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TVB hosted their Forward Virtual Sales Conference on Tuesday, September 30th, 2025.
This dedicated Sales Conference is designed for AEs and Sales Managers. This year’s program included live category keynote interviews with advertisers, business development master classes on selling local broadcast TV, and pertinent sessions about measurement, technology, and the industry – all focused-on sales!
Session VODs and presentations are available for TVB Members.
AGENDA
12:00p ET (9:00a PT)
Platform Opens + Opening Remarks
Steve Lanzano, President & CEO, TVB
Antonio Roman, Executive Vice President, Local Media Sales, TelevisaUnivision, Chair, TVB Board of Directors
12:10p ET (9:10a PT)
Category Keynote + LIVE Q&A: Legal
Host: Brad Seitter, EVP, Local and National Business Development, TVB
Guest: Jenifer Weldon, Founder & Media Strategist, Fat Free Media
12:30p et (9:30a pt)
Breakout Sessions Open
Available for viewing until 6:00p ET (3:00p PT)
1:00P ET (10:00A PT)
Category Keynote + LIVE Q&A: Financial
Host: Brian Allers, SVP, Business Development, TVB
Guest: Brent Wilsey, President, Wilsey Asset Management
2:00p et (11:00a pt)
Category Keynote + LIVE Q&A: Restaurant
Host: Brian Wexler, SVP, Business Development, TVB
Guest: Dawn Lelakowski, Owner, The Church Street Diner
Mark Gaines, General Manager, NBC Watertown – SagamoreHill of Watertown, LLC
6:00P ET (3:00p PT)
Platform Closes
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout Sessions are available from 12:30p ET (9:30a PT) until 6:00p ET (3:00p PT)
Broadcast TV: Myths vs. Realities
Presented by | Brad Seitter, EVP, Business Development, TVB
Resilience in Sales: Finding Power in Rejection
Sponsored by Next women
Presented by | Laura Cable, Motivational Speaker, Laura Cable Speaks
Overcoming Objections to Broadcast TV
Presented by | Brian Wexler, SVP, Business Development, TVB
Selling Broadcast TV in a Digital World
Presented by | Brian Allers, SVP, Business Development, TVB
Turbocharging TV Revenues: The Digital Way
Sponsored by surewaves mediatech, inc.
Presented by | Dan Lyons, President, SureWaves MediaTech Inc., Abhinab Mishra, Product Manager, SureWaves MediaTech Inc., Shruti Singh, Product Manager, SureWaves MediaTech Inc., & Sourita Poddar, Product Manager, Surewaves MediaTech Inc.
OTA’s Second Act: Smarter Measurement
Sponsored by Comscore
Presented by | Hanna Gryncwajg, SVP, Commercial, Comscore & Greg Dale, Chief Commercial Officer, Comscore
Integrating Linear and Streaming for Local Market Success
Sponsored by Nielsen
Presented by | Paul LeFort, Managing Director, Local TV Client Services, Nielsen & Michael Weinisch, VP, Local Audience Insights, Nielsen
TV Success Story: Furniture
Intro | Craig Broitman, President, Katz Television Group
Host | Brian Allers, SVP, Business Development, TVB
Guests | John W. Klinker, Marketing Consultant, KETV (Hearst) & Lisa Sabels, President, Amish Furniture of Nebraska
Increase Your Auto Business: Winning Auto Strategies
Intro | Zach Mullins, Chief Strategy Officer, Locality
Host | Brad Seitter, EVP, Business Development, TVB
Guest | Trisha Ripperger, SVP, Strategic Communications & Category Development, TVB
SPEAKERS
In his role with TVB, Brian works with local broadcast television stations and ownership groups by traveling the country and presenting to advertisers on how to grow their business through the right allocation of their media dollar. Brian also spearheads TVBU, TVB’s dedicated online sales training program. Brian handles the Midwest and West Coast Divisions for TVB and is on the road as much as 40 weeks out of the year. Brian’s background includes over 20 years in marketing and advertising. Prior to joining TVB, Brian had successful stints at a number of local television stations owned by leading broadcast organizations including Meredith and Scripps.
Broitman is a 30+ year veteran in the media business. Now he oversees Katz’s day-to-day operations to drive growth for advertisers, agencies, and all Katz clients, including ad sales operations, agency and broadcaster connectivity, sales training, and the development of the company’s political, unwired, and direct marketing units. Craig is currently a board member of TVB and the former chair of its National Sales Advisory Committee, and a former member of the Executive Board.
A seasoned actor, singer, and dancer, Cable thrives in show business – an industry notorious for saying NO. And as a corporate team leader, she sees parallels every single day. Her message? No matter your industry, resilience isn’t just a choice; it’s the single most important factor to your success. With humor and heart, Laura inspires individuals to stop bracing for rejection, resisting change, and deferring to gatekeepers – and instead harness resilience with purpose, power, and pride.
Dale is an accomplished executive with a wide breadth of functional expertise, and a proven track record of driving innovation and growth at data and analytics businesses.
Dale was with Comscore from 1999 to 2016 and rejoined in 2021 through its acquisition of Shareablee, where he served as COO. Before that, he was COO at Persado, an AI-based marketing platform, leading a shift to a scalable self-service model and fostering a learning culture to support AI adoption.
As a founding member of Comscore, Dale helped launch core products and guided the company from startup to IPO, driving innovation in search, video, advertising, and mobile measurement. He began his history of working with data and analytic firms at Information Resources, Inc., one of the early pioneers in using big data to drive CPG research and analytics. He holds a degree from Purdue University.
Gaines has worked in broadcasting for over 25 years, specifically in the Watertown, NY Market. He began as a Sales Rep for WCIZ in 2000, then in 2006 he became Sales Manager for WCIZ, WFRY, WTNY and WNER, eventually rising to General Manager in 2008. In 2012, six more stations were added to his purview ( WNCQ, WPAC, WYSX, WRCD, WVLF and WMSA). He then went on to work for Louis Wall / Sagamore Hill Broadcasting in 2016 as General Manager, spearheading the launch of NBC Watertown, the first NBC Affiliate in the Watertown Market.
Gryncwajg is a veteran advertising sales executive with over 30 years of experience at leading media organizations, she began her career in local broadcast at KTTV Los Angeles (FOX) and has since developed deep expertise in converged TV, advanced advertising, data-driven solutions, and measurement strategy.
Previously, Gryncwajg was Vice President of Measurement Innovation at Nexstar, where she led efforts to modernize audience measurement across its portfolio. She has also held senior roles at Innovid (Formally TVSquared), NBCUniversal (Bravo), AMC Networks, Turner, and MTV, and ran her own consultancy focused on emerging tech and programmatic strategy.
Klinker has over 11 years of experience as a Marketing Consultant at KETV in Omaha, focusing on direct selling and business development. He is a Hearst Eagle Award winner in 2016, 2020, and 2021.
Steve Lanzano is President and CEO of TVB. Steve joined TVB as president on January 1, 2010. He came to the association from HAVAS U.S., where he was the Chief Operating Officer. Previously he was the North American CEO of Mediaedge (now Wavemaker), responsible for overseeing the agency’s operations across the U.S. and Canada. Steve was also global media director at sister agency Mindshare, where he was responsible for the American Express business.
LeFort is the Managing Director of Nielsen’s Local Media Client Solutions, where he leads a team dedicated to empowering local TV, cable, and major sports teams. He and his team provide data-driven insights to help clients navigate the dynamic media environment and uncover growth opportunities.
With a career spanning decades, LeFort gained deep industry experience through senior roles at Arbitron Radio and Verance. A proud Drake University alumnus, he is actively involved in business, higher education, sports, and performing arts organizations in both Des Moines, Iowa, and West Los Angeles.
Lelakowski is the owner and operator of the Church Street Diner, having started from an empty restaurant, remodeling and opening the diner in 1999. For the last 26 years she has worked diligently to grow her business, from serving 25 customers the first day to currently serving a daily average of 150-225 people per day.
Lyons is the Co-Founder and Creator of the Broadcast Sales Automation Platform “ANNA.” He leads the SureWaves United States Broadcast Domain and Technology Team and oversees Product Deployment. In the past Dan held the positions of SVP of Sales for TEGNA, SVP of Sales for New York Times Broadcast Group, VP of Sales KHOU Houston and served 11 years in various Sales Management positions for Clear Channel Television.
Abhinab leads ANNA at SureWaves, an AI-powered platform that automates post-sales workflows including orders, makegoods, ADUs, and credits, while also providing advanced audience estimation and rate management tools. He partners with station teams to streamline operations, reduce manual effort, and deliver reliable, future-ready AdOps. His focus is on modernizing workflows and enabling broadcasters to optimize yield and thrive in an evolving media landscape.
Mullins leads Locality’s streaming advertising strategy and Channel Partnerships team. He oversees the development of go-to-market strategies for new products and services, enhancing value for partners and driving growth. He plays a key role in empowering media partners to execute retail-facing ad sales transactions at scale using Locality’s data-driven ad management services and private-label transaction platform. Prior to Locality, Zach held leadership roles at Cox Media Group (CMG).
Sourita specializes in sales enablement through ANNA, helping stations build avails and package proposals that simplify both national and local sales. With deep knowledge of station sales workflows, she plays a pivotal role in ensuring broadcasters can respond quickly to advertiser requests. Sourita’s focus is on streamlining pre-sales processes and unlocking new revenue opportunities for broadcasters.
Trisha Ripperger joined TVB in January of 2025, as SVP, Strategic Communications & Category Development. She is a seasoned marketing professional with a passion for driving strategic growth and delivering exceptional results. She formerly served as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Tom Wood Group where she was responsible for overseeing the company’s overall marketing strategy, encompassing brand development, digital marketing, advertising, customer acquisition, and retention initiatives. Under Trisha’s guidance, Tom Wood Group experienced unprecedented growth and solidified its position as a trusted and customer-centric brand. She’s stated in the past that her investment in local broadcast television was key in driving significant business growth.
Antonio Roman is EVP for Local Media Sales at TelevisaUnivision, Inc., overseeing TV, radio, and digital sales in the U.S. Over the past year, he led TelevisaUnivision’s Local Media division’s transformation founded on a client-centered approach. Previously, he served as Regional President for Univision’s Eastern Region, leading market expansion into Tampa, Washington DC and Orlando. With over 25 years of experience, Roman has held various senior roles within the TelevisaUnivision, Inc., leading numerous sales teams and driving significant profits, amongst them: Senior Vice President New York Sales, Senior Vice President National Sales and Vice President Network Sales. He currently serves as Chair of the TVB Board of Directors.
Lisa Sabels is the owner of Amish Furniture of Nebraska, a locally cherished destination for handcrafted, high-quality furniture in Grand Island and Elkhorn Nebraska. With a deep-rooted passion for design and a commitment to craftsmanship, Lisa carries forward the legacy her parents began in 1992—bringing timeless pieces and personalized service to the community.
Drawing on years of experience in retail and interior design, Lisa has cultivated a brand known for its attention to detail and customer-first philosophy. Whether it’s a custom dining table or a cozy sectional, every piece from Amish Furniture of Nebraska is thoughtfully designed to elevate the way people live in their homes.
Beyond the showroom, Lisa finds joy in gardening, painting, and traveling with her husband, Martin. She also treasures time spent with her children and grandchildren, embracing the same warmth and connection that defines her business.
Brad oversees TVB’s business development team including two regional SVPs, VP of Digital, Automotive Expert and Marketing Administrator. Brad develops presentations and strategies for the division, presenting directly to advertisers via one-on-one consulting, large auditorium group settings and national conventions across all 210 DMAs. He also oversees all of TVB’s sales work in the Political category. TVB’s business development team, led by Brad, has successfully moved millions of dollars in ad spend from other media to broadcast TV. Brad’s broadcast background includes 30 years in television in the sports and sales departments with TVB, Scripps and FOX O&O. Previous to his work with TVB, Brad was the Executive Producer for the Kansas City Chiefs official television show handling all content, talent, production, sales and syndication.
Shruti manages EOS, SureWaves’ SaaS platform that empowers agencies to plan, optimize, and book omni-channel campaigns across markets with speed and transparency. Drawing on her strong background in media planning and buying, she helps agencies execute campaigns with confidence and precision. Shruti bridges technology and buyer needs to make local TV as easy and effective to buy as digital media.
Weinisch has been with Nielsen for more than 17 years and is now the Vice President of Local Audience Insights. He started his career in 2007 with Petry Media as Research Analyst, working closely with local television stations across the US. He then joined Nielsen in 2008 and has worked across multiple departments including Sports, Account Management, Sales, Research, and Data Science.
Weldon is a 35-year media strategist known for helping build the Morgan & Morgan brand. With deep roots on both the agency and client sides, as buyer, seller, brand builder, and retail driver, she brings a rare 360° view of media strategy. Her experience spans brand awareness and direct response, giving her a unique ability to deliver both long-term equity and immediate results. Weldon understands how stations, agencies, and clients operate—and how to align them for maximum impact across today’s complex media landscape.
At TVB, Brian is responsible for working with local TV stations around the country to help support their sales and marketing efforts. Using his decades of experience and leadership, Brian is able to provide member stations, and their clients, a unique perspective on the advertising choices and marketing trends today. Brian also chairs the NextGen Taskforce and the Spanish Language Taskforce for TVB, and speaks frequently at State Broadcast Conventions and Advertising Conferences about the state of the Television Industry today and tomorrow.
Wilsey is a respected registered investment advisor and financial strategist with over 43 years of experience. He owns Wilsey Asset Management, providing daily investment guidance to individuals and corporations. With nearly $700 million under management, Brent’s expertise has earned him frequent appearances on national TV and radio, including KUSI and Fox 5. Brent co-hosts the weekly Smart Investing Radio Show with his son, Chase Wilsey.
Thank you to all of our generous sponsors!
MARQUEE SPONSOR
SureWaves MediaTech Inc.
Founded in 2006, SureWaves MediaTech Inc. is a TV Ad Tech pioneer, holding 50+ patents, stitching together Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to build Transformational Broadcast Sales Technology that ends difficult transactions, automates order stewardship, and ushers in revenue prosperity.
CONTENT SPONSORS
Comscore
Comscore is a global, trusted partner for planning, transacting, and evaluating media across platforms. With a data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top, and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore empowers media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make meaningful business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry’s emerging third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement.
Nielsen
Nielsen is a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their global audiences—now and into the future.