• by Tony Silber , Staff Writer, April 8, 2022

Publishers Clearing House, the direct-marketing company that uses games and sweepstakes to generate magazine subscriptions and sell merchandise, this week announced a major expansion of its executive-management team -- adding a president, a chief operating officer, and a new head of sales.

The expansion comes as PCH prepares to move in a new strategic direction emphasizing data and identity technology and services, the company said in a press release.

PCH believes it is well poised to become an essential component in a future with cookieless media because it has one of the largest authenticated audiences outside of single-brand walled gardens. Because of that, PCH said, it is well positioned to partner with brands and agencies seeking greater value from their first-party data.

Coming on board as president is Bill Masterson, a veteran of Google, Twitter and Facebook, and former chief executive officer of Decoded Advanced Media, a company that helps clients master data strategies.

Steve Bagdasarian, who had been PCH’s general manager of media and strategy, is promoted to COO. Bagdasarian had been instrumental in the evolution of PCH's media and data platforms, as well as leading corporate development and strategy initiatives, including the acquisitions of Plethora Mobile, CommandIQ, Topix and Wide Open Media Group.

Joining the company as head of sales is Suzanne McNamee, who most recently oversaw sales at the financial technology company SmartAsset. Prior to SmartAsset, she served as group director at AOL, where she managed strategic accounts and partnerships in the finance category.

“Bill, Suzanne and Steve are three immensely trusted and high-performing leaders with demonstrated track records of driving excellence and delivering growth for some of today’s most successful media companies,” PCH CEO Andy Goldberg said. “They are each deeply knowledgeable and I am confident that we have added the right leaders to our leadership bench as we continue to accelerate our momentum."

Masterson said the media industry needs a company like Publishers Clearing House, which has over 70 years of experience capturing and activating audiences using first-party data in a durable, privacy-safe way. "I’m inspired to join a seasoned team of collaborators and help advance the story of this iconic American brand as it steps into an even more critical role within the media ecosystem," he said.

PCH was founded in 1953 and is based in Jericho, New York.