User:VirginiaPolitico/snyder

Pete Snyder is an American entrepreneur and marketing executive who is best known as the founder of New Media Strategies (NMS), a social media consulting agency that he started in 1999. His company was acquired by Meredith Corporation in 2007, with Snyder serving as CEO through December, 2011, and continuing from that point on as a senior advisor for NMS and Meredith. In 2012 he founded Disruptor Capital, an angel investment firm which invests in technology, marketing and public affairs start-ups in Virginia. Snyder is Chairman of the 2012 Virginia Victory Campaign. The Washington Post referred to Snyder as a "pioneer in consumer communication," on account of his early entrance into the business of online market research and communications.

Early career
Snyder's early career included stints as the director of public affairs at BrabenderCox and the senior political director for Luntz Research Companies. He first gained recognition as a pollster to New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani during the 1997 mayoral campaign. Snyder started making frequent appearances on national television networks in the U.S. in 2000, and now serves as a regular contributor on the Fox News Channel.

New Media Strategies
Snyder launched New Media Strategies in November 1999 with $150,000 from his own savings, credit cards, and the investments of friends and family, initially running the company from his Capitol Hill apartment. Based on his market research experience, Snyder chose to treat the Internet as "the world's largest focus group," creating the first Internet firm to offer data mining and real-time communications consultation to clients. The company found its earliest success with Hollywood studios, and soon counted The Walt Disney Company, Coca-Cola, Burger King, AT&T, NBC and Ford among its clients. In 2006 Snyder was named a Fortune Small Business Best Boss. Drawing upon his background in political consulting, Snyder expanded the company by creating a public affairs division, which has included both political and news media clients such as the Fred Thompson presidential campaign and C-SPAN.

In January 2007, Snyder sold his interest in New Media Strategies to Meredith Corporation, continuing his role as CEO through December, 2011. At the time of the acquisition Snyder provisioned for a portion of the proceeds to be set aside in an employee stock pool, which appreciated to $2.5 million and in 2010 was paid out to employees who had remained at the company for three years. The New York Post described Snyder's profit-sharing arrangement as atypical in the advertising industry, and in an interview with Advertising Age he was quoted as saying: "this is how it usually goes: A company gets sold, the owners do well, and all the employees get screwed. I wanted to do something really different." In November 2010, he became president of emerging markets group at Meredith, while remaining as CEO of New Media Strategies. In December 2011, Snyder stepped down from the role of CEO of NMS. As of 2012, he remains involved as founder and senior advisor for NMS, and senior advisor for Meredith Corporation. As a result of his work with NMS, Snyder was named one of "Washington's Tech Titans" by Washingtonian magazine in 2009 and 2011.

Disruptor Capital
On January 1, 2012, Snyder formed Disruptor Capital, an angel investment company. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, it invests in and advises Washington, D.C. area startup companies in the technology, media, and public affairs industries.

Politics
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell appointed Snyder as Chairman of VA Victory 2012, a state Republican Party committee focused on efforts and fundraising in Virginia surrounding the 2012 Presidential and U.S. Congressional elections.

Fox News Contributor
On August 6, 2012, Fox News Channel announced that Snyder was joining the cable network as a regular, on-air contributor commenting on politics and business. Snyder is routinely tapped to discuss the implications of national politics, particularly as they relate to the 2012 presidential election, and Virginia's prominent role as a major swing state.

Other work
In 2011, Snyder was named to the College of William & Mary Board of Visitors. As of 2011, he also serves on the marketing board of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Chamber Foundation, and on the Board of Trustees of Cushing Academy.