million in sales and led the successful sale of Tellme to Microsoft for nearly $800 million in 2007. Prior to Tellme, he was president and CEO of Cincinnati Bell. While at Cincinnati Bell, LaMacchia founded Convergys, a separate business unit that was spun-off in 1998. Convergys is now a public company with revenues approaching $2.8 billion. LaMacchia served as president and CEO of CellNet Data Systems from 1999 to 2000.
“The level of opportunity that awaits Platinum is staggering,” said LaMacchia. “These folks really do have the opportunity to make a major, significant change in the way the industry evaluates one of the three critical factors of the loan decision. I’ve worked with Phil before. He’s a great leader and I’m looking forward to working with the company and collaborating to grow Platinum beyond everyone’s expectations.”
Atkins is chairman of the board of directors for Bank of Nashville, and has been in the banking industry for over 35 years. Previously, he was city president for AmSouth Bank, a Birmingham, Ala.-based banking company. Atkins began his career at Commerce Union Bank working in international banking, specialized lending, investments, special assets and private banking. He has been an active civic leader serving as board chairman of several not for profit organizations including current Chairman of Ways to Work, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., which operates in 29 states, Family and Children’s Service, Families International and FEI-Behavior Health. Atkins is also a former director of the Southeast Commercial Lending School of the Tennessee Banker’s Association.
“Platinum Data is in the eye of the storm. The entire industry’s focus is on quality in collateral valuations,” said Atkins. “I’m pleased to be working along side some of the industry’s brightest and most innovative minds, as we guide the company toward capitalizing on the massive opportunity that’s in front of us.”
