Jeremy Stepan
Jeffrey Kretz Jeffrey Kretz is the Chief Technology
including Microsoft .NET, C#, XML,
“I look at the Santa Clarita Valley as a
Officer and Senior Systems Architect at
SQL Server, JavaScript and HTML. Kretz
perfect mixture of family, business, and
internet marketing company Scorpion
works to stay at the forefront of tech-
pleasure,” he said.
Design.
nology to develop the best systems and
use to solve problems with the systems
product for Scorpion customers.
he builds.”
Kretz holds an invaluable position with Scorpion as his fingerprint and vision is on each and every application the company designs. In his role, Kretz oversees the development, design and data-structure of all custom and packaged software.
“Jeffrey has years of experience managing and developing some of the most complicated systems and truly has the experience to tackle any technical project,” said Scorpion CEO Rustin Kretz on
Jeremy Stepan is all about running a
the business IT support company,
with the Storm Track Club, responsible
Before joining Scorpion in 2005, Kretz
business, coaching soccer and direct-
Resurgence IT, he said: “The support
for the club’s distance program, both
worked for 20 years as the director of
ing runners with Santa Clarita’s Storm
of the community and my clients has
track and cross-country.
information technology at a multi-million
Track Club.
been instrumental in the growth of my
Stepan promotes leadership accord-
dollar telecommunications company. At
If it’s tough keeping up with him - on
Scorpion, he has worked as a senior level
the field or in the board room - Stepan
“I’ve watched the open fields turn
website.“Through words of encour-
into new housing and businesses.
agement and killer workouts his goal is
Growing in a way that maintains the
to make you a runner for life.”
He is passionate about his work
the company’s website. “He is a prob-
consultant, a senior developer and tech-
lem solver by nature, so he puts that to
nology executive.
than the Santa Clarita Valley.
business and me personally.
ing to his profile posted on the club’s
Anya Smilanick
Bill Momary
26 • 51 of 2016 • The Signal
When he’s not coaching young soccer players, he’s coaching runners
and an expert in several technologies
Bill Momary has worked for major media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and Scripps, selling advertising and building websites. But his lasting legacy might well be “Ebyline” -- the business he started
years ago.”
As the owner and president of
said there’s no better place to compete
out of his Saugus garage that now trades on the NASDAQ and employs 150 people nationwide, managing a freelance journalism network that connects 15,000 professional journalists with some 1,000 publishers seeking content. The online service creates a “virtual newsroom,” where news organizations - struggling to operate with increasingly smaller staffs - can gather original content. “It was literally in my garage, trying to help revive a tech scene, or create a tech scene, actually,” Momary said of his brainchild.
same feel that drew my family here 15
Momary started Ebyline in 2009 with former L.A. Times colleague co-creator Allen Narcisse. Within a few short years, they attracted $6.5 million in funding from media company The E.W. Scripps Company. Within six years of launching, the SCV startup firm was sold to Floridabased IZEA for $8.9 million. Momary is now the senior VP for content for IZEA. He grew up in Canyon Country and Saugus, attending Our Lady of Perpetual Hope School in Newhall and eventually Cal State Northridge. Residing in Saugus, Momary lives in Santa Clarita with his wife and three children, ages 6, 9 and 12.
If you’re looking for chihuahuas,
Why Santa Clarita?
wiener dogs or miniature poodles,
“I had never heard of anyone in
then Small Dog Creative may not be
L.A. say they love where they live,”
the company to go to.
she said, noting she heard that very
But, if you’re looking for a creative website design complete with integrated marketing, then the company launched by Anya Smilanick on Avenue Stanford is definitely for you. The married mother of one moved her web design company - and family - from Culver City to the Santa Clarita Valley six years ago when her daughter was born.
statement from a man who worked for her husband, “Our name comes from working with small dogs as opposed to big dogs,” she added. Now, 70 percent of “small dog” clients are in the Santa Clarita Valley. Small Dog’s mission statement is: “To grow your business by producing
extraordinary
creative
campaigns
that tell your brand story.” Mounting success shows a company with a bite that’s bigger than its bark. The Signal • 51 of 2016 •
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