• by Erik Sass , August 24, 2011

Captivate Network, which operates digital displays in elevators and other locations in corporate office buildings, has named Patrick Hagerty its chief revenue officer.

A new position for the company, he will be responsible for seeking new ways to drive growth for clients, as well as Captivate's overall advertising revenue.

Hagerty previously served as U.S. publisher and vice president of sales for Newsweek, where he was primarily responsible for increasing digital revenues by 540% over an eight-year period. He also led cross-platform sales initiatives attracting $20 million of incremental ad spending in various categories, including finance, technology and automotive.

Before Newsweek, he also served as senior vice president with responsibility for cross-platform sales at Primedia, as well as publisher for U.S. News & World Report and Fast Company, where he was a member of the team that launched the magazine.

The news of Hagerty's appointment comes as other big digital out-of-home companies are beefing up their sales forces and forming sales partnerships to cash in on big projected growth for the burgeoning medium.

In March, Titan announced it will serve as the exclusive sales and marketing agent for TargetCast Networks, which operates 3,500 screens in 1,200 locations nationwide -- concentrated in national and regional casual dining and fast-casual restaurants, including Applebee's, Chili's, T.G.I. Friday's, Outback, Tully's, Seattle's Best, and Coffee Bean, among others.

Similarly, in October 2010, William M. Campbell III, a veteran broadcast and cable executive, took over the role of president at Akoo, which operates an interactive "social TV" network delivering music videos and related entertainment content to mall food courts, university dining halls, and other public places frequented by young adults.

According to recent forecasts from PQ Media, which tracks spending in the DOOH industry, total ad revenue grew 15.1% from just under $1.8 billion in 2009 to about $2.07 billion in 2010 -- and it will grow another 16.7% in 2011, to about $2.42 billion.