Say hello to Tom Waters, this month’s Member Spotlight volunteer! Tom has a passion for fantasy sports, particularly fantasy football. Learn more about him and his involvement in the industry:

Name: Tom Waters

Title: Managing Partner

Company: Autography LLC

Location: St.Petersburg, FL

Tell us about yourself and your organization!

I’m a co-founder of Autography along with my partner in crime Robert Barrett. Our backgrounds are a wee bit odd – I worked in protecting U.S. technologies for the CIA and he’s an IT guru under contract for the space program. “So a spy and a rocket scientist walk into a bar…”

Autography is a marketing technology firm that transforms fan engagement by enabling talent to Reach, Reward, and Retain fans like never before. Our patented, award-winning technology includes digital merchandise authentication and personalization combined with predictive analytics. Essentially, Autography offers a one-stop-shop for fan relationship services, loyalty programs, and fan behavior modeling.

How did you get your start in the fantasy sports industry?

Because one of our major markets is professional sports we wanted to be certain to include Fantasy into our strategic business focus. We recently were awarded a patent for applying our technology in Fantasy Sports – we think it could be a game changer because it will enable athletes to generate revenue from their Fantasy Sports popularity.

How many years has your organization been in business?

We kicked off in 2011.

What made you decide to join FSTA?

We think the secret to success is surrounding yourself with people smarter than you are. Fortunately, FSTA is full of sports professionals who have forgotten more about Fantasy Sports than we will ever know and they’ve all been great to work with.

What are you looking to get out of your membership with FSTA?

Figuring out how to get past this recent ugly PR we’ve all had to deal with and how we can get Fantasy ready for the next generation of players.

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for growth in the industry?

We see staggering, worldwide potential in e-sports and what those virtual fan experiences could be like.

Finally, what’s your favorite fantasy sport?

Football. Food, shelter, and oxygen are optional. Must have football.

Thanks for sharing, Tom! We hope to see you at the FSTA 2017 Winter Conference.

To learn even more about FanVice, visit their listing in the FSTA Buyer’s Guide.

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