Product Development Project Management

Thom Ang

Creative and Production Executive

********@*******.*** 626-***-****

www.linkedin.com/in/thom-ang-04670419

Pasadena, CA

Results-driven and innovation-focused Executive with a dynamic 15+ year career showcasing exemplary performance while leading product development, controlling high-level creative vision, and driving continuous growth and expansion.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

Product Leadership:

Demonstrated success while owning accountability for all aspects of product development for games and content

Game Creative:

Proven expertise leading high-level vision and strategy for a wide range of game styles including illustrative, cartoon, and realistic

Project Management:

Superior project management and prioritization skills within fast-paced, high-volume, innovation-driven settings and hard deadlines

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Strategic Planning / Creative Vision / IP Development / Product Lifecycle Management /

Team Leadership / Workforce Development / Client Management / High-Stakes Relationships / Content Development / Title Launch / Multiplatform App Design / Fiscal Acumen /

Scaled Business Expansion / P&L Control / Illustration / Design /Art Direction / Interactive & TV Animation / VR Production

CAREER EXPERIENCE

Unleashed Games (Cumberland, RI)

Chief Art Officer (2023 – Present)

Envision and establish visual targets for original IP development and prototype viability of a multi-platform, Social RPG by leveraging Generative AI and other emerging technologies with a bias for action and speed. Direct a small 3-5 person team through rapid visual development that integrates lore, game design, and technology with their respective teams.

-Co-create Lore and Narrative with Creative Director and Design Director

-Art Direction of Concepts, Characters, Modeling, Animation, VFX, Environments, and Lighting

-Utilize GenAI for rapid visual development

Transfr Inc (New York, NY)

VP of VR Studios (2022 –2023)

Built production capabilities to meet growing demands for volume, versatility, and scalability in the educational/training VR simulation space by standing up 3 production studios aligned to business verticals. Reconfigured and optimized pipeline process to include iterative design. Consolidated accountability, reporting, and visibility across end to end production line. Fostered cross-discipline collaboration and integration with business directors.

-Stood up, hired and staffed 3 cross-functional production studios in year 1

-Managed a department of 40+ personnel

-Delivered 100 VR training simulations in year 1

-Improved volume output by 20% over prior year

Boom Entertainment Inc (New York, NY)

VP of Product (2020 –2022)

Drove core mission and long-term strategic objectives of the organization by leading all aspects of the development lifecycle for the production of casino-style slot titles. Established a skilled and engaged workforce of multidisciplinary product specialists through hands-on hiring, coaching, and evaluation of team members. Balanced multiple, simultaneous priorities while adhering to varying deadlines and requirements within a fast-paced, high-volume setting.

-Served as the Product Owner for Content and Innovation group.

High 5 Games (New York, NY)

VP of Creative (2012 –2020)

Dynamically led the design and execution of high-level strategy and creative vision for game development and production within a fast-paced, high-volume, innovation-driven setting. Directed a high-performance 65+ member workforce of Producers, Game Designers, Software Engineers, Illustrators and Animators, Sound Designers and Composers, UI/UX, Graphic Design/Localization, Technical Artists throughout all aspects of the development life cycle from concept ideation through to launch. Owned accountability for P&L, administered budgets, and investigated and implemented solutions to streamline expenses. Developed titles for multiple platform utilization including land-based casinos, online, and mobile platforms.

-Significantly expanded production velocity to 100+ annual video slot titles launched across multiple platforms from a prior average of 30.

-Successfully delivered 300+ top-quality gaming titles featuring a range of styles including cartoon, illustrative, live-action, and 3D.

-Notable desktop and mobile slot casino apps: High 5 Casino, Shake the Sky, High 5 Vegas, Electri5, Cats Casino, Golden Goddess Casino.

-Launched the third highest grossing social casino on Facebook in 2014.

38 Studios (Providence, RI)

Director of Art (2008 –2012)

Delivered strategic leadership and operational oversight to a 75+ member workforce of skilled internal artists while employing a hands-on approach to mentoring individuals to encourage career mastery. Controlled all aspects of the recruitment lifecycle including interviewing, hiring, negotiating salaries, training, and performance evaluations. Proactively investigated actionable solutions to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and maximize organization-wide capabilities.

Served as the Project Art Director for MMORPG based on Kingdoms of Amalur.

Franchise Art Director on Action RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (published by EA)

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Art Director, THQ Inc, Agoura Hills, CA

Art Director, Electronic Arts, Los Angeles, CA

Storyboard Artist, Sony TV Animation, Culver City, CA

Senior Artist, Disney Interactive, Burbank, CA

Award-winning Illustrator with notable clients including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, 20th Century Fox, BusinessWeek, Village Voice, Random House, Bantam Books, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, and White Wolf Publishing

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Illustration

Art Center College of Design, CA High Honors

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