Our Advisory Board

Ernest Hilbert

Over the course of his career, Mr. Hilbert has been a well-respected and experienced corporate investigations and security professional, and is a proven expert in online and real world security particularly in the fields of fraud, spam, intellectual property, identity theft, and corporate espionage and cyber attacks.

Prior to Epic Media Group, Hilbert was the Director of Security Enforcement for MySpace.com/Fox Interactive Media. During this tenure at MySpace.com, he created and ran the Security Enforcement/Investigations department, including its sizable P&L and its team of analysts and investigators to maintain a proactive and reactive posture for cyber crime threats spanning numerous types. In addition, he was responsible for securing against and investigating all real world and cyber attacks against MySpace, its users and its payment systems.

Prior to MySpace.com, Mr. Hilbert was an eight year veteran for the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) as a Special Agent, and as a subject matter expert in all aspects of preventing Cyber crime including Intrusions, Social Engineering, Piracy, Phishing, Spam, DDOS, Carding, IP Theft, Identity Theft and Mail/Wire fraud. He conducted investigations into White Collar Crime, Mail and Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Computer Intrusions, Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence operations. His experience at the FBI spanned the globe, and involved specialized training to the Russian, Belorussian and Ukrainian Interior Ministries, as well as Scotland Yard and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Notably, Mr. Hilbert initiated and led one of the FBI's first multi-national, multi-field office Cyber-crime cases involving Eastern European hacking groups responsible for $5 billion in loss to U.S. companies stemming from the intrusion and extortion of more than 600 financial institutions.

Mr. Hilbert graduated from the University of San Diego, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Education. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and holds more than 700 hours of training in Computer Forensics, Forensic Accounting, and Advanced Computer Intrusion Techniques.

Don Mathis

Experienced in online media and technology, Don Mathis is the CEO of Kinetic Social, and is responsible for the strategic vision and overall management of the enterprise.

Previously, Don served as Chief Operating Officer of the first online fantasy sports company, Small World Sports. During his tenure as COO, Small World's sites developed into the top rank of all web properties, and the company was sold to Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures. Don also has experience as the CFO of a small government consultancy, and has held positions with AlixPartners and McKinsey & Co. He began his career as a programmer with Accenture.

Don has also served as a Naval Officer. Following 9/11, he was mobilized to serve as the Executive Officer of an anti-terrorism joint task force, and was later designated Deputy Group Commander for all Navy expeditionary logistics forces in Central Command (the Middle East). Don began his Navy career as a P-3 anti-submarine aircraft Flight Communications Officer, and he served with the United Nations in Cambodia and in Bosnia.

Don graduated with honors from Harvard Business School and Vassar College (BA in Asian Studies), where he was awarded the S. H. Chen Zen prize for best thesis written. While at Harvard, he was selected to write a business school case on the Asian economic crisis.

Michael Sprouse

Mike Sprouse is President & CEO of Sprouse Marketing Group. Mike is a published author of the critically-acclaimed book "The Greatness Gap", and is proud to have had the Foreword written by Lou Holtz. He blogs regularly at his website http://www.mikesprouse.com. His opinion and expert industry analysis have been cited in most major international trade publications and media outlets. Mike's leadership and expertise have opened up many public speaking and keynote opportunities including ETail, CRMC (Customer Relationship Management Conference), Author Marketing Summit and Elite Retreat, joining an impressive roster of other past keynoters from that event which included Gary Vaynerchuk, Guy Kawasaki, and Seth Godin.

Mike was the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Playboy Enterprises, where he led the company's revenue and profit growth during an unprecedented five year period in their online and e-commerce businesses, while also overseeing marketing for the TV, mobile and home video businesses. During the time of his service to the company, Mike was the youngest senior executive in the company's five-decade history.

Before Playboy, Mike was a Program Manager at MBI, Inc (The Danbury Mint) where he developed, manufactured and marketed collectibles in the company's sports collectibles line of business. He also oversaw all facets of the company's print catalog business, and most notably led the team which founded the company's initial e-commerce website and business.

Prior to his business career, Mike was a world-ranked ATP Tour professional tennis player and also competed in seven marathons. He graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Accounting. Mike was awarded the national Arthur Ashe Award given to one Division I tennis player for accomplishment, leadership and sportsmanship.

Mike hails from Fairfield, CT and lives with his wife in Chicago, IL.