Jeff Basler is all about time management. Fresh from a golf trip to Tennessee, Basler, the vice president and general manager of the Baltimore branch of Comcast Spotlight, hit the ground running. His to-do list for his first day back to work had 45 items on it. Organization is crucial.
Whether balancing the budget or building relationships with clients, Basler works to make Comcast Spotlight, the marketing division of the cable giant, the No. 1 place for local businesses to advertise.
“I want to connect people to the products and services that impact their lives,” said Basler, 45.
With 16 months as general manager under his belt, oversight of operations is one of Basler?s biggest priorities. By keeping himself involved in all aspects of the company, he said he is able to better maneuver personnel and handle business issues. In marketing, Basler keeps tabs on all current campaigns and works to help Spotlight reach its goals. When it comes to company development, he has just as many challenges as he tries to stay on top of the latest trends and data.
The biggest challenge Basler faces is the implementation of On Demand technology. Through this advertising system, he said, he hopes to draw businesses that will create rewatchable spots accessible at any time through the cable company.
With so many responsibilities, Basler believes that surrounding himself with the right people is the key to success.
“It?s all about putting the right people in the right positions and letting them do their jobs,” he said.
Married nearly 17 years with three children, Basler tried to launch his own dot-com and later served as an account director at MTV. Basler said those experiences, along with a friendly, straightforward attitude, have kept him on top.
“We deal with a lot of different vendors,” said David Metter, chief marketing officer of Mile One, a mass-communications company. “Whether it?s advertising, marketing or training, we hold a small group of those people in a circle that we think of as partners, and Jeff is one of those people. He listens as much as he talks. He?s a real true partner.”
Jeff Basler
» First job: Sold peanut brittle for the Boy Scouts
» Education: Degree in mass communications from Regis University
» Best job perk: Working with all the great people at Comcast Spotlight
» Daily e-mails received: 75 to 100
» Daily voice mails received: Six to eight
» Career objective: To see through the build-out of the On Demand marketplace in Baltimore
» Essential Web sites: Comcast.com, pgatour.com, google.com and CBSmarketwatch.com.
» Favorite gadget: Callaway (golf club) hybrids
» Hometown: St. Louis
» Birthdate: Sept. 13, 1961
» Original aspiration: To be a broadcaster like Bob Costas
» Sports or hobbies: Golf, fly-fishing, backpacking and spending time with family
