Board Committees

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Akin has been the Managing General Partner of Talkot Partners I, Talkot Partners II, LLC, Talkot Crossover Fund, LP, and Talkot Capital LLC since 1996. Mr. Akin served as the Chief Executive Officer of Dynex Capital Inc. from February 4, 2008 to 2013. Mr. Akin had been with Merrill Lynch and Co., and served as the Managing Director of the Western United States for Merrill Lynch Institutional Services from 1991 to 1994 and as Regional Director of the San Francisco and Los Angeles regions for Merrill Lynch Institutional Services from 1981 to 1991. Mr. Akin had been with Salomon Brothers from 1978 to 1981. He has served as Executive Chairman of Dynex Capital Inc. since January 1, 2014 and has served as its Chairman since May 30, 2003.  Mr. Akin holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Doug Schneider has a twenty year record of leadership and success in building and scaling fast-paced businesses offering high-technology products and web based services to both consumers and businesses. Prior to serving on the board of Transaction Wireless, Schneider served as CEO where he played a key role in the company’s overall strategy. Before that Schneider was CEO of Genea Energy and President of SME Hosting for Verio, where he architected a highly profitable $125 million revenue premier global hosting company. Schneider has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Davis and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Ben’s distinguished 20-year career spans roles as founder, CEO and Chief Product Officer building and scaling digital media and entertainment businesses. He formerly served as founding SVP and Chief Product Officer at Sling TV where he helped redefine the next generation of television. Prior to Sling TV, Ben was the co-founder and CEO of Digitalsmiths, the product leader in the field of video search, recommendations and personalization. Under his leadership, Digitalsmiths developed video discovery solutions that have been adopted by several of the biggest names in cable, satellite, telco and broadcast media. In 2014, Digitalsmiths was acquired by TiVo for $135 million. Ben currently serves as an advisor to Drive by DraftKings and is on the board of directors of Librestream Technologies and FrndlyTV. Ben graduated with honors from the Department of Radio and Television at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2001.

Ben’s distinguished 20-year career spans roles as founder, CEO and Chief Product Officer building and scaling digital media and entertainment businesses. He formerly served as founding SVP and Chief Product Officer at Sling TV where he helped redefine the next generation of television. Prior to Sling TV, Ben was the co-founder and CEO of Digitalsmiths, the product leader in the field of video search, recommendations and personalization. Under his leadership, Digitalsmiths developed video discovery solutions that have been adopted by several of the biggest names in cable, satellite, telco and broadcast media. In 2014, Digitalsmiths was acquired by TiVo for $135 million. Ben currently serves as an advisor to Drive by DraftKings and is on the board of directors of Librestream Technologies and FrndlyTV. Ben graduated with honors from the Department of Radio and Television at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2001.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Akin has been the Managing General Partner of Talkot Partners I, Talkot Partners II, LLC, Talkot Crossover Fund, LP, and Talkot Capital LLC since 1996. Mr. Akin served as the Chief Executive Officer of Dynex Capital Inc. from February 4, 2008 to 2013. Mr. Akin had been with Merrill Lynch and Co., and served as the Managing Director of the Western United States for Merrill Lynch Institutional Services from 1991 to 1994 and as Regional Director of the San Francisco and Los Angeles regions for Merrill Lynch Institutional Services from 1981 to 1991. Mr. Akin had been with Salomon Brothers from 1978 to 1981. He has served as Executive Chairman of Dynex Capital Inc. since January 1, 2014 and has served as its Chairman since May 30, 2003.  Mr. Akin holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Phil Guarascio was most recently non-executive Chairman of Arbitron which sold to Nielsen in December of 2013 for $1.3 billion. Guarascio was Lead Executive, Marketing and Sales at the National Football League from 2003-2007. For 16 years, Guarascio was with General Motors where he served as Vice President of Corporate Advertising and Marketing primarily responsible for worldwide advertising resource management, managing consolidated media placement and before that as General Manager of Marketing and Advertising for General Motors’ North American Operations.

Phil Guarascio was most recently non-executive Chairman of Arbitron which sold to Nielsen in December of 2013 for $1.3 billion. Guarascio was Lead Executive, Marketing and Sales at the National Football League from 2003-2007. For 16 years, Guarascio was with General Motors where he served as Vice President of Corporate Advertising and Marketing primarily responsible for worldwide advertising resource management, managing consolidated media placement and before that as General Manager of Marketing and Advertising for General Motors’ North American Operations.

Doug Schneider has a twenty year record of leadership and success in building and scaling fast-paced businesses offering high-technology products and web based services to both consumers and businesses. Prior to serving on the board of Transaction Wireless, Schneider served as CEO where he played a key role in the company’s overall strategy. Before that Schneider was CEO of Genea Energy and President of SME Hosting for Verio, where he architected a highly profitable $125 million revenue premier global hosting company. Schneider has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Davis and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Ben’s distinguished 20-year career spans roles as founder, CEO and Chief Product Officer building and scaling digital media and entertainment businesses. He formerly served as founding SVP and Chief Product Officer at Sling TV where he helped redefine the next generation of television. Prior to Sling TV, Ben was the co-founder and CEO of Digitalsmiths, the product leader in the field of video search, recommendations and personalization. Under his leadership, Digitalsmiths developed video discovery solutions that have been adopted by several of the biggest names in cable, satellite, telco and broadcast media. In 2014, Digitalsmiths was acquired by TiVo for $135 million. Ben currently serves as an advisor to Drive by DraftKings and is on the board of directors of Librestream Technologies and FrndlyTV. Ben graduated with honors from the Department of Radio and Television at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2001.